SPRINGFIELD – In the fight for affordable housing for all people in Illinois, State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to provide human rights protections to prospective tenants who are survivors of gender-based violence passed the Senate Executive Committee.
“When we talk about housing, we are not just talking about buildings or leases,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “We are talking about safety. We are talking about dignity. We are talking about whether people have a real chance to rebuild their lives.”
Senate Bill 330 would provide that it is a civil rights violation to unlawfully discriminate against a prospective tenant because of a person's history of experiencing domestic or sexual violence. According to Illinois Legal Aid, people who have survived domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault might also face barriers to their housing because of these abuses. People who rent their homes are three times more likely to face violence than people who own their homes.
Illinois presently has protections for survivors when it comes to housing. These protections allow them to request new locks on their doors, end their lease early or assert an affirmative defense if an eviction action is based solely on the tenant's status as a survivor of domestic or sexual violence or due to an incident of domestic or sexual violence occurring in the unit. However, there is no housing protection for a prospective tenant who has experience or is perceived to have experience as a survivor of domestic, sexual, or gender-based violence during a real estate transaction.
“As a survivor of domestic violence myself, I know that leaving is not the end of the story,” said Guzmán. “Rebuilding is the work. Safety is the work. Stability is the work. Finding a home where you can breathe, sleep, heal and begin again is the work.”
Senate Bill 330 passed the Senate Executive Committee and awaits further consideration before the full Senate.
