EVANSTON, IL — April 21, 2026

Connections bill to help voucher holders access housing was defeated, but we're not giving up

Last week, the Illinois House failed to pass a bill originated by Connections for the Homeless that sought to close a loophole making it easier for people with housing subsidies to obtain a stable place to live. HB 5394 (sponsored by State Representative Kevin Olickal) would have prevented landlords from using credit scores to turn down rental applicants with housing subsidies—a reliable source of income.

“Using credit scores to deny applicants with housing subsidies undermines the intent of our housing protections and puts stable housing further out of reach for families who need it most,” said Rep. Olickal. “Everyone, no matter their income level or socioeconomic status, should be able to find safe and affordable housing. I will continue to fight to ensure that in Illinois, housing is a human right.”

The legislation would have given landlords the opportunity to examine an applicant's ability to pay their portion of the rent through other means, such as pay stubs, benefits statements, and rental history.

Before hitting the House floor, HB 5394 had a lot of momentum, having just passed the Immigration and Human Rights Committee, but due to pushback from realtors and landlords, the bill did not get enough votes to pass the House.

“This was a disappointment, but not entirely a surprise. It often takes time to build traction in Springfield, especially because many legislators are reluctant to stand up to the real estate industry. We remain committed to this bill because it’s key to expanding access to affordable housing.”

— Sue Loellbach, former Director of Public Policy for Connections

‍Recently, an amendment was passed to include source of income as a protected class in housing. HB 5394 would have strengthened that amendment by closing gaps to break the cycle of preventable, harmful outcomes that:

  • Prolong housing instability

  • Lead to or extend homelessness

  • Cause families and individuals to lose time-limited vouchers

  • Increase emergency shelter use and public costs

  • Waste public dollars

Last month, in her testimony before the Illinois House Immigration and Human Rights Committee, Jori Kovarsky (left), Prevention Manager at Connections, made a compelling case for the bill. “Rent payments are not even factored into credit score calculations. And when rent is guaranteed by a voucher, the question of whether someone can pay is already answered,” she told the Committee.

“Using a credit score to predict rental payments is like denying someone a job because they’re unemployed. If someone has a guaranteed way to pay rent, that should be a situation a landlord would love.”

While we had hoped for a better outcome, we knew it would be hard to move legislation during an election cycle. Connections hopes to move HB 5394 forward again in the fall veto session or in 2027.

We would like to thank everyone who advised on this bill, completed witness slips and supported this campaign to increase access to affordable housing, including our lead partner organization in advocating for this critical legislation, the Supportive Housing Providers Association. Please sign up for our newsletter to learn more about our work and about ways to get involved.