McLaughlin Offers Alternative to Pritzker Zoning Control Effort

From State Rep. Marty McLaughlin:

Springfield, Illinois— In response to growing opposition from municipal leaders across Illinois to the BUILD plan currently being pushed by Governor Pritzker and legislative Democrats, State Senator Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles) has filed comprehensive alternative legislation that preserves local control over zoning and housing development decisions while also focusing on housing affordability, infrastructure investment, and property tax relief.

The new proposal, filed on May 7 as Senate Bill 4200, is known as the Reducing Expenses and Advancing Local Housing (REAL Housing) Act. It was developed in cooperation with the Illinois Municipal League (IML), which represents close to 1,300 cities, villages, and towns throughout Illinois.

DeWitte said concerns over the stripping of local control found in the BUILD plan have become the most common issue raised by mayors, village presidents, and municipal managers throughout his district and across the state.

“The message from local governments has been loud and clear. They want solutions to housing affordability challenges, but they do not want Springfield overriding local decision-making authority,” DeWitte said. “This legislation offers a better path forward by empowering communities instead of imposing mandates on them.”

Brad Cole, Chief Executive Officer of IML, said the BUILD plan ties the hands of local leaders and forces unreasonable mandates on communities across the state.

“Senator DeWitte understands these issues because he has actually served in local government,” said Cole. “As a former mayor, he recognizes that a one-size-fits-all mandate to housing policy is not the answer to addressing affordability challenges across Illinois. The REAL Housing Act proves Illinois can encourage housing growth and affordability without taking away local decision-making.”

Key components of the legislation include:

• Preserving local authority by explicitly stating that nothing in the legislation requires municipalities or counties to approve developments, change zoning ordinances, reduce parking requirements, or adopt specific housing policies.
• Establishing a voluntary Middle Housing Incentive Program that allows municipalities and counties to opt in if they choose to support housing options such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and accessory dwelling units.
• Providing incentives, not mandates, for communities that pursue locally tailored housing strategies, including access to infrastructure grants, technical assistance, planning support, and priority consideration for state funding programs.
• Creating a state sales tax exemption on building materials used in qualifying residential developments to help reduce construction costs and encourage more affordable housing.
• Supporting property tax relief by allowing local governments to receive additional Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) revenue above a certain threshold if those dollars are used to provide property tax relief to residents.
• Offering grants and assistance for comprehensive planning, zoning modernization, housing studies, infrastructure planning, and redevelopment of blighted properties.
• Expanding workforce development initiatives tied to housing construction through partnerships with community colleges, trade schools, and apprenticeship programs to address skilled labor shortages.
• Extending the Veterans Property Tax Relief Reimbursement Pilot Program and dedicating additional funding to help reimburse local governments for state-mandated veterans’ property tax exemptions.

“This legislation recognizes that local leaders know their communities better than bureaucrats in Springfield,” DeWitte said.

“What works in downtown Chicago may not work in the Fox Valley in Kane and McHenry Counties or anywhere else in the state. Housing solutions should be shaped locally, not forced through a one-size-fits-all mandate.”

DeWitte emphasized that the proposal also protects the ability of municipalities and counties to make their own decisions regarding parking requirements, development standards, infrastructure capacity, and land use planning, which DeWitte described as a problematic element in the BUILD plan. He also says the proposal demonstrates that Illinois can pursue housing affordability while still respecting local governance.

“You do not have to choose between housing affordability and local control,” DeWitte said.

“The REAL Housing Act proves we can do both.

“We can encourage housing growth and affordability without overriding the voices of local communities.”