SPRINGFIELD, IL (Chambana Today) — A statewide coalition of housing, reentry and community organizations is backing new legislation designed to reduce homelessness among people leaving prison while improving public safety and saving taxpayer money.
The Home for Good proposal was unveiled Tuesday by the Home for Good Coalition. Supporters say the legislation would create a coordinated, statewide strategy to help people returning from incarceration secure stable housing and access support services.
According to data cited from the Loyola Chicago Center for Criminal Justice, as many as 70% of people face housing instability or homelessness prior to incarceration, a challenge that often continues upon release. Each year, roughly 15,000 people exit Illinois prisons, and nearly 40% return within three years.
The legislation’s Senate sponsor, Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, said the program represents a fiscally responsible investment.
“Home for Good is smart, sensible policy that also happens to be the right thing to do,” Johnson said in a statement.
In the House, the bill is sponsored by Maurice West, D-Rockford.
Supporters estimate the proposal would require an upfront investment of $50 million. Research cited by the coalition suggests every $1 invested could generate $5 in public savings and economic activity over three years.
The measure would involve multiple state agencies, including the Illinois Housing Development Authority and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Key components include rental assistance for returning residents, expanded wraparound reentry services, development of reentry-specific housing and creation of a Home for Good Institute to train housing providers.
Backers say stable housing reduces the likelihood of recidivism, which the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council estimates costs nearly $200,000 per event when adjusted for inflation.
The proposal will now move through the legislative process in Springfield.