Will lawmakers pass bill that could lead to more multifamily housing?

As the General Assembly’s spring session approaches its Sunday finale, the political battle over legislation that could ease residential zoning rules across Illinois and lead to more multifamily housing developments is intensifying.

On one side are Gov. JB Pritzker and a handful of Democratic lawmakers, who are leading the charge on the plan dubbed Building Up Illinois Developments, or BUILD. On the other are municipal, county and state leaders, who fear the plan will erode local controls and drive down property values.

Pritzker introduced the BUILD initiative in February to address the state’s housing shortage. Developers need to build more than 225,000 units within the next five years to meet demand, state officials estimate.

Consisting of multiple measures in the state House and Senate, BUILD would ease minimum lot sizes and residential density restrictions and implement new rules for parking requirements, inspections and other aspects of residential construction.

If adopted as proposed, the legislation could increase development of apartments, condominiums, two-flats and other types of multifamily housing. It also could allow homeowners to build additional, free-standing residential buildings on lots designed for single-family homes.

Democratic state Sen. Laura Ellman of Naperville is among the plan’s proponents. Ellman and other lawmakers staged a news conference Tuesday in Springfield to outline a slew of proposals aimed at making housing more affordable for owners and renters.

“Affordable housing is a growing challenge across Illinois, and too many young people, families and seniors are struggling to find homes they can afford,” Ellman said in a subsequent news release. “Despite the demand for affordable housing, the market has not adequately responded.”

Ellman put forth legislation as part of BUILD that would set deadlines for municipal reviews of residential construction projects and inspections and give developers the right to hire independent contractors to review plans if deadlines pass with no action.

“This bill is about reducing unnecessary delays and helping communities responsibly expand housing opportunities,” she said. “I want to be clear that this is not about taking away municipal authority but striking the right balance between efficiency and local decision-making.”

Other suburban sponsors and cosponsors of BUILD-related legislation include state Sens. Mark Walker of Arlington Heights, Adriane Johnson of Buffalo Grove and Cristina Castro of Elgin.

Aligned against them are lawmakers including Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills; municipal leaders in South Barrington, Barrington Hills, Algonquin and other suburbs; and groups including the Illinois State Association of Counties, the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference and the Northwest Municipal Conference.

At a city council meeting earlier this month, Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli said the BUILD proposals promote housing density, not affordability.

“It forces our city to allow, by right, six- and eight-unit buildings on lots currently zoned for single-family homes,” Wehrli said.

Wehrli criticized the plan as a “one-size-fits-all formula” that doesn’t adequately address the impacts — financial and physical — on roads, classrooms, parks and utilities.

“That burden will fall on our local taxpayers,” he said.

In a telephone interview, McLaughlin expressed concern about speeding up the approval process for housing developments, as Ellman’s proposal would do if passed.

“It’s supposed to take time and thought,” he said. “I don't think that anyone believes that removing those protections is a good idea.”

McLaughlin hopes pressure from municipal leaders opposed to BUILD will be strong enough to persuade enough Democrats in the General Assembly to break with Pritzker and oppose the legislation.

While supporting Pritzker’s desire to increase the housing supply, Democratic state Rep. Daniel Didech of Buffalo Grove is cognizant of the concerns raised by municipal leaders. He expects changes to the BUILD proposals before a vote is called.

“There are a lot of conversations happening between legislators and stakeholders about the best path forward,” Didech said. “I look forward to evaluating the final draft of the bill.”

· Daily Herald Staff Writer Katlyn Smith contributed to this report.