Housing Affordability in Illinois’ 1st District

Everyone Deserves a Safe, Affordable Home

​

In Illinois’ 1st Congressional District, too many families are doing everything right and still can’t afford a safe place to live. Rents have gone up faster than wages, and families are being forced to choose between paying the rent, buying groceries, or filling a prescription.

​

In many neighborhoods across IL‑01, typical rents for a modest apartment run around $1,200–$1,500 a month. At the same time, a large share of our neighbors are paying more than 30% of their income on housing, and many are paying over half. That is not sustainable, and it is not moral.

​

Housing is not a luxury. It is a basic foundation for work, school, health, and safety. As your Congressman, I will fight to make sure every family in our district can afford a stable home.

My Goal

Over the next decade, I will work to:

• Cut the share of renters in IL‑01 who are severely cost‑burdened (paying more than half their income on rent) by half

• Increase the number of deeply affordable homes (for our lowest‑income neighbors) in the district by at least 50%

We will do this by building and preserving affordable homes, stabilizing rents, preventing homelessness, and raising incomes so people can actually afford where they live.

1. Build and Preserve Affordable Homes

We cannot solve the housing crisis without increasing the supply of homes that working families, seniors, and young people can actually afford.

I will:

• Bring federal investment into IL‑01 to build and rehab affordable housing, using tools like the Low‑Income Housing Tax Credit and new federal grants

• Push for a “deep affordability” bonus so more units are reserved for:

  • Extremely low‑income households

  • Seniors and people with disabilities

  • People exiting homelessness

• Support a national preservation fund so non‑profits and mission‑driven developers can buy and fix older buildings before they are flipped into high‑rent units

• Back rehab support for small landlords who keep rents affordable and maintain safe, healthy homes

District target: Support the creation or preservation of at least 10,000 affordable homes in IL‑01 over 10 years, with thousands reserved for families with the lowest incomes.

2. Make Rent Fair and Stable

A $200–$400 rent hike can push a family into crisis. We need fair rules that protect both tenants and responsible landlords.

I will:

• Support local rent stabilization and tenant protection efforts, including:

  • Reasonable limits on sudden rent hikes

  • Just‑cause eviction standards

  • Longer notice periods for rent increases and non‑renewals

• Expand federal funding for tenant legal aid, so families are not alone in eviction court

• Strengthen and expand Housing Choice Vouchers, by:

  • Moving toward making vouchers available to all eligible low‑income families

  • Making voucher amounts match real rents in our area

  • Banning discrimination against renters who use vouchers or other lawful income

3. Cut Red Tape That Drives Up Costs

Outdated and restrictive local rules can make it harder and more expensive to build homes.

I will:

• Tie certain federal housing and infrastructure funds to local progress on:

  • Allowing duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings near jobs and transit

  • Reducing oversized lot and parking requirements that add big costs to each unit

• Support transit‑oriented development in IL‑01—building more homes near CTA, Metra, and major bus routes—while protecting current residents from displacement and ensuring a strong share of units remain affordable

4. Prevent Homelessness Before It Happens

Most evictions and episodes of homelessness are preventable. Often, one missed paycheck or one medical bill is all it takes.

I will:

• Fight for a permanent federal emergency rental assistance program, so families can get short‑term help (1–3 months of rent) before they lose their home

• Expand eviction diversion programs that connect tenants and landlords to mediation, rental assistance, and payment plans instead of rushing straight to eviction

• Invest in Housing First programs that provide immediate housing plus services for:

  • Veterans

  • Youth aging out of foster care

  • People returning from jail or prison

  • Individuals with serious mental health or substance use challenges

5. Connect Housing to Wages, Transit, and Community Safety

Housing is only truly affordable if people can afford their lives.

I will:

• Support raising the federal minimum wage so a full‑time job in IL‑01 can actually pay the rent

• Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit to put more money back into the pockets of working families

• Invest in public transit and safe streets so people can live closer to work, school, and services without needing multiple cars

• Fund energy‑efficiency upgrades in older buildings to lower utility bills for renters and homeowners

What This Means for Our Community

This plan is about more than buildings. It is about dignity, stability, and opportunity.

• Fewer families facing eviction and homelessness

• More seniors able to age in place

• Children who can stay in the same school and neighborhood

• Safer, more stable blocks and stronger local businesses

As a pastor and community leader, I have walked with families who are one rent increase away from losing everything. In Congress, I will bring that lived experience to the fight for housing justice in Illinois’ 1st District.

If you believe that everyone in our community deserves a safe, affordable place to call home, I’m asking for your support. Together, we can make housing in IL‑01 truly affordable—and build a district where every family has the foundation they need to thrive.