Castro measure to provide housing and support to those with mental illnesses pass both chambers
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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) spearheaded a measure to create a program that will help people with serious mental illness or substance use disorders by enabling access to affordable housing and support services.
“The Housing is Recovery Pilot Program will help break the cycle of institutionalization for those struggling with mental health issues and addiction,” Castro said. “We need to ensure those most vulnerable have a roof over their head and the services they need.”
Often, people with a serious mental illness or substance use disorder lack affordable housing, causing increased institutionalization, incarceration or risk of death from an overdose. House Bill 449 would create the Housing is Recovery Pilot Program to help prevent people with a serious mental illness or people who are at high risk of overdose due to lack of support services from being institutionalized or dying.
Sims advances plan to develop affordable housing for community college students
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CHICAGO— State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. advanced legislation out of the Senate, that would give community college boards of trustees and local housing authorities permission to develop affordable housing for community college students.
“There are many advantages to living on campus for students,” said Sims. “We all know that housing provides a place to lay your head, but the benefits go far beyond that, as studies show that students who live on campus complete more credit hours and have higher grade point averages. While also making campus resources like the library, labs and support services more easily available.”
Traditionally, community colleges do not have the right to own student housing. In order for community colleges to develop affordable housing for students, the process must be administered through a local Housing Authority or nonprofit organization.
Read more: Sims advances plan to develop affordable housing for community college students
Lightford fights to ensure public institutions serving disadvantaged communities receive fair funding
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SPRINGFIELD - Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) continued her years-long effort to create a more equitable education system in Illinois by passing legislation that would form a commission to assess whether public institutions of higher education serving disadvantaged communities need a different funding model and are receiving their fair share of state funding.
“If we want our Black, Latino, and low-income students to have the same opportunity as their white peers, our universities that serve them must have fair funding,” Lightford said. “We have to close the funding gaps between our schools that serve a large number of historically disadvantage students and the universities that don’t.”
Senate Bill 815 follows up on the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Education and Workforce Development Pillar law that passed earlier this year.
Connor’s measure to help older adults and people with disabilities passes out of the Senate
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SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) that extends homestead exemptions for individuals with disabilities and senior citizens without reapplication advanced out of the Senate Monday evening.
“I am always proud to step up and be a voice for populations in our state who may be most in need,” Connor said. “Providing an exemption for at-risk communities means keeping more Illinoisans safe from exposure to COVID-19 or other potentially dangerous illnesses.”
Homestead exemptions can be approved for people with disabilities, veterans with disabilities and older adults without new applications under House Bill 3289. Any property that was approved for the exemption in the 2019 taxable year will qualify, provided that the county the property is in declared a local disaster related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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