Bill giving counties expanded affordable housing authority clears Illinois House and Senate in split votes

Deep partisan divisions defined the path of HB4571, which sought to extend county powers regarding affordable housing, as it made its way through the Illinois General Assembly on Sunday, May 31, 2026, records from the Illinois General Assembly show.

The House approved the measure by a count of 76 to 33. Of those, Democrats cast 72 votes in favor and none against, while 4 Republicans supported it and 33 voted no.

In the Senate, the final tally was 44-14. Democrats gave 40 yes votes, opposing none; meanwhile, 4 Republicans supported the proposal while 14 opposed it.

According to Illinois General Assembly records, HB4571 won passage in both legislative chambers on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

The following summary of HB4571—intended to bolster county powers for affordable housing during the 2026 session—is derived from the official bill language and includes clarification for explanatory purposes.

Essentially, this legislation enables Illinois counties with populations over 750,000 but under 2 million to acquire, transfer, and dispose of real property to help create or maintain affordable housing for those earning up to 150% of area median income. Under the bill, qualifying counties may sell, lease or donate land below market value, use provisions of the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act, and choose buyers or tenants outside of fair market value guidelines to promote housing affordability. Additional powers granted include offering financial aid and infrastructure upgrades to developers, setting income and rent limits on dwelling units for as long as 15 years, and forming agreements covering property clearance and environmental cleanup.

The measure was sponsored by Rep. Martha Deuter (D-45th).

Deuter earned her BSW in 1995 from Ohio University and was elected to the Illinois State House in 2025, representing the 45th House District after succeeding Jenn Ladisch Douglass.

Bills in Illinois undergo a multi-step legislative journey that starts with introduction into either the House or Senate, continues with committee scrutiny, floor debates, then votes in both chambers before being sent to the governor. With a biennial session in place, the General Assembly considers thousands of measures, although only a limited number advance to become law.