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MOORE’S SUMMARY: With just days left in the spring legislative session, Illinois Senate Democrats unveiled an eight-bill housing package incorporating tweaked elements of Gov. JB Pritzker’s Building Up Illinois Developments, or BUILD, plan and a slew of progressive initiatives.

“We’ve always been consistent from the beginning that we want to work with the governor to achieve accessible and affordable housing,” said state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago. “We’re going to do that, though, in collaboration with our constituents and with the organizations that have been working on affordable housing issues for decades.”

Villivalam said Pritzker and his team are “aware” of the proposal and that they “share the common goal” of housing affordability. He said this represented “the package that had support across our caucus, and so that’s why we’re presenting that today.”

All the bills in the Senate package passed out of the Senate Executive Committee Tuesday evening, though many faced tough questioning from lawmakers in both parties and acknowledgements from bill sponsors that amendments would likely be forthcoming.

The governor’s office declined to comment on the Senate plan, though they slipped in favor of two bills containing parts of BUILD. Pritzker mentioned housing when asked by a reporter in Champaign on Tuesday what issues he’d like addressed before the end of May.

“Housing is a hugely important issue,” Pritzker said. “I think we’ve raised that issue. Lots of bills that are running through the Senate and the House right now and we’re hopeful to see some of those pass and end up on my desk.”

BUILD IN THE SENATE: Senate Bill 640, sponsored by Sen. Mattie Hunter, would allow middle housing by right on residentially zoned lots larger than 2,500 square feet. Like the governor’s plan, the Senate proposal would allow multi-unit development on a sliding scale based on lot size, but it would lower the maximum number of units allowed by right from eight to six.

It also adds an affordable housing component, requiring at least 40% of these middle housing units to go to households between 80% and 120% of the area’s median income. The Senate version would also apply to unincorporated areas.

Senate Bill 643, sponsored by state Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, would establish statewide timelines for inspections and reviews and allow third-party inspectors if municipalities miss deadlines. The Senate plan expands the concept to counties while extending more time to local governments to complete reviews and inspections.

WHAT’S NOT IN THE PLAN: Two major pillars of BUILD are not in the Senate package: the legalization of accessory dwelling units like granny flats on all residentially owned lots; and the standardization of local impact fees.

NON-BUILD ELEMENTS: Also in the Senate’s package but not featured in BUILD:

Senate Bill 329, sponsored by state Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, would prohibit a landlord who’s hired a broker or leasing agent to help rent out a unit from passing those fees onto a tenant.

Senate Bill 330, sponsored by Sen. Graciela Guzmán, D-Chicago, would prohibit discrimination against survivors of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence in a real estate transaction.

Senate Bill 331, sponsored by Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, would impose annual fees on private equity firms who own more than 10 single-family homes or 8 multi-unit buildings. The firms would also have to wait 90 days to buy from the time a property is listed.

Senate Bill 332, sponsored by Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, would grant tenants a right of first refusal when a residential property is put up for sale. It would likely be paired with state funding to support building purchases. Any property purchased with public funds would have to remain affordable housing for at least 30 years.

Senate Bill 608, sponsored by Villivalam, establishes that housing authorities and private owners of subsidized housing can’t mandate work requirements or place time limits on residents.

Senate Bill 635, sponsored by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, would allow faith-based organizations to build affordable, multi-unit unit housing by right on land they own.

WHY IT MATTERS: BUILD is one of Pritzker’s top legislative priorities this session. He’s promoted the plan in events across the state and his campaign is running advertisements on social media platforms to gin up support.

The need for more housing is clear: Illinois is about 142,000 units of housing short and would need to build 227,000 over the next five years to keep up with demand, according to a 2025 study from researchers at the University of Illinois. As a result, home prices have spiked 37% over five years while active home listings decreased 64%. At the same time, new construction permits are down 13%.

But Pritzker’s plan has run into roadblocks, especially among municipal leaders, who have decried it as a one-size-fits-all approach that takes away local control. The Illinois Municipal League has proposed an alternative that largely focuses on incentivizing but not mandating local governments to adopt policies encouraging homebuilding.

WHAT DOES INDUSTRY SAY? The IML is opposed to the two Senate BUILD bills as well as Feigenholtz’s faith-based housing bill. It supports Stadelman’s bill cracking down on broker’s fees and is neutral on the remaining four bills.

The Illinois REALTORS — Pritzker’s top ally on the BUILD initiative — is opposed to the Senate package.

“The package consists of a combination of unconstitutional takings and a double-down on the same policies that created our housing crisis,” Illinois REALTORS CEO Jeff Baker told Capitol News Illinois in a statement. “It’s a non-starter.”

STATE OF PLAY: With less than a week to go, there’s a lot in flux on housing. But it’s clear lawmakers want to tackle one of the largest drivers of the affordability crisis. And Pritzker and his team have expressed a willingness to compromise on the fine details of BUILD. It was always going to be a negotiation. That said, the bills need to get through both houses, and time is running short.