We work with legislators on both sides of the aisle to advance practical, bipartisan housing reforms in Springfield.
Comprehensive housing reform bill covering ADU legalization, parking reform, permitting timelines, and single-stair residential buildings.
Sen. Mattie Hunter. Re-legalizes missing middle housing — 2-, 3-, and 4-flats — by requiring municipalities to permit homes on lots as small as 2,500 square feet, allow more units on larger parcels, and stop holding middle housing to stricter standards than single-family homes. Coalition companion: SB 640.
Allows residential buildings up to 6 stories to use a single stairway exit under specific safety conditions, enabling more efficient building designs.
Sen. Cristina Castro. Establishes a statewide formula for calculating municipal impact fees, administered by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, covering costs such as stormwater management and public safety facilities.
Sen. Laura Ellman. Sets binding “shot clocks” for municipal plan review — 15 business days for residential, 30 for commercial — and lets applicants hire a licensed third-party reviewer at no added fee when a deadline is missed. Coalition companion: SB 643.
Sen. Javier Cervantes. Builds on the People Over Parking Act by capping residential parking requirements statewide rather than only near transit — 0.5 spaces per multifamily unit and one per single-family home — and eliminating minimums entirely for affordable housing, units under 1,500 square feet, assisted living, and commercial-to-residential conversions.
Sen. Robert Martwick. Requires municipalities to authorize accessory dwelling units in all single-family zoning districts beginning January 1, 2027, with no added parking, lot size, design review, or square footage requirements.
Rep. Lindsey LaPointe / Sen. Sara Feigenholtz. Lets faith-based institutions build housing by right on land they already own, without an onerous and expensive rezoning. Coalition companion: SB 635.
Establishes a state program to provide down payment and closing cost assistance for first-generation homebuyers who did not inherit homeownership wealth.
Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl / Sen. Adriane Johnson. Raises the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act’s minimum affordable threshold from 10% to 25%, puts the burden on municipalities to justify denials, and lets the State Housing Appeals Board award attorney’s fees on a successful appeal.
Prohibits landlords from denying housing voucher holders based solely on credit score, removing a common barrier to using rental assistance.
Removes the ability of municipalities to restrict housing occupancy based on family relationship, prohibits zoning that bars unrelated individuals from living together, and protects community-integrated living arrangements.
Prohibits state and local governments from imposing fines or criminal penalties on people experiencing unsheltered homelessness for life-sustaining activities on public property, with exceptions for public health and safety.