Illinois lawmakers are weighing a proposal that would expand housing and support services for people leaving prison.
Prior to their incarceration, almost 70% of individuals in Illinois state prisons experienced housing instability or homelessness. Director of the Illinois Justice Project Ahmadou Dramé said that reality does not disappear when people are released.
“It is frequently the case where people exiting prison and people with conviction records experience housing discrimination,” Dramé said.
The Home for Good Act, HB0624, would create a statewide reentry housing and services program aimed at reducing homelessness among formerly incarcerated people and lowering recidivism by connecting returning residents to support services. The bill passed the House on April 17 by a vote of 63 to 34.
The legislation would appropriate funds to the Illinois Housing Development Authority and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to develop reentry housing, provide rental assistance and create the Home for Good Institute, providing educational training to community organizations interested in operating reentry housing.
In addition to addressing housing insecurity, the Home for Good Act includes wraparound services, connecting formerly incarcerated people to healthcare, transportation and jobs.
Project Now is one of over 60 groups comprising the Home for Good coalition. The Rock Island-based nonprofit works to connect unhoused people to shelter and social services.
Executive Director Reverend Dwight Ford said wraparound services are essential to supporting the reentry process.
“If we’re going to demand that they in fact be responsible citizens, they have to have constitutional rights that allow them to take full opportunity and full engagement of the opportunities that are before them,” Rev. Ford said. “And to do that, they have to have the legal redress so that these are not barriers for them.”
Rep. Gregg Johnson (D-East Moline), who voted in favor of the bill, said the legislation would help address some of those structural barriers.
“Most people end up in prisons by and large because they came out of poverty or because they came out of a system that just wasn’t supportive,” Rep. Johnson said. “And I think here in Illinois we’ve really focused on trying to create the support system.”
But not all lawmakers are convinced the program is the right approach. Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Woodhull) voted against the measure, citing fiscal concerns.
“The program has good merits, but the two agencies that are tasked with providing a lot of the resources and support, we’re concerned that there’s a $50 million price tag,” Rep. Swanson said.
If passed, Dramé said the legislation would be an investment for both returning citizens and taxpayers.
“It costs taxpayers today in Illinois $90,000 to incarcerate a single individual per year… And every year, the annual costs of recidivism to taxpayers in society is $1.1 billion,” Dramé said.
SB4162 has been assigned to the Appropriations committee and awaits the Senate’s vote, with a committee deadline of Friday, May 15.
Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie and Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) did not respond to WVIK’s request for comment.
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