We support building more homes close to jobs and businesses, legalizing accessory dwelling units (aka “granny flats”), and building more family-size apartment buildings across the state.

Learn more about the bills we’re fighting for and join us in making Illinois a place where everyone can find a home.

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Members

Abundant Housing Illinois (AHIL)
Housing Action Illinois (HAI)
Illinois Housing Council (IHC)
Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance (CAFHA)
Sierra Club Illinois
Impact for Equity (IFE)
Strong Towns Chicago
Strong Towns Batavia
Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) Chicago
YIMBY Action
CUrbanism Club
Rockford Area YIMBY
Chicago Growth Project (CGP)
Center for New Liberalism Chicago
Parking Reform Network (PRN)
Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC)
Strong Town Blono
Joining Forces For Affordable Housing
Habitat for Humanity Chicago
UChicago Students Against Exclusionary Zoning

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Legislation

Missing Middle Housing

What it does: Most cities only allow detached single-family homes to be built on the majority of their land, even in neighborhoods where other housing types exist. Illinois should re-legalize more housing types like 2-, 3-, and 4-flats, often referred to as Missing Middle Housing.

How it helps: Allows for a variety of housing options that are more affordable than single family homes, increasing the housing options and creating affordability at all income levels. Increasing density on existing infrastructure is more environmentally and fiscally sustainable than adding to sprawl.

Similar laws passed in other states: Arizona, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, Washington

Local Accessory Dwelling Units

What it does: Legalizes accessory dwelling units (ADUs), commonly known as coach houses, garden apartments, or granny flats, statewide. Eliminating bans on ADUs was one of the solutions proposed by the Governor’s Ad-Hoc Missing Middle Housing Solutions Advisory Committee Report.

How it helps: ADUs are a subtle way to increase housing supply and are typically more affordable than other types of homes. They are often rented out to friends or family for free.

Similar laws passed in other states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Oregon, Washington

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Learn More

Our Victories

The Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act and the People Over Parking Act

What it does: The Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act is the result of a years-long effort to reform Chicagoland’s transit system and fund transit throughout the state. The NITA Act consolidated the governance of Chicagoland transit into one integrated agency (NITA) while avoiding the transit fiscal cliff by providing sustainable funding for NITA and 54 downstate transit agencies

Included in the NITA Act was the People Over Parking Act. Authored by members of the Homes For All Coalition, it eliminates costly parking mandates within half of a mile around rail stations and bus stops having higher-frequency service. Additionally the NITA Act has measures that encourage transit-oriented development (TOD) and allows NITA act as a developer.

How it helps: Transit is essential in keeping household costs down and enabling walkable communities. Building more homes near jobs and in the places people most want to live relies on having a functioning transit system.

Parking mandates, which often require more parking than is necessary or used, raise the cost of housing and often make affordable housing projects infeasible, and are pretenses used by opponents to block new housing in areas served by transit and where car ownership is low. Allowing NITA to do transit-supportive development can bring in additional revenue and create more long-term fiscal sustainability. Read our Coalition’s letter about the benefits of the NITA Act here.

Similar laws passed in other states: California, Colorado, Washington