09700SJ0030 EngrossedLRB097 11192 AJO 53233 r

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 30
2
(As Amended by Senate Amendment Nos. 1 & 2)

 
3    WHEREAS, The astronomical number of vacant homes and "for
4sale" signs in Illinois communities reveal the dramatic impact
5the current economic crisis has had on homeowners throughout
6this State; and
 
7    WHEREAS, In the third quarter of 2010, Illinois posted the
8nation's fourth largest foreclosure activity total, with
947,802 properties receiving foreclosure filings, according to
10Realty Trac; and
 
11    WHEREAS, The foreclosure and housing crisis is a setback in
12years of gains Illinoisans had achieved in the frontiers of
13homeownership and wealth creation; for the first time, there
14seems to be a regressive pattern where homeowners are moving
15towards becoming homeless; these alarming statistics are the
16impetus for public intervention that will examine and provide
17direction on the residential mortgage foreclosure crisis and
18housing availability in this State; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Communities throughout this State are in need of
20additional resources to creatively respond to the detrimental
21issues caused by the enormous tide of foreclosures and the
22housing crisis; and
 

 

 

09700SJ0030 Engrossed- 2 -LRB097 11192 AJO 53233 r

1    WHEREAS, The Comprehensive Housing Planning Act created
2the State Housing Task Force, which is charged with creating a
3comprehensive and unified policy for the allocation of
4resources for affordable housing and supportive services for
5historically underserved populations throughout the State, in
6order to accomplish the following:
7    (1) address the need to make available quality housing at a
8variety of price points in communities throughout the State;
9    (2) overcome the shortage of affordable housing, which
10threatens the viability of many communities;
11    (3) meet the need for safe, sanitary, and accessible
12affordable housing and supportive services for people with
13disabilities;
14    (4) promote a full range of quality housing choices near
15jobs, transit, and other amenities;
16    (5) meet the needs of constituencies that have been
17historically underserved and segregated due to barriers and
18trends in the existing housing market or insufficient
19resources;
20    (6) facilitate the preservation of ownership of existing
21homes and rental housing in communities;
22    (7) create new housing opportunities and, where
23appropriate, promote mixed-income communities; and
24    (8) encourage development of State incentives for
25communities to create a mix of housing to meet the needs of

 

 

09700SJ0030 Engrossed- 3 -LRB097 11192 AJO 53233 r

1current and future residents; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois' Annual 2011 Comprehensive
3Housing Plan published by the State Housing Task Force
4prioritizes foreclosure prevention and mitigation; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The duties of the State Housing Task Force clearly
6encompass the ability to study and make recommendations on the
7impact of foreclosures on Illinois residents and communities;
8and
 
9    WHEREAS, Recognizing the solutions to the foreclosure
10crisis are as complex as the issue, there is a pressing need
11for the State Housing Task Force to pursue strategies advancing
12foreclosure prevention, mitigation, and actions to redevelop
13impacted communities; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
16CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Task Force shall meet to organize
17and select a Foreclosure Prevention and Mitigation Working
18Group (the "Foreclosure Working Group"), of which the
19chairperson shall be the Executive Director of the Illinois
20Housing Development Authority or a designee and the
21co-chairperson will be a non-governmental Foreclosure Working
22Group member elected by the Foreclosure Working Group; and be

 

 

09700SJ0030 Engrossed- 4 -LRB097 11192 AJO 53233 r

1it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That the Foreclosure Working Group shall be
3comprised of a range of constituencies and stakeholders that
4can contribute to the study of the foreclosure crisis and
5formulate recommendations to address the impact of foreclosure
6on communities, and may include Task Force members and
7additional experts to provide a thorough and comprehensive
8foreclosure prevention, mitigation and impact strategy; the
9members shall be, with vacancies to be filled in the same
10manner as original selections, as follows:
11    (1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of
12the Senate and one member of the Senate appointed by the
13Minority Leader of the Senate;
14    (2) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by
15the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and one member of
16the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader
17of the House of Representatives;
18    (3) representatives of the housing industry,
19not-for-profit community, and private financial institutions
20appointed by the Task Force with at least:
21        (A) two representatives of certified HUD housing
22    organizations that provides services to homeowners at risk
23    of losing their home to foreclosure;
24        (B) one representative from academia with a background
25    or expertise in housing trends and financial regulations;

 

 

09700SJ0030 Engrossed- 5 -LRB097 11192 AJO 53233 r

1        (C) one representative of a non-profit legal
2    organization that has experience with the foreclosure
3    process;
4        (D) one person with a background in affordable housing
5    issues;
6        (E) two persons with a background in housing policy and
7    research;
8        (F) one homeowner who has been impacted by the
9    foreclosure crisis in Illinois; and
10        (G) one representative of a local financial or lending
11    institution;
12    (4) representatives of governmental agencies familiar with
13the foreclosure and housing crisis appointed by the Task Force:
14        (A) one representative of the Division of Banking
15    within the Department of Financial and Professional
16    Regulation;
17        (B) one representative of the Illinois Housing
18    Development Authority's Neighborhood Stabilization
19    Program;
20        (C) one representative of the Office of the Attorney
21    General that works directly with housing subprime lending
22    patterns and the foreclosure mitigation process; and
23        (D) one representative of the Department of Human
24    Services' Homeless Prevention Program; and be it further
 
25    RESOLVED, That the Foreclosure Working Group will serve for

 

 

09700SJ0030 Engrossed- 6 -LRB097 11192 AJO 53233 r

1a period of not less than 2 years from the date of the first
2Working Group meeting; and may continue to serve for an
3extended period at the recommendation of the Working Group
4members based on the need to address foreclosure prevention,
5mitigation, and impact issues; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That the Working Group shall meet at least 4
7times a year at the call of the chairperson; members of the
8Foreclosure Working Group shall serve without compensation.
9Members of the State Housing Task Force may be reimbursed for
10reasonable expenses incurred as a result of their duties as
11members of the Task Force from funds appropriated by the
12General Assembly for that purpose; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Housing Development Authority
14shall provide staffing, administrative, and financial support
15to the Foreclosure Working Group; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That the duties of the Foreclosure Working Group
17shall include all of the following:
18    (1) monitor the emerging housing problems in Illinois and
19make recommendations concerning these issues; and
20    (2) oversee actions to prevent foreclosures and mitigate
21their impact on local communities; and
22    (3) oversee and provide insight about the rebuilding
23process caused by the housing crisis and provide a

 

 

09700SJ0030 Engrossed- 7 -LRB097 11192 AJO 53233 r

1comprehensive and holistic approach to the rebuilding process;
2and
3    (4) divide the work of the Foreclosure Working into 2
4primary focus areas as follows:
5        (A) Foreclosure Impact: This area shall be responsible
6    for monitoring the foreclosure activity in Illinois and
7    determining approaches to mitigate the impact on local
8    communities;
9        (B) Housing Education and Outreach: This area shall be
10    responsible for recommending outreach, counseling, and
11    education programs focused on foreclosure prevention and
12    other affordable housing programs needed to stabilize
13    communities in Illinois; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That the State Housing Task Force shall submit an
15addendum to reports required by the Comprehensive Housing
16Planning Act, which shall include Foreclosure Working Group
17recommendations for effective policy advisements regarding
18housing policies and funding mechanisms to address the
19foreclosure and housing crisis, and shall provide an update on
20general housing trends affecting the residents in this State.