Jiménez Passes the Community Land Trust Home Ownership Act

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A dedicated advocate for affordable home ownership, state Rep. Lilian Jiménez, D-Chicago, released the following statement regarding her passage of Senate Bill 1261 out of the House on Wednesday. The legislation would support community land trusts in their efforts to combat rising housing costs:

“Many of us know that intense real estate speculation and corresponding high property taxes have all but priced-out working class communities from our neighborhoods. Our solution will address this by helping us understand how the community land trust model can alleviate the high cost of housing in neighborhoods that have faced displacement. Many communities across the country have looked to community land trusts as a tool for combating ever increasing housing costs.

“Passing this bill today is the first in many steps towards keeping our neighborhoods affordable. The land trust model combats displacement by placing homes in a land trust and allowing the trusts to sell them at below market prices that are within reach for community members wishing to stay in their communities. This model allows working class communities a real path to affordable home ownership, and I am ready to lend my support to any effort that helps us meet this goal.”

Jimenez’s Senate Bill 1261 would restart the Community Land Trust Task Force established in 2023 to study the creation, development and use of Community Land Trusts (CLTs) as they work to address the rising costs of housing. Additionally, her legislation would increase access to grants available through the Illinois Housing Development Authority to help CLTs with capacity building and housing development.

For more information, visit ILGA.gov