BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL (25News Now) – Housing specialists and community leaders gathered at Heartland Community College in Normal on Tuesday to discuss how to make housing more affordable in the Twin Cities.

Illinois Housing Council Executive Director Allison Clements supports the proposed Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit for low-income families to help speed up development.

“The biggest challenge our members face is the lack of resources to build and preserve affordable housing across the state,” said Clements. “We’re seeing higher interest rates and higher costs on materials. It’s just harder to get those developments across the finish line.”

The proposed tax credit would mirror a federal program.

Laborers’ Home Development Corporation Executive Director Karlee Macer calls this bill an important resource for her agency because it helps with financing.

“It’s truly all about ways of layering the financing approach to getting the deal done,” said Macer. “This is just another important opportunity to help us make it across the finish line when it comes to the funding to actually do the work.”

Clements said affordable housing is also an issue for employers and manufacturing groups as well.

The Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit bill was filed back in February by State Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago).

State Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) is a co-sponsor of the legislation.

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