Daily Herald opinion: A matter of dignity, independence: Bill would enable consistent living standards for people with disabilities

It is often the case in life and in government that peculiar circumstances justify an exception to the precepts of an otherwise sound basic philosophy.

Thanks to a personal connection with the issue, Illinois state Sen. Jil Tracy, a Quincy Republican, recognized this maxim in signing on last January as co-sponsor of legislation addressing assisted-living arrangements for seniors and people with disabilities. The law, HB1843, would prohibit local communities from creating zoning restrictions that skirt federal Fair Housing regulations, the Americans with Disabilities Act or state policies in order to block projects that allow qualified individuals to live together in a neighborhood setting.

The Illinois Municipal League and many Republicans oppose HB1843 purely on the grounds that, in their view, it supercedes local authority “to balance necessary growth against community needs.”

But Tracy, a Senate GOP caucus whip whose support for local control is well established, understands that this legislation is needed and does not necessarily imply an erosion of local control over living standards. She has a brother who lives in Anna, Illinois, and, as she told Capitol News Illinois for a story reported last week, she would like him to be able to live closer to her in Quincy.

She said she signed onto the bill with Senate Deputy Republican Leader Sue Rezin, of Morris, “so that people and municipalities will not be afraid of having group homes within their village or city, because there is a need out there and we have to try to find a solution to this.”

The group homes involved are state-regulated residences in which small numbers of individuals reside together in typical neighborhood housing, often with on-site support from sponsor agencies. In most cases, the homes cannot be distinguished from any other in the neighborhood — indeed, that is the point — and, as our Eric Peterson reported in 2024, they are becoming a popular alternative for people able to live with a high degree of independence. They are rarely the source of neighborhood problems or police calls.

But sometimes the homes, officially known as community integrated living arrangements or CILAs, are targets for additional local zoning review or special-use requirements that can lead to long delays or outright rejection of needed projects. The restrictions frequently are based on misconceptions about the facilities and the people who live there, so HB1843 seeks to ensure that they are considered within the context of recognized standards.

“This is a highly regulated industry. Rightly so,” Mark McHugh, president and CEO of Envision Unlimited, a CILA provider, told CNI. “But the people who are experts at this are at the state level, and that regulation should apply equally to people across the state.”

It is important to note that the very specifically focused HB1843 is not part of the broader, much more complex and problematic BUILD Act package of bills that have raised legitimate fears about interfering with local officials’ abilities to control major zoning and housing standards in their towns. Beyond standing up for independence and dignity, HB1843 doesn’t disrupt what IMF would refer to as the balance of “necessary growth” and “community needs.” It merely enables a certain segment of the population to reside safely and comfortably in a setting open to anyone else.

“They’re able to be integrated into a community setting. They make friends and get to know people who don’t have disabilities,” said Mark McHugh, president and CEO of Envision Unlimited, a CILA provider. “In other words, they have as much … self-direction in their lives as you and I do, and that’s the whole point.”

It is a compassionate, well-informed point, which can help strengthen communities and enable a more satisfying quality of life for people who need a little extra help to manage their daily lives. The House approved HB1843 on a 77-35 vote. We hope the Senate will follow suit and send the legislation to Gov. JB Pritzker.