Public Act 101-0659
 
SB1980 EnrolledLRB101 09593 AWJ 54691 b

    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
Article 1.

 
    Section 1-5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
Sections 21-295, 21-310, 21-355 as follows:
 
    (35 ILCS 200/21-295)
    Sec. 21-295. Creation of indemnity fund.
    (a) In counties of less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, each
person purchasing any property at a sale under this Code shall
pay to the County Collector, prior to the issuance of any
certificate of purchase, an indemnity fee set by the county
collector of not more than $20 for each item purchased. A like
sum shall be paid for each year that all or a portion of
subsequent taxes are paid by the tax purchaser and posted to
the tax judgment, sale, redemption and forfeiture record where
the underlying certificate of purchase is recorded.
    (a-5) In counties of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, each
person purchasing property at a sale under this Code shall pay
to the County Collector a nonrefundable fee of $80 for each
item purchased plus an additional sum equal to 5% of taxes,
interest, and penalties paid by the purchaser, including the
taxes, interest, and penalties paid under Section 21-240. In
these counties, the certificate holder shall also pay to the
County Collector a fee of $80 for each year that all or a
portion of subsequent taxes are paid by the tax purchaser and
posted to the tax judgment, sale, redemption, and forfeiture
record, plus an additional sum equal to 5% of all subsequent
taxes, interest, and penalties. The additional 5% fees are not
required after December 31, 2006. The changes to this
subsection made by this amendatory Act of the 91st General
Assembly are not a new enactment, but declaratory of existing
law.
    (b) The amount paid prior to issuance of the certificate of
purchase pursuant to subsection (a) or (a-5) shall be included
in the purchase price of the property in the certificate of
purchase and all amounts paid under this Section shall be
included in the amount required to redeem under Section 21-355,
except for the nonrefundable $80 fee for each item purchased at
the tax sale as provided in this Section. Except as otherwise
provided in subsection (b) of Section 21-300, all money
received under subsection (a) or (a-5) shall be paid by the
Collector to the County Treasurer of the County in which the
land is situated, for the purpose of an indemnity fund. The
County Treasurer, as trustee of that fund, shall invest all of
that fund, principal and income, in his or her hands from time
to time, if not immediately required for payments of
indemnities under subsection (a) of Section 21-305, in
investments permitted by the Illinois State Board of Investment
under Article 22A of the Illinois Pension Code. The county
collector shall report annually to the county clerk on the
condition and income of the fund. The indemnity fund shall be
held to satisfy judgments obtained against the County
Treasurer, as trustee of the fund. No payment shall be made
from the fund, except upon a judgment of the court which
ordered the issuance of a tax deed.
(Source: P.A. 100-1070, eff. 1-1-19.)
 
    (35 ILCS 200/21-310)
    Sec. 21-310. Sales in error.
    (a) When, upon application of the county collector, the
owner of the certificate of purchase, or a municipality which
owns or has owned the property ordered sold, it appears to the
satisfaction of the court which ordered the property sold that
any of the following subsections are applicable, the court
shall declare the sale to be a sale in error:
        (1) the property was not subject to taxation, or all or
    any part of the lien of taxes sold has become null and void
    pursuant to Section 21-95 or unenforceable pursuant to
    subsection (c) of Section 18-250 or subsection (b) of
    Section 22-40,
        (2) the taxes or special assessments had been paid
    prior to the sale of the property,
        (3) there is a double assessment,
        (4) the description is void for uncertainty,
        (5) the assessor, chief county assessment officer,
    board of review, board of appeals, or other county official
    has made an error (other than an error of judgment as to
    the value of any property),
        (5.5) the owner of the homestead property had tendered
    timely and full payment to the county collector that the
    owner reasonably believed was due and owing on the
    homestead property, and the county collector did not apply
    the payment to the homestead property; provided that this
    provision applies only to homeowners, not their agents or
    third-party payors,
        (6) prior to the tax sale a voluntary or involuntary
    petition has been filed by or against the legal or
    beneficial owner of the property requesting relief under
    the provisions of 11 U.S.C. Chapter 7, 11, 12, or 13,
        (7) the property is owned by the United States, the
    State of Illinois, a municipality, or a taxing district, or
        (8) the owner of the property is a reservist or
    guardsperson who is granted an extension of his or her due
    date under Sections 21-15, 21-20, and 21-25 of this Act.
    (b) When, upon application of the owner of the certificate
of purchase only, it appears to the satisfaction of the court
which ordered the property sold that any of the following
subsections are applicable, the court shall declare the sale to
be a sale in error:
        (1) A voluntary or involuntary petition under the
    provisions of 11 U.S.C. Chapter 7, 11, 12, or 13 has been
    filed subsequent to the tax sale and prior to the issuance
    of the tax deed.
        (2) The improvements upon the property sold have been
    substantially destroyed or rendered uninhabitable or
    otherwise unfit for occupancy subsequent to the tax sale
    and prior to the issuance of the tax deed; however, if the
    court declares a sale in error under this paragraph (2),
    the court may order the holder of the certificate of
    purchase to assign the certificate to the county collector
    if requested by the county collector. The county collector
    may, upon request of the county, as trustee, or upon
    request of a taxing district having an interest in the
    taxes sold, further assign any certificate of purchase
    received pursuant to this paragraph (2) to the county
    acting as trustee for taxing districts pursuant to Section
    21-90 of this Code or to the taxing district having an
    interest in the taxes sold.
        (3) There is an interest held by the United States in
    the property sold which could not be extinguished by the
    tax deed.
        (4) The real property contains a hazardous substance,
    hazardous waste, or underground storage tank that would
    require cleanup or other removal under any federal, State,
    or local law, ordinance, or regulation, only if the tax
    purchaser purchased the property without actual knowledge
    of the hazardous substance, hazardous waste, or
    underground storage tank. This paragraph (4) applies only
    if the owner of the certificate of purchase has made
    application for a sale in error at any time before the
    issuance of a tax deed. If the court declares a sale in
    error under this paragraph (4), the court may order the
    holder of the certificate of purchase to assign the
    certificate to the county collector if requested by the
    county collector. The county collector may, upon request of
    the county, as trustee, or upon request of a taxing
    district having an interest in the taxes sold, further
    assign any certificate of purchase received pursuant to
    this paragraph (4) to the county acting as trustee for
    taxing districts pursuant to Section 21-90 of this Code or
    to the taxing district having an interest in the taxes
    sold.
    Whenever a court declares a sale in error under this
subsection (b), the court shall promptly notify the county
collector in writing. Every such declaration pursuant to any
provision of this subsection (b) shall be made within the
proceeding in which the tax sale was authorized.
    (c) When the county collector discovers, prior to the
expiration of the period of redemption, that a tax sale should
not have occurred for one or more of the reasons set forth in
subdivision (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(6), or (a)(7) of this Section,
the county collector shall notify the last known owner of the
certificate of purchase by certified and regular mail, or other
means reasonably calculated to provide actual notice, that the
county collector intends to declare an administrative sale in
error and of the reasons therefor, including documentation
sufficient to establish the reason why the sale should not have
occurred. The owner of the certificate of purchase may object
in writing within 28 days after the date of the mailing by the
county collector. If an objection is filed, the county
collector shall not administratively declare a sale in error,
but may apply to the circuit court for a sale in error as
provided in subsection (a) of this Section. Thirty days
following the receipt of notice by the last known owner of the
certificate of purchase, or within a reasonable time
thereafter, the county collector shall make a written
declaration, based upon clear and convincing evidence, that the
taxes were sold in error and shall deliver a copy thereof to
the county clerk within 30 days after the date the declaration
is made for entry in the tax judgment, sale, redemption, and
forfeiture record pursuant to subsection (d) of this Section.
The county collector shall promptly notify the last known owner
of the certificate of purchase of the declaration by regular
mail and shall promptly pay the amount of the tax sale,
together with interest and costs as provided in Section 21-315,
upon surrender of the original certificate of purchase.
    (d) If a sale is declared to be a sale in error, the county
clerk shall make entry in the tax judgment, sale, redemption
and forfeiture record, that the property was erroneously sold,
and the county collector shall, on demand of the owner of the
certificate of purchase, refund the amount paid, except for the
nonrefundable $80 fee paid, pursuant to Section 21-295, for
each item purchased at the tax sale, pay any interest and costs
as may be ordered under Sections 21-315 through 21-335, and
cancel the certificate so far as it relates to the property.
The county collector shall deduct from the accounts of the
appropriate taxing bodies their pro rata amounts paid.
Alternatively, for sales in error declared under subsection
(b)(2) or (b)(4), the county collector may request the circuit
court to direct the county clerk to record any assignment of
the tax certificate to or from the county collector without
charging a fee for the assignment. The owner of the certificate
of purchase shall receive all statutory refunds and payments.
The county collector shall deduct costs and payments in the
same manner as if a sale in error had occurred.
(Source: P.A. 100-890, eff. 1-1-19; 101-379, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
    (35 ILCS 200/21-355)
    Sec. 21-355. Amount of redemption. Any person desiring to
redeem shall deposit an amount specified in this Section with
the county clerk of the county in which the property is
situated, in legal money of the United States, or by cashier's
check, certified check, post office money order or money order
issued by a financial institution insured by an agency or
instrumentality of the United States, payable to the county
clerk of the proper county. The deposit shall be deemed timely
only if actually received in person at the county clerk's
office prior to the close of business as defined in Section
3-2007 of the Counties Code on or before the expiration of the
period of redemption or by United States mail with a post
office cancellation mark dated not less than one day prior to
the expiration of the period of redemption. The deposit shall
be in an amount equal to the total of the following:
        (a) the certificate amount, which shall include all tax
    principal, special assessments, interest and penalties
    paid by the tax purchaser together with costs and fees of
    sale and fees paid under Sections 21-295 and 21-315 through
    21-335, except for the nonrefundable $80 fee paid, pursuant
    to Section 21-295, for each item purchased at the tax sale;
        (b) the accrued penalty, computed through the date of
    redemption as a percentage of the certificate amount, as
    follows:
            (1) if the redemption occurs on or before the
        expiration of 6 months from the date of sale, the
        certificate amount times the penalty bid at sale;
            (2) if the redemption occurs after 6 months from
        the date of sale, and on or before the expiration of 12
        months from the date of sale, the certificate amount
        times 2 times the penalty bid at sale;
            (3) if the redemption occurs after 12 months from
        the date of sale and on or before the expiration of 18
        months from the date of sale, the certificate amount
        times 3 times the penalty bid at sale;
            (4) if the redemption occurs after 18 months from
        the date of sale and on or before the expiration of 24
        months from the date of sale, the certificate amount
        times 4 times the penalty bid at sale;
            (5) if the redemption occurs after 24 months from
        the date of sale and on or before the expiration of 30
        months from the date of sale, the certificate amount
        times 5 times the penalty bid at sale;
            (6) if the redemption occurs after 30 months from
        the date of sale and on or before the expiration of 36
        months from the date of sale, the certificate amount
        times 6 times the penalty bid at sale.
            In the event that the property to be redeemed has
        been purchased under Section 21-405, the penalty bid
        shall be 12% per penalty period as set forth in
        subparagraphs (1) through (6) of this subsection (b).
        The changes to this subdivision (b)(6) made by this
        amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly are not a
        new enactment, but declaratory of existing law.
        (c) The total of all taxes, special assessments,
    accrued interest on those taxes and special assessments and
    costs charged in connection with the payment of those taxes
    or special assessments, except for the nonrefundable $80
    fee paid, pursuant to Section 21-295, for each item
    purchased at the tax sale, which have been paid by the tax
    certificate holder on or after the date those taxes or
    special assessments became delinquent together with 12%
    penalty on each amount so paid for each year or portion
    thereof intervening between the date of that payment and
    the date of redemption. In counties with less than
    3,000,000 inhabitants, however, a tax certificate holder
    may not pay all or part of an installment of a subsequent
    tax or special assessment for any year, nor shall any
    tender of such a payment be accepted, until after the
    second or final installment of the subsequent tax or
    special assessment has become delinquent or until after the
    holder of the certificate of purchase has filed a petition
    for a tax deed under Section 22.30. The person redeeming
    shall also pay the amount of interest charged on the
    subsequent tax or special assessment and paid as a penalty
    by the tax certificate holder. This amendatory Act of 1995
    applies to tax years beginning with the 1995 taxes, payable
    in 1996, and thereafter.
        (d) Any amount paid to redeem a forfeiture occurring
    subsequent to the tax sale together with 12% penalty
    thereon for each year or portion thereof intervening
    between the date of the forfeiture redemption and the date
    of redemption from the sale.
        (e) Any amount paid by the certificate holder for
    redemption of a subsequently occurring tax sale.
        (f) All fees paid to the county clerk under Section
    22-5.
        (g) All fees paid to the registrar of titles incident
    to registering the tax certificate in compliance with the
    Registered Titles (Torrens) Act.
        (h) All fees paid to the circuit clerk and the sheriff,
    a licensed or registered private detective, or the coroner
    in connection with the filing of the petition for tax deed
    and service of notices under Sections 22-15 through 22-30
    and 22-40 in addition to (1) a fee of $35 if a petition for
    tax deed has been filed, which fee shall be posted to the
    tax judgement, sale, redemption, and forfeiture record, to
    be paid to the purchaser or his or her assignee; (2) a fee
    of $4 if a notice under Section 22-5 has been filed, which
    fee shall be posted to the tax judgment, sale, redemption,
    and forfeiture record, to be paid to the purchaser or his
    or her assignee; (3) all costs paid to record a lis pendens
    notice in connection with filing a petition under this
    Code; and (4) if a petition for tax deed has been filed,
    all fees up to $150 per redemption paid to a registered or
    licensed title insurance company or title insurance agent
    for a title search to identify all owners, parties
    interested, and occupants of the property, to be paid to
    the purchaser or his or her assignee. The fees in (1) and
    (2) of this paragraph (h) shall be exempt from the posting
    requirements of Section 21-360. The costs incurred in
    causing notices to be served by a licensed or registered
    private detective under Section 22-15, may not exceed the
    amount that the sheriff would be authorized by law to
    charge if those notices had been served by the sheriff.
        (i) All fees paid for publication of notice of the tax
    sale in accordance with Section 22-20.
        (j) All sums paid to any county, city, village or
    incorporated town for reimbursement under Section 22-35.
        (k) All costs and expenses of receivership under
    Section 21-410, to the extent that these costs and expenses
    exceed any income from the property in question, if the
    costs and expenditures have been approved by the court
    appointing the receiver and a certified copy of the order
    or approval is filed and posted by the certificate holder
    with the county clerk. Only actual costs expended may be
    posted on the tax judgment, sale, redemption and forfeiture
    record.
(Source: P.A. 98-1162, eff. 6-1-15.)
 
Article 5.

 
    Section 5-5. The Housing Authorities Act is amended by
changing Sections 8.23, 17, and 25 and by adding Sections
8.10a, 25.01, and 25.02 as follows:
 
    (310 ILCS 10/8.10a new)
    Sec. 8.10a. Criminal history record data.
    (a) Every Authority organized under the provisions of this
Act shall collect the following:
        (1) the number of applications submitted for admission
    to federally assisted housing;
        (2) the number of applications submitted for admission
    to federally assisted housing by individuals with a
    criminal history record, if the Authority is conducting
    criminal history records checks of applicants or other
    household members;
        (3) the number of applications for admission to
    federally assisted housing that were denied on the basis of
    a criminal history record, if the Authority is conducting
    criminal history records checks of applicants or other
    household members;
        (4) the number of criminal records assessment hearings
    requested by applicants for housing who were denied
    federally assisted housing on the basis of a criminal
    history records check; and
        (5) the number of denials for federally assisted
    housing that were overturned after a criminal records
    assessment hearing.
    (b) The information required in this Section shall be
disaggregated by the race, ethnicity, and sex of applicants for
housing. This information shall be reported to the Illinois
Criminal Justice Information Authority and shall be compiled
and reported to the General Assembly annually by the Illinois
Criminal Justice Information Authority. The Illinois Criminal
Justice Information Authority shall also make this report
publicly available, including on its website, without fee.
 
    (310 ILCS 10/8.23)
    Sec. 8.23. Notification to leaseholders of the prospective
presence of individuals with a felony conviction felons in
housing authority facilities; eviction.
    (a) Immediately upon the receipt of the written
notification, from the Department of Corrections under
subsection (c) of Section 3-14-1 of the Unified Code of
Corrections, that an individual with a felony conviction a
felon intends to reside, upon release from custody, at an
address that is a housing facility owned, managed, operated, or
leased by the Authority, the Authority must provide written
notification to the leaseholder residing at that address.
    (b) The Authority may not evict the leaseholder described
in subsection (a) of this Section unless (i) federal law
prohibits the individual with a felony conviction from residing
at a housing facility owned, managed, operated, or leased by
the Authority and (ii) the Authority proves by a preponderance
of the evidence that the leaseholder had knowledge of and
consents to the individual's felon's intent to reside at the
leaseholder's address.
(Source: P.A. 91-506, eff. 8-13-99.)
 
    (310 ILCS 10/17)  (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 17)
    Sec. 17. Definitions. The following terms, wherever used or
referred to in this Act shall have the following respective
meanings, unless in any case a different meaning clearly
appears from the context:
    (a) "Authority" or "housing authority" shall mean a
municipal corporation organized in accordance with the
provisions of this Act for the purposes, with the powers and
subject to the restrictions herein set forth.
    (b) "Area" or "area of operation" shall mean: (1) in the
case of an authority which is created hereunder for a city,
village, or incorporated town, the area within the territorial
boundaries of said city, village, or incorporated town, and so
long as no county housing authority has jurisdiction therein,
the area within three miles from such territorial boundaries,
except any part of such area located within the territorial
boundaries of any other city, village, or incorporated town;
and (2) in the case of a county shall include all of the county
except the area of any city, village or incorporated town
located therein in which there is an Authority. When an
authority is created for a county subsequent to the creation of
an authority for a city, village or incorporated town within
the same county, the area of operation of the authority for
such city, village or incorporated town shall thereafter be
limited to the territory of such city, village or incorporated
town, but the authority for such city, village or incorporated
town may continue to operate any project developed in whole or
in part in an area previously a part of its area of operation,
or may contract with the county housing authority with respect
to the sale, lease, development or administration of such
project. When an authority is created for a city, village or
incorporated town subsequent to the creation of a county
housing authority which previously included such city, village
or incorporated town within its area of operation, such county
housing authority shall have no power to create any additional
project within the city, village or incorporated town, but any
existing project in the city, village or incorporated town
currently owned and operated by the county housing authority
shall remain in the ownership, operation, custody and control
of the county housing authority.
    (b-5) "Criminal history record" means a record of arrest,
complaint, indictment, or any disposition arising therefrom.
    (b-6) "Criminal history report" means any written, oral, or
other communication of information that includes criminal
history record information about a natural person that is
produced by a law enforcement agency, a court, a consumer
reporting agency, or a housing screening agency or business.
    (c) "Presiding officer" shall mean the presiding officer of
the board of a county, or the mayor or president of a city,
village or incorporated town, as the case may be, for which an
Authority is created hereunder.
    (d) "Commissioner" shall mean one of the members of an
Authority appointed in accordance with the provisions of this
Act.
    (e) "Government" shall include the State and Federal
governments and the governments of any subdivisions, agency or
instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of either of them.
    (f) "Department" shall mean the Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity.
    (g) "Project" shall include all lands, buildings, and
improvements, acquired, owned, leased, managed or operated by a
housing authority, and all buildings and improvements
constructed, reconstructed or repaired by a housing authority,
designed to provide housing accommodations and facilities
appurtenant thereto (including community facilities and
stores) which are planned as a unit, whether or not acquired or
constructed at one time even though all or a portion of the
buildings are not contiguous or adjacent to one another; and
the planning of buildings and improvements, the acquisition of
property, the demolition of existing structures, the clearing
of land, the construction, reconstruction, and repair of
buildings or improvements and all other work in connection
therewith. As provided in Sections 8.14 to 8.18, inclusive,
"project" also means, for Housing Authorities for
municipalities of less than 500,000 population and for
counties, the conservation of urban areas in accordance with an
approved conservation plan. "Project" shall also include (1)
acquisition of (i) a slum or blighted area or a deteriorated or
deteriorating area which is predominantly residential in
character, or (ii) any other deteriorated or deteriorating area
which is to be developed or redeveloped for predominantly
residential uses, or (iii) platted urban or suburban land which
is predominantly open and which because of obsolete platting,
diversity of ownership, deterioration of structures or of site
improvements, or otherwise substantially impairs or arrests
the sound growth of the community and which is to be developed
for predominantly residential uses, or (iv) open unplatted
urban or suburban land necessary for sound community growth
which is to be developed for predominantly residential uses, or
(v) any other area where parcels of land remain undeveloped
because of improper platting, delinquent taxes or special
assessments, scattered or uncertain ownerships, clouds on
title, artificial values due to excessive utility costs, or any
other impediments to the use of such area for predominantly
residential uses; (2) installation, construction, or
reconstruction of streets, utilities, and other site
improvements essential to the preparation of sites for uses in
accordance with the development or redevelopment plan; and (3)
making the land available for development or redevelopment by
private enterprise or public agencies (including sale, initial
leasing, or retention by the local public agency itself). If in
any city, village or incorporated town there exists a land
clearance commission created under the "Blighted Areas
Redevelopment Act of 1947" having the same area of operation as
a housing authority created in and for any such municipality
such housing authority shall have no power to acquire land of
the character described in subparagraph (iii), (iv) or (v) of
paragraph 1 of the definition of "project" for the purpose of
development or redevelopment by private enterprise.
    (h) "Community facilities" shall include lands, buildings,
and equipment for recreation or social assembly, for education,
health or welfare activities and other necessary utilities
primarily for use and benefit of the occupants of housing
accommodations to be constructed, reconstructed, repaired or
operated hereunder.
    (i) "Real property" shall include lands, lands under water,
structures, and any and all easements, franchises and
incorporeal hereditaments and estates, and rights, legal and
equitable, including terms for years and liens by way of
judgment, mortgage or otherwise.
    (j) The term "governing body" shall include the city
council of any city, the president and board of trustees of any
village or incorporated town, the council of any city or
village, and the county board of any county.
    (k) The phrase "individual, association, corporation or
organization" shall include any individual, private
corporation, limited or general partnership, limited liability
company, insurance company, housing corporation, neighborhood
redevelopment corporation, non-profit corporation,
incorporated or unincorporated group or association,
educational institution, hospital, or charitable organization,
and any mutual ownership or cooperative organization.
    (l) "Conservation area", for the purpose of the exercise of
the powers granted in Sections 8.14 to 8.18, inclusive, for
housing authorities for municipalities of less than 500,000
population and for counties, means an area of not less than 2
acres in which the structures in 50% or more of the area are
residential having an average age of 35 years or more. Such an
area is not yet a slum or blighted area as defined in the
Blighted Areas Redevelopment Act of 1947, but such an area by
reason of dilapidation, obsolescence, deterioration or illegal
use of individual structures, overcrowding of structures and
community facilities, conversion of residential units into
non-residential use, deleterious land use or layout, decline of
physical maintenance, lack of community planning, or any
combination of these factors may become a slum and blighted
area.
    (m) "Conservation plan" means the comprehensive program
for the physical development and replanning of a "Conservation
Area" as defined in paragraph (l) embodying the steps required
to prevent such Conservation Area from becoming a slum and
blighted area.
    (n) "Fair use value" means the fair cash market value of
real property when employed for the use contemplated by a
"Conservation Plan" in municipalities of less than 500,000
population and in counties.
    (o) "Community facilities" means, in relation to a
"Conservation Plan", those physical plants which implement,
support and facilitate the activities, services and interests
of education, recreation, shopping, health, welfare, religion
and general culture.
    (p) "Loan agreement" means any agreement pursuant to which
an Authority agrees to loan the proceeds of its revenue bonds
issued with respect to a multifamily rental housing project or
other funds of the Authority to any person upon terms providing
for loan repayment installments at least sufficient to pay when
due all principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the
revenue bonds of the Authority issued with respect to the
multifamily rental housing project, and providing for
maintenance, insurance, and other matters as may be deemed
desirable by the Authority.
    (q) "Multifamily rental housing" means any rental project
designed for mixed-income or low-income occupancy.
(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06; 95-887, eff. 8-22-08.)
 
    (310 ILCS 10/25)   (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 25)
    Sec. 25. Rentals and tenant selection. In the operation or
management of housing projects an Authority shall at all times
observe the following duties with respect to rentals and tenant
selection:
    (a) It shall not accept any person as a tenant in any
dwelling in a housing project if the persons who would occupy
the dwelling have an aggregate annual income which equals or
exceeds the amount which the Authority determines (which
determination shall be conclusive) to be necessary in order to
enable such persons to secure safe, sanitary and uncongested
dwelling accommodations within the area of operation of the
Authority and to provide an adequate standard of living for
themselves.
    (b) It may rent or lease the dwelling accommodations
therein only at rentals within the financial reach of persons
who lack the amount of income which it determines (pursuant to
(a) of this Section) to be necessary in order to obtain safe,
sanitary and uncongested dwelling accommodations within the
area of operation of the Authority and to provide an adequate
standard of living.
    (c) It may rent or lease to a tenant a dwelling consisting
of the number of rooms (but no greater number) which it deems
necessary to provide safe and sanitary accommodations to the
proposed occupants thereof, without overcrowding.
    (d) It shall not change the residency preference of any
prospective tenant once the application has been accepted by
the authority.
    (e) It may refuse to certify or recertify applicants,
current tenants, or other household members if, after due
notice and an impartial hearing, that person or any of the
proposed occupants of the dwelling has, prior to or during a
term of tenancy or occupancy in any housing project operated by
an Authority, been convicted of a criminal offense relating to
the sale or distribution of controlled substances under the
laws of this State, the United States or any other state. If an
Authority desires a criminal history records check of all 50
states or a 50-state confirmation of a conviction record, the
Authority shall submit the fingerprints of the relevant
applicant, tenant, or other household member to the Department
of State Police in a manner prescribed by the Department of
State Police. These fingerprints shall be checked against the
fingerprint records now and hereafter filed in the Department
of State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal
history records databases. The Department of State Police shall
charge a fee for conducting the criminal history records check,
which shall be deposited in the State Police Services Fund and
shall not exceed the actual cost of the records check. The
Department of State Police shall furnish pursuant to positive
identification, records of conviction to the Authority. An
Authority that requests a criminal history report of an
applicant or other household member shall inform the applicant
at the time of the request that the applicant or other
household member may provide additional mitigating information
for consideration with the application for housing.
    (e-5) Criminal history record assessment. The Authority
shall use the following process when evaluating the criminal
history report of an applicant or other household member to
determine whether to rent or lease to the applicant:
        (1) Unless required by federal law, the Authority shall
    not consider the following information when determining
    whether to rent or lease to an applicant for housing:
            (A) an arrest or detention;
            (B) criminal charges or indictments, and the
        nature of any disposition arising therefrom, that do
        not result in a conviction;
            (C) a conviction that has been vacated, ordered,
        expunged, sealed, or impounded by a court;
            (D) matters under the jurisdiction of the Illinois
        Juvenile Court;
            (E) the amount of time since the applicant or other
        household member completed his or her sentence in
        prison or jail or was released from prison or jail; or
            (F) convictions occurring more than 180 days prior
        to the date the applicant submitted his or her
        application for housing.
        (2) The Authority shall create a system for the
    independent review of criminal history reports:
            (A) the reviewer shall examine the applicant's or
        other household member's criminal history report and
        report only those records not prohibited under
        paragraph (1) to the person or persons making the
        decision about whether to offer housing to the
        applicant; and
            (B) the reviewer shall not participate in any final
        decisions on an applicant's application for housing.
        (3) The Authority may deny an applicant's application
    for housing because of the applicant's or another household
    member's criminal history record, only if the Authority:
            (A) determines that the denial is required under
        federal law; or
            (B) determines that there is a direct relationship
        between the applicant or the other household member's
        criminal history record and a risk to the health,
        safety, and peaceful enjoyment of fellow tenants. The
        mere existence of a criminal history record does not
        demonstrate such a risk.
    (f) It may, if a tenant has created or maintained a threat
constituting a serious and clear danger to the health or safety
of other tenants or Authority employees, after 3 days' written
notice of termination and without a hearing, file suit against
any such tenant for recovery of possession of the premises. The
tenant shall be given the opportunity to contest the
termination in the court proceedings. A serious and clear
danger to the health or safety of other tenants or Authority
employees shall include, but not be limited to, any of the
following activities of the tenant or of any other person on
the premises with the consent of the tenant:
        (1) Physical assault or the threat of physical assault.
        (2) Illegal use of a firearm or other weapon or the
    threat to use in an illegal manner a firearm or other
    weapon.
        (3) Possession of a controlled substance by the tenant
    or any other person on the premises with the consent of the
    tenant if the tenant knew or should have known of the
    possession by the other person of a controlled substance,
    unless the controlled substance was obtained directly from
    or pursuant to a valid prescription.
        (4) Streetgang membership as defined in the Illinois
    Streetgang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act.
    The management of low-rent public housing projects
financed and developed under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 shall
be in accordance with that Act.
    Nothing contained in this Section or any other Section of
this Act shall be construed as limiting the power of an
Authority to vest in a bondholder or trustee the right, in the
event of a default by the Authority, to take possession and
operate a housing project or cause the appointment of a
receiver thereof, free from all restrictions imposed by this
Section or any other Section of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 93-418, eff. 1-1-04; 93-749, eff. 7-15-04.)
 
    (310 ILCS 10/25.01 new)
    Sec. 25.01. Notification. Before denying an applicant's
housing application based, in whole or in part, on a criminal
history record permitted under this Act, the Authority shall
provide the opportunity for an individual assessment. The
applicant for housing shall be provided with a clear, written
notice that:
        (1) explains why the Authority has determined that the
    criminal history report it obtained requires further
    review, including detailed information on whether the need
    for further review is based on federal law or on the
    Authority's determination that the criminal history record
    of the applicant or other household member indicates a risk
    to the health, safety, or peaceful enjoyment of housing for
    other residents;
        (2) identifies the specific conviction or convictions
    upon which the Authority relied upon when making its
    decision to deny the applicant's housing application;
        (3) explains that the applicant has a right to an
    individualized criminal records assessment hearing
    regarding the Authority's decision to deny the applicant's
    housing application, as set forth in Section 25.02;
        (4) provides clear instructions on what to expect
    during an individualized criminal records assessment
    hearing, as set forth in Section 25.02;
        (5) explains that if the applicant chooses not to
    participate in an individualized criminal records
    assessment hearing, the applicant's application will be
    denied; and
        (6) provides a copy of the criminal history report the
    Authority used to make its determination.
 
    (310 ILCS 10/25.02 new)
    Sec. 25.02. Criminal records assessment hearing.
    (a) An applicant has the right to an individualized
criminal records assessment hearing if the applicant's
application for housing requires further review because of the
applicant's or another household member's criminal history
record. The individualized criminal records assessment hearing
shall allow the applicant or other household member to:
        (1) contest the accuracy of the criminal history
    record;
        (2) contest the relevance of the criminal history
    record to the Authority's decision to deny the applicant's
    application for housing; and
        (3) provide mitigating evidence concerning the
    applicant's or other household member's criminal
    conviction or evidence of rehabilitation.
    (b) The Authority shall not rent or lease to any other
person the available housing unit that is the subject of the
applicant's individualized criminal records assessment hearing
until after the Authority has issued a final ruling.
    (c) The Authority shall adopt rules for criminal records
assessment hearings in accordance with Article 10 of the
Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.
 
Article 99.

 
    Section 99-99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 03/23/2021