Chicago City Wire

Mike Simmons introduced SB0088 in the Illinois Senate on Jan. 17, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Illinois Affordable Housing Act. Provides that funds in the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund may be used for housing counseling. Defines "housing counseling" to mean services provided by an organization approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to be a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Illinois Affordable Housing Act to allow funds from the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund to be used for housing counseling services. It defines "housing counseling" as services provided by organizations approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to be HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agencies. The bill specifies the Trust Fund's usage for supporting low-income and very low-income households by providing grants, mortgages, or other loans to develop and sustain affordable housing. Additionally, it outlines procedures for managing and allocating Trust Fund moneys, ensuring these funds are utilized as intended without being diverted for other purposes. The amendments are intended to enhance support for affordable housing initiatives by including counseling services within the fund's scope.

Simmons graduated from Amherst College in 2006 with a BA.

Mike Simmons is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 7th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator Heather Steans in 2021.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB0088	01/17/2025	Amends the Illinois Affordable Housing Act. Provides that funds in the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund may be used for housing counseling. Defines "housing counseling" to mean services provided by an organization approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to be a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency.