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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5737

Introduced 4/7/2026, by Rep. Maurice A. West, II

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Home for Good Act. Provides that the Home for Good Program
is created as a statewide coordinated program designed to provide housing
and services to persons released from an Illinois Department of
Corrections facility on or after January 1, 2027 (targeted population).
Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, the Illinois Housing Development
Authority (IHDA) shall be responsible for providing appropriate resources
to potential applicants to acquire, develop, and rehabilitate permanent
affordable housing units and transitional housing units that are
designated exclusively for the targeted population. Provides that the
granting and application process shall follow the existing program model
of the Housing for Justice Involved Individuals Program. Requires IHDA to
be responsible for providing site-based rental housing subsidies to
community-based organizations who work with the targeted population.
Requires the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA),
beginning January 1, 2027, to provide appropriate resources to
community-based organizations who work with the targeted population.
Provides that such resources shall be used to provide case management and
reentry navigation services to Program participants; and to make
supportive services available to Program participants. Provides that,
beginning January 1, 2027, the Executive Director of ICJIA shall ensure
that regional networks of participating community-based organizations and
housing providers are established to collaborate and provide services and
housing to the targeted population. Contains provisions requiring a
housing needs assessment tool be administered to all individuals who are
exiting Illinois Department of Corrections custody; that on January 1,
2027, or as soon thereafter as reasonably possible, the Executive Director
of IHDA create a Home for Good Institute to provide training and technical
assistance to community-based organizations who intend to acquire,
develop, rehabilitate, or operate permanent and transitional housing units
for the targeted population; the establishment of the Interagency Reentry
Workgroup; the establishment of the Home for Good Advisory Committee;
reporting requirements; rulemaking authority to implement the Act; and
other matters. Effective immediately.
LRB104 21309 KTG 36133 b

A BILL FOR

HB5737
LRB104 21309 KTG 36133 b
1

AN ACT concerning housing.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 1.
Short title.
This Act may be cited as the
Home
5
for Good Act.

6

Section 5.
Findings.
7

(a) The General Assembly recognizes the following:
8

(1) The Illinois prison system releases 15,000 people
9

each year, but without a cogent and unified statewide
10

system to support housing security and reduce the risk of
11

recidivism.
12

(2) A 2025 Loyola University Chicago Study found that
13

between 66% and 80% of individuals incarcerated in the
14

Illinois Department of Corrections experienced housing
15

instability or homelessness within 3 years prior to their
16

incarceration, making them at risk of homelessness after
17

prison as well.
18

(3) Returning residents often struggle to access
19

housing and stable jobs because of State laws and policies
20

that permit housing discrimination against people with
21

records. For example, the Illinois Human Rights Act only
22

protects people with arrest records from housing-related
23

discrimination, but offers no such protections to persons

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1

with conviction records.
2

(4) The current U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
3

Development policy on homelessness also creates barriers
4

that prevent formerly incarcerated individuals from
5

accessing permanent housing programs through the homeless
6

system.
7

(5) A 2023 study of the Illinois Criminal Justice
8

Information Authority found that formerly incarcerated
9

people have an average unemployment rate of 45% and lower
10

annual wages, with Black individuals who are formerly
11

incarcerated having the highest rates of unemployment.
12

(6) As a result, many people cannot comply with the
13

conditions of release, or they turn to the underground
14

economy to support themselves and their families.
15

(7) Research shows that housing instability,
16

homelessness, unemployment, and low wages are among the
17

factors that contribute to the nearly 40% of previously
18

incarcerated people returning to prison within 3 years.
19

(8) According to a Spring 2025 Illinois Sentencing
20

Policy Advisory Council report, Illinois taxpayers already
21

pay $89,408 annually for each person incarcerated in State
22

prisons.
23

(9) When a person returns to prison, the total cost
24

rises to $200,000, including direct and indirect costs,
25

resulting in unnecessary and expensive costs for all
26

Illinoisans.

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(10) The State government has a responsibility to
2

increase community safety and individual and family
3

well-being by addressing the housing needs of persons
4

leaving incarceration.
5

(11) Affordable, safe, and stable housing is a
6

fundamental necessity for successful reentry and family
7

stability.
8

(12) Affordable, safe, and stable housing for
9

returning residents also improves and promotes public
10

safety.
11

(13) Without a dedicated commitment of affordable,
12

safe, and stable housing providing a mix of transitional
13

and permanent affordable housing that is informed by the
14

housing needs and policy perspectives of returning
15

residents, the State is failing to meet the needs of its
16

residents and communities.
17

(b) The General Assembly also recognizes that there are
18
several independent strategies in place now that increase
19
access to safe, affordable housing for returning residents and
20
improve and promote public safety, including:
21

(1) The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA),
22

as administrator of the Rental Housing Support Program,
23

created the Re-Entry Program, providing 81 Reentry Rental
24

Housing Support Program subsidies across the State with
25

the support of housing navigators who build relationships
26

with landlords and connect returning residents to

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resources to support their success.
2

(2) IHDA's Housing for Justice Involved Individuals
3

Program provides grants to community-based organizations
4

to acquire, build, or rehabilitate housing for the purpose
5

of creating transitional reentry housing beds across the
6

State, resulting in over 500 beds statewide.
7

(3) IHDA's Housing Task Force added "justice-involved
8

individuals" as a priority population for IHDA's 2026
9

Annual Comprehensive Housing Plan.
10

(4) The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act created the
11

Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program, which reinvests
12

a portion of cannabis tax revenue into communities in
13

order to reduce gun violence through intervention and
14

prevention, improve reentry and diversion services for
15

people involved with the criminal justice system, provide
16

access to legal representation and advice, encourage
17

investment and economic growth, enhance youth development,
18

and support programs that improve the social determinants
19

of health.
20

(5) Through the 2026 R3 Notice of Funding Opportunity
21

(CSFA Number 546-00-2378), the Illinois Criminal Justice
22

Information Authority and the R3 Board have committed up
23

to $35,000,000 as a set aside for reentry services, civil
24

legal aid services, and economic development in order to
25

provide returning residents with support and economic
26

opportunities.

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(c) It is the intent of the General Assembly to codify into
2
law a comprehensive and unified statewide reentry program
3
incorporating the existing reentry programs of the Illinois
4
Housing Development Authority and the Illinois Criminal
5
Justice Information Authority that:
6

(1) will meet a returning resident's housing needs and
7

is community-based;
8

(2) includes ongoing active involvement by formerly
9

incarcerated persons;
10

(3) provides a mix of transitional and permanent
11

affordable housing units, rental subsidies, and reentry
12

services supported by sustained and adequate funding; and
13

(4) will have a positive long-term return on
14

investment for this State.

15

Section 10.
Definitions. In this Act:
16

"Advisory Committee" means the Home for Good Advisory
17
Committee.
18

"Community-based organizations" means non-profit
19
organizations delivering housing and other services to those
20
reentering from incarceration and who are eligible to receive
21
grants from Illinois state agencies.
22

"ICJIA" means the Illinois Criminal Justice Information
23
Authority.
24

"IDOC" means the Illinois Department of Corrections.
25

"IHDA" means the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

HB5737
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"Institute" means the Home for Good Institute.
2

"Program" means the Home for Good Program.
3

"Targeted population" means persons released from an IDOC
4
facility on or after January 1, 2027 who shall be eligible to
5
enroll in the Program for up to 5 years from their release
6
date.

7

Section 15.
Home for Good Program.
The Home for Good
8
Program is created as a statewide coordinated program designed
9
to provide housing and services to the targeted population.
10
The Program shall contain the following elements:
11

(1) Beginning January 1, 2027, IHDA shall be
12

responsible for providing appropriate resources to
13

potential applicants to acquire, develop, and rehabilitate
14

permanent affordable housing units and transitional
15

housing units that are designated exclusively for the
16

targeted population. The granting and application process
17

shall follow the existing program model of the Housing for
18

Justice Involved Individuals Program. IHDA shall also be
19

responsible for providing site-based rental housing
20

subsidies to community-based organizations that work with
21

the targeted population which may be used to enter into
22

lease agreements and master lease agreements for the
23

purpose of providing housing for program participants and
24

tenant-based rental subsidies.
25

(2) Beginning January 1, 2027, ICJIA shall provide

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appropriate resources to community-based organizations who
2

work with the targeted population. These resources shall
3

be used to provide case management and reentry navigation
4

services to Program participants. In addition, these
5

resources shall be used to make supportive services
6

available to Program participants. Services may include
7

housing and related services, physical and behavioral
8

health, education, family reunification and relationship
9

building, transportation, job training, acquiring vital
10

documents, and meeting basic needs.
11

(3) Beginning January 1, 2027, the Executive Director
12

of ICJIA shall ensure that regional networks of
13

participating community-based organizations and housing
14

providers are established for the Program to collaborate
15

and provide services and housing to the targeted
16

population.
17

(4) Beginning January 1, 2027, the Program shall
18

require that a housing needs assessment tool designed to
19

determine housing and support services needs is
20

administered to all individuals who are exiting IDOC
21

custody within the next 12 to 18 months. At least 18 months
22

prior to their release date, individuals must be informed
23

of the housing needs assessment tool and their right to
24

opt out of participation. IDOC shall make all reasonable
25

efforts to ensure that all individuals who do not opt out
26

of participation are able to complete the housing needs

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assessment. The assessment shall be administered by a
2

community-based organization with demonstrable expertise
3

in reentry services, behavioral health, and permanent and
4

transitional affordable housing which shall be given no
5

less than monthly access to IDOC facilities for the
6

purposes of administering the housing needs assessment
7

tool and conducting prerelease reentry planning and
8

service delivery. For individuals exiting IDOC prior to
9

the completion of the housing needs assessment tool, IDOC
10

shall provide the contact information for the
11

community-based organizations administering the housing
12

needs assessment tool. Community-based organizations
13

administering the housing needs assessment tool shall make
14

all reasonable efforts to complete the tool for
15

individuals who have already exited IDOC. The housing
16

needs assessment shall determine an individual's
17

vulnerability to housing instability or homelessness, and
18

the assessment shall identify the individual's behavioral
19

health needs. The purpose of the behavioral health element
20

of the assessment is to help potential participants
21

successfully secure housing and shall not be used as a
22

reason to exclude potential participants from the Program.
23

(5) The Interagency Reentry Workgroup shall be created
24

and designed to serve the housing and support services
25

needs of the targeted population by implementing and
26

coordinating the activities of the Program among the State

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1

agencies involved. The Workgroup's activities shall be
2

informed by people who have experienced reentry. The
3

Workgroup shall be chaired by the Executive Director of
4

ICJIA or his or her designee. Members of the Workgroup
5

shall include the Director of IDOC, or his or her
6

designee, and the Executive Director of IHDA, or his or
7

her designee. The chair may add other agency leaders or
8

their designees to the Workgroup as needed.
9

(6) On January 1, 2027, or as soon thereafter as
10

reasonably possible, the Executive Director of IHDA shall
11

create the Home for Good Institute. The Home for Good
12

Institute shall provide training and technical assistance
13

to community-based organizations who intend to acquire,
14

develop, rehabilitate, or operate permanent and
15

transitional housing units for the targeted population.
16

Community-based organizations that successfully complete
17

the training from the Institute shall be awarded
18

additional points on any applications for funding from
19

IHDA, including the Home for Good Program.
20

(7) The Home for Good Advisory Committee is created
21

for the purposes of identifying program priorities and
22

making recommendations for approval to ICJIA's and IHDA's
23

governing boards to foster collaboration between ICJIA and
24

IHDA and between these State agencies and community-based
25

organizations, and to ensure the equitable provision of
26

resources for affordable housing and support services

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throughout the State based upon the geographic
2

distribution of incarcerated people exiting IDOC. The
3

Advisory Committee shall be housed at ICJIA. The Executive
4

Director of ICJIA shall appoint Advisory Committee
5

members, not to exceed 25. Members of the Advisory
6

Committee shall include:
7

(A) the Executive Director of ICJIA or his or her
8

designee;
9

(B) the Executive Director of IHDA or his or her
10

designee;
11

(C) the Director of IDOC or his or her designee;
12

(D) the Reentry Director at the Department of
13

Human Services or his or her designee;
14

(E) the Director of Reentry for the City of
15

Chicago or his or her designee;
16

(F) the Executive Director of the Illinois
17

Sentencing Policy Advisory Council or his or her
18

designee;
19

(G) the Chief Homelessness Officer or his or her
20

designee;
21

(H) 5 reentry advocates, at least 3 of whom must be
22

previously incarcerated; however, advocates who are
23

officers, members, or employees of entities that
24

receive money through the Program are not eligible for
25

appointment to the Advisory Committee;
26

(I) one representative of an affordable housing

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development organization;
2

(J) one representative of an affordable housing
3

advocacy organization;
4

(K) one reentry researcher;
5

(L) 5 community members with proportional
6

representation from urban, suburban, and rural areas
7

throughout the State; and
8

(M) one person each appointed by:
9

(i) the President of the Senate;
10

(ii) the Minority Leader of the Senate;
11

(iii) the Speaker of the House of
12

Representatives; and
13

(iv) the Minority Leader of the House of
14

Representatives.
15

At least 5 of the up to 25 members appointed to the
16

Advisory Committee by the Governor shall have personally
17

experienced incarceration and reentry.
18

(8) No later than January 31, 2028, and every January
19

31 thereafter, the Home for Good Advisory Committee,
20

subject to approval by ICJIA's and IHDA's governing
21

boards, shall annually submit to the General Assembly and
22

the Governor a public report containing data for the prior
23

State fiscal year on the number of persons served, the
24

effectiveness of the Program as measured by criteria
25

established by the Advisory Committee, the amount and type
26

of housing made available through the Program, metrics on

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1

the Program's waitlist such as demographics, size and
2

average waiting time, metrics on the number and percentage
3

of individuals who completed a housing needs assessment
4

compared to the number and percentage of individuals
5

eligible to receive that housing needs assessment, data
6

and information about why individuals chose to opt out of
7

the housing needs assessment, the return on investment
8

generated through savings and economic activity resulting
9

from the implementation of the Program, a forecast of the
10

number of people exiting State prisons who are at risk of
11

experiencing housing instability and homelessness each
12

fiscal year, any recommended improvements to the Program's
13

design, and a forecast of the number of affordable homes
14

needed to meet the needs of Program participants.

15

Section 20.
Rules.
IHDA, ICJIA, and IDOC shall jointly
16
adopt rules to implement this Act. The rules must describe how
17
a housing needs assessment will be administered by
18
community-based organizations with expertise in providing
19
reentry services and permanent and transitional housing to
20
persons incarcerated in IDOC no later than 12 months prior to
21
their release date.
22

The rules must describe how a housing needs assessment
23
will make the determinations described in paragraph (3) of
24
Section 15.

25

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect upon

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becoming law.

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