They headline their flyer with the saying, THE RENT IS TOO @$#$% HIGH, so there is no doubt where the Faith Coalition for the Common Good stands.
A Springfield town hall meeting brought together renters and landlords to discuss the Let the People Lift the Ban Act (HB4104), new legislation that will give Illinois residents the choice to opt out of the statewide ban on rent control via local referendums and city ordinances.
Invited speakers included:
Moderator: Brandon Derman, Task Force chair, Faith Coalition’s Environmental Justice Task Force
- Pastor Silas Johnson, founder, Nehemiah Affordable Housing
- Alderman Roy William, Jr., Ward 3, Springfield Ill.
- Alderman Shawn Gregory, Ward 2, Springfield, Ill. – Invited
- Rod Wilson, executive director, Lugenia Burns Hope Center – Chicago
- Diego Morales, campaign staff for Lift The Ban
- Anne Logue, board member/housing equity chair, Faith Coalition for the Common Good
- Margaretta Fultz, community member/Springfield Renter
The meeting was held at Calvary M. B. Church in Springfield Monday evening.
Organizers say communities like Springfield across the United States are experiencing housing shortages, high inflation rates and an increase of homelessness. The new bill aims to expand the supply of accessible, safe and affordable housing for the state’s 1.6 million renters, particularly those with low incomes.
Currently the one-size-fits-all approach to regulating rent control in Illinois does not account for the many different rental markets across the state,” Faith Coalition’s Anne Logue said. “Many living in manufactured homes, housing and apartment rentals are forced to live with rents that have substandard conditions and are not worth the price in the marketplace.”
In addition to giving communities the option of using rent control to keep housing affordable, the bill spells out the basic rights of tenants, including security, heat and hot and cold water, and access to trash disposal. Landlords are also obligated to maintain the structural integrity of the building.
Faith Coalition for the Common Good is a coalition of faith congregations, community and labor organizations working collaboratively for racial equity, civic engagement, a fair economy and participatory decision making.
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