SPRINGFIELD — By collecting data on the need for more affordable housing options, State Senator Graciela Guzmán joined the initiative to incentivize government agencies and organizations to invest and support affordable housing projects throughout the state.

“If you ask everyday Illinoisians, they will tell you one of their biggest concerns is the rising cost of housing. Working people desperately need more affordable housing options,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “To ensure we can pass policies to address this need, we must have data to reflect the demand and the available inventory of affordable housing available for sale or for rent in low-income and middle-income households in each local government in Illinois.”

Illinois has passed legislation addressing housing insecurity by prioritizing the needs of the state’s most vulnerable to experiencing homelessness. The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness has implemented a multi-year strategy, Home Illinois, to strive towards functional zero homelessness statewide. Additionally, the Illinois Housing Development Authority finances and encourages the growth and preservation of affordable housing for renters at 80% of the area median income and below. These measures have worked to prevent some of the most vulnerable Illinoisans from experiencing homelessness. 

SPRINGFIELD — To ensure state government agencies are more efficient, State Senator Graciela Guzmán is sponsoring legislation that would clarify the scope of the Department of Innovation and Technology.

“To deliver essential services to the people of Illinois, we must make sure our state agencies not only are invested in, but can operate efficiently with Illinoisans and each other,” said Senator Guzmán. “This measure will clear up confusing bureaucratic measures between state agencies, specifically DoIT’s responsibilities to other organizations, and allow them to deliver the work in a more timely manner.”   

House Bill 1631 would clarify the role of DoIT by outlining what agencies DoIT is required to cover. It also would clarify that DoIT is only required to cover transferred agencies, and while they may assist other state agencies if said agency requests them to, they are not required to do so. These clarifications will reduce the burden DoIT has faced from state agencies expecting them to complete more requests than they had capacity to address, and will clear up the role of DoIT compared to other state agencies. 

SPRINGFIELD — In response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s visit to Springfield, State Senator Graciela Guzmán (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“I am proud that in Illinois, we have a long legacy of enacting protections for all our residents, regardless of their immigration status. Policies like the TRUST Act, Way Forward Act, VOICES, and the RISE Act are measures motivated by protecting founding tenets that make our country so great– the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These fundamental values are threatened by this administration, which has proven to undermine basic human rights and freedoms codified in our very constitution at every possible turn. This latest plot from the Department of Homeland Security is just par for the course of this administration and their dedication to instill fear and suppress the voices of freethinking people.

“Since the secretary took up the post, DHS has reportedly violated the human rights of thousands of our neighbors, jailed people without due process in an overcrowded prison, has overseen an agency that has deported a child undergoing cancer treatment, facilitated the possible deportation of US citizens, and more, in unlawful, morally bankrupt actions. Moreover, the secretary has repeated xenophobic and nationalist rhetoric aimed at stirring hate and division in our country, instead of offering solutions to the real issues that Americans are facing. By creating a dialogue based on hate and lies, she has justified unlawfully deporting thousands of folks without due process.

SPRINGFIELD — To ensure all young people have access to equitable and robust youth sports programs, State Senator Graciela Guzmán is leading legislation that would create a commission on youth sports under the Department of Human Services. 

“All children deserve the opportunity to play in a safe, supportive environment. However, without adequate or equitable investments, many young Illinoisans do not have those opportunities,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Our state needs a youth sports commission to better understand how we can make youth sports programs more equitable and accessible, so that all children – not just those in wealthy communities – can make memories that will last them a lifetime.” 

Representing a historically underserved community and families with children who have been overlooked by state investments, Guzmán is passionate about equitable investment, especially in the next generation and programs to help them develop into the best versions of themselves. One such area is youth sports, where young people develop lifelong skills of teamwork, critical thinking, and leadership—as well as forming long-lasting friendships and talent in their sport of choice. Without equal access to youth sports programs, however, many children are robbed of these formative experiences, and can struggle with developing these skills in adulthood.