Housing
Julie has worked to create and preserve housing opportunities for Illinois' families, seniors and the disabled, creating and chairing the Housing & Urban Development Committee that pressed the state to develop an annual plan for housing. She continues to serve on the interagency Illinois Housing Task Force to monitor the state's progress.
Preventing Foreclosure
To protect homeowners facing foreclosure, Julie sponsored legislation in 2009 requiring all lenders and loan services to notify homeowners 30 days delinquent on mortgage payments that they have 30 days to seek mortgage counseling services. Borrowers who initiate counseling have an additional 30-day grace period to develop a loan repayment plan.
Helping Low-Income Families
Recognizing that not all low-wage families are ready for home ownership, Julie also enacted the Illinois Rental Housing Support Program to provide assistance to participating landlords who agree to keep some rental housing units affordable. This program was borne out of the recent mortgage foreclosure crisis - and the understanding that preventative measures must be taken to avoid future crises.
Preventing a family from entering the cycle of homelessness saves taxpayer dollars. More importantly, though, it preserves a stable environment for our children and communities. Julie enacted the Homelessness Prevention Act to help families experiencing short-term emergencies with small one-time grants for delinquent rent, utility payments or security deposits. This program has kept roofs over the heads of thousands of area families in need.
