IL HB5212

Creates the Community Housing Reintegration Fund to provide housing assistance for persons transitioning out of long-term care facilities into community-based housing or those facing facility placement due to lack of affordable accessible housing.

Increases the state real estate transfer tax from $0.50 to $0.75 per $500 of property value, effective July 1, 2026.

Allocates 32% of real estate transfer tax revenue to the new Community Reintegration Housing Fund starting July 1, 2026, while reducing allocations to the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund (from 50% to 34%), Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Fund (from 35% to 24%), and Natural Areas Acquisition Fund (from 15% to 10%).

Eligible recipients include persons in nursing homes, developmental centers, or group homes for whom lack of housing is a barrier to community transition, and persons at or below 80% of area median income who are disabled, blind, over 65, or eligible for SSI/Medicaid benefits.

Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules within 6 months, modeling assistance on the federal Section 8 program to ensure beneficiaries pay no more than 30% of income for housing costs.