SPRINGFIELD — Thanks to legislation championed by State Senator Graciela Guzmán and State Representative Will Guzzardi, information about the lack of affordable housing options will soon be more easily accessible, promoting the development of more reasonably priced living options.  

“Thousands of renters in my district, including myself, struggle with the rising cost of living. Despite our testimony about these difficulties, we need more transparent data to back up our conversation about the housing affordability crisis in our state,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Under this law, we will have the information we need to form real policy solutions that will help alleviate the housing crisis in areas with the most need for homes working families can afford.” 

House Bill 3616 aims to illuminate the demand for affordable housing and the lack of housing inventory middle-income earners are facing. It requires IHDA to collect data on the inventory of affordable housing that is accessible to extremely low-income and middle-income households in each local government in Illinois. Every five years, IHDA is required to make this data available to the public and report the data to the General Assembly. From there, it can be used to influence policy to invest in more affordable housing options.

“The rising cost of housing is one of the top issues facing working families across the state,” said Guzzardi (D-Chicago). “This legislation will help families understand what affordable housing options are out there and who they are truly affordable for. The data this bill will provide local governments will be pivotal as we work towards a more equitable housing policy for our communities.”

House Bill 3616 takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.