In 2020 we served:
In 2020 we served:
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HB 2775:
Source of Income Protections
for All Illinoisans
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On May 23, 2022, Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 2775 into law. Effective January 1, 2023, housing providers may continue to use business criteria to screen tenants, but will no longer be able to turn renters away from available housing simply because of their source of income.
This is a huge win for the Illinois Coalition for Fair Housing and for persons who have experienced hardship and discrimination based on the legal way they pay for their housing.
"For people with disabilities in particular, this law will provide a pathway
to living independently in the community.”
- Nabi Yisreael
Access Living - Disability Rights Action Coalition for Housing
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The Campaign
Prior to the recent passage of HB 2775, the State of Illinois did not offer protections against discrimination based on legal sources of income such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veterans benefits, child support, Housing Choice Vouchers, or any other type of non-wage income.
This meant that, despite having enough funds to pay for their housing, families and individuals could legally be turned away from available housing or threatened with eviction.
During the COVID pandemic, advocates, social service providers, and other professionals witnessed the housing crisis worsen. Mothers, persons with disabilities, veterans and other people faced housing instability simply because their landlord did not want to accept their legal form of rent payment. These advocates formed the Illinois Coalition for Fair Housing. Together, with persons directly impacted by source of income discrimination, they began working to re-energize a decades-old campaign to pass a bill to include source of income as a protected class under the Illinois Human Rights Act.
The passage of HB 2775 is historical and significant. Illinois is now the 20th state to offer source of income protections and this law is in alignment with existing source of income protections in Cook County and City of Chicago. Under the Act, "source of income" is defined as the lawful manner by which an individual supports himself or herself and his or her dependents and provides that it is a civil rights violation to engage in discriminatory actions in real estate transactions because of an individual's source of income.
The Coalition
The Illinois Coalition for Fair Housing is a growing group of impacted community members and advocates committed to making housing access in Illinois equitable and just. Organizational members include:
Sponsors and Endorsers
Special thanks to Illinois Senator Ram Villivalam and Representative La Shawn K. Ford for serving as lead sponsors of HB 2775, and to all the legislators who sponsored the bill and spoke in support of it. We are also very appreciative of the support we received from other organizations, municipalities, elected officials businesses and many individuals. Click on the image below to see a full list of sponsors and endorsers.
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