Why It Matters
Illinois faces a statewide shortage of roughly 142,000 housing units and a projected demand of 225,000 units over the next five years. Gov. JB Pritzker’s Building Up Illinois Developments plan, known as BUILD, would overhaul residential zoning laws across the state to increase housing supply. The package of six bills has sparked debate between housing advocates who say regulatory hurdles drive affordability problems and municipal leaders who warn the measures infringe on local control.
What Happened
The Senate Executive Committee held a nearly three-hour hearing Thursday on six BUILD bills introduced in the legislature. Lawmakers heard testimony from affordable housing advocates, municipal leaders, and members of the public. The hearing did not include a vote and was intended to gather feedback on the proposed zoning reforms.
Pritzker announced the BUILD plan during his February budget address. The legislation has not advanced despite the passage of House and Senate bill movement deadlines, though the legislative session runs through May 31 and procedures exist to move bills quickly late in session.
By the Numbers
BUILD targets a statewide housing shortage of 142,000 units and aims to meet demand for 225,000 units over five years. The package includes six bills: Senate Bills 4060, 4061, 4062, 4063, 4064, and 4071. The plan also includes a proposed $250 million capital grant program to assist first-time and low- and middle-income homebuyers.
What’s in the Bills
The six bills would allow construction of “middle housing”—duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes—on lots currently zoned for single-family homes. Other provisions would permit multi-family buildings with a single stairwell, establish a statewide formula for impact fees, authorize third-party inspectors to expedite timelines, eliminate parking requirements based on tenant count, and allow property owners to lease accessory dwelling units to outside renters.
Olivia Ortega, the governor’s director of housing solutions, testified that current rules make it difficult to build needed homes. She said BUILD would produce only “incremental increases in housing supply” and rejected claims the measures would change the character of neighborhoods.
The Debate
Supporters framed BUILD as a market-driven solution to rising housing costs. Emily Bloom-Carlin of the Metropolitan Planning Council, a Chicago nonprofit that advocates for affordable housing, said additional units could increase school district revenues and improve infrastructure. She described BUILD as “a careful, tested, common-sense response to a problem that has been decades in the making.”
Illinois REALTORS CEO Jeff Baker called the package “one of the most meaningful and impactful policy shifts our state has made” toward expanding economic opportunity.
Municipal leaders opposed the plan, arguing it undermines local home rule authority and imposes a uniform approach to zoning that does not account for local conditions. Some complained the bills would create unfunded mandates for municipalities and questioned whether the measures adequately address affordability concerns.
What’s Next
The legislature has until May 31 to act on BUILD. Despite the passage of standard bill movement deadlines, lawmakers retain procedural options to advance legislation late in session. The Senate Executive Committee’s hearing signals continued interest in the package, though no timeline for floor votes has been announced.