Legislation expanding county options for affordable housing passes both Illinois chambers

A bill proposed by Rep. Martha Deuter that seeks to broaden counties’ ability to acquire, transfer and dispose of property for affordable housing received passage in both legislative chambers, the Illinois General Assembly reports.

The House vote saw 72 Democrats and four Republicans support the legislation, while 33 Republicans voted against it.

In the Senate, the bill was backed by 40 Democrats and four Republicans, with 14 Republicans voting in opposition.

Deuter brought the bill to the Illinois House on Jan. 23, 2026, during the 104th session.

The measure, labeled HB4571, passed on May 31, 2026, as part of the 104th general assembly session.

The Illinois General Assembly’s official summary of the proposal reads: "Amends the Counties Code. Provides that specified counties may acquire real property for the purpose of creating or preserving affordable housing for persons making up to 150% of area median income annually. Provides that specified counties may enter into agreements to transfer real property with any unit of local government, any school district, or the State for the purpose of creating or preserving affordable housing for persons making up to 150% of the area median income annually. Provides that specified counties may enter into agreements to donate, lease below market rate, or sell below market rate, real property for the purpose of the creation or preservation of affordable housing for persons making up to 150% of area median income annually. Provides that specified counties may undertake any activity permitted by the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act for the purpose of creating, developing, encouraging the development, or preservation of the development of affordable housing for persons making up to 150% of area median income annually. Provides that specified counties may select purchasers and lessors for properties held by the county, a county land bank, or county land trust. Provides that specified counties may encourage and facilitate the creation of affordable housing within the geographic boundaries of the county, including areas within municipalities, by offering financial incentives, including but not limited to grants and loans, and infrastructure improvements, including but not limited to, stormwater detention, public water and sewer improvements, and similar improvement which facilitate increasing the supply of affordable housing units shall be considered improvements for a public purpose, to developers of affordable housing units. Provides that specified counties may enter into agreements with property owners to engage in clearance and remediation activities. Provides that, as part of an agreement, or in return for an infrastructure improvement, a county may impose a restriction on the title of an affordable housing development subject to the agreement that restricts the income level of inhabitants of all or part of the development."

See our analysis below for a summary of the provisions, interpreted from the actual bill text for additional clarity.

This legislation broadens the authority of Illinois counties with populations over 750,000 but under 2 million to manage real property transactions aimed at boosting affordable housing for people earning up to 150% of the area median income. The bill permits these counties to donate, lease or sell land for below-market prices, implement the tools found in the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act, and choose buyers or renters regardless of property fair market value in an effort to increase affordable housing stock. It further lets counties provide financial incentives such as grants and loans to developers, set income or rent limits for up to 15 years, and arrange property clearance or remediation agreements.

The main sponsors included Rep. Dagmara Avelar (Democrat-85th District), Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (Democrat-46th District), Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch (Democrat-7th District), and 15 additional backers.

Illinois legislation must follow a multi-stage process, starting with introduction in the House or Senate, committee assessment, chamber discussion, votes in both bodies, and then it proceeds to the governor for final action. The General Assembly works on a two-year basis, and while thousands of bills may be submitted each session, only a small portion ultimately become law.

Additional bill and legislative measure details are accessible here.

Deuter earned her Bachelor of Social Work from Ohio University in 1995.

Deuter, a Democrat, was elected to serve Illinois’ 45th House District in 2025, succeeding past representative Jenn Ladisch Douglass.

Lawmakers marked as "Not Voting" were present but did not register a vote; those labeled with an "Excused Absence" were away and submitted an accepted explanation for not participating.