Illinois
Illinois far from meeting high demand for affordable housing units
SPRINGFIELD, Ailing. (WGEM) – Illinois has an estimated scarcity of over 288,900 inexpensive housing models. A grant program handed by Illinois lawmakers final yr offered $75 million to create practically 1,094 rental models for households, seniors, and other people with disabilities. Whereas many have celebrated the funding, it’s nowhere near assembly the demand.
The Illinois Housing Improvement Authority used the primary $75 million funding to assist construct and rehab 20 developments in 17 cities and cities throughout the state. The COVID-19 inexpensive housing grant program supplies funding for housing developments that have been beforehand awarded federal low-income housing tax credit to beat elevated building prices. Inexpensive housing builders proceed to face challenges with financial uncertainty, labor shortages, provide chain disruptions, and rising prices of constructing supplies.
“Our objective in passing the Inexpensive Housing Grant Program was to assist shut the hole and permit for a few of these tasks which might be receiving the federal tax credit score to get the assets they have to be absolutely financed and get to fruition,” Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) mentioned throughout a listening to Wednesday.
The common grant from the Illinois Housing Improvement Authority was $3.6 million per growth. IHDA Government Director Kristin Faust advised lawmakers that 17 of the tasks had a nonprofit associate as a sponsor or co-sponsor. Fourteen of the tasks embrace everlasting supportive housing properties, totaling 154 models for folks needing extra help.
The state prioritized developments in areas disproportionately affected by COVID-19, contracts with deprived and underreported companies, mission labor agreements, and contracts with registered apprenticeship applications. Two of the tasks are in Chicago, seven are within the Chicago metro space, six are in different metro areas of the state, and 5 developments are in rural communities.
State lawmakers offered a further $150 million for inexpensive housing growth within the Fiscal Yr 2023 finances. Faust mentioned the IHDA board plans to separate that funding in half for tasks over the following two years.
“We expect that we are able to maintain regular and proceed to finance the variety of tasks per yr that we now have been funding due to this cash,” Faust mentioned.
Nonetheless, Illinois would solely have 3,300 new inexpensive housing models created in 2024 if the tempo stays the identical. Some lawmakers additionally fear Illinois isn’t utilizing sufficient of the federal funding to rehab older properties. Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) confused that building prices are skyrocketing, and the state ought to be making an attempt to get these tasks completed quicker.
Mazzochi mentioned she would quite see $150 million exit the door now to get extra inexpensive housing tasks funded.
“Whereas should you unfold it out $75 million and $75 million, you’re going to have fewer tasks which might be in the end going to get off the bottom due to the inflationary prices,” Mazzochi mentioned.
Faust advised Housing Committee members that it at present takes roughly 18-36 months to construct or rehab models and have them prepared for folks to maneuver in. Fause famous that not one of the building can be doable with out the funding Illinois obtained via the American Rescue Plan.
“I do know that there are different states the place they’ve needed to cease their pipeline and never have the ability to fund offers going ahead, each rehab and new building offers, as a result of they merely couldn’t fill that hole,” Faust mentioned.
The COVID-19 Inexpensive Housing Grant Program Act requires IHDA to submit an annual report back to the Normal Meeting by March 31 of every yr documenting the quantity and sort of tasks funded. These reviews should embrace the situation of the inexpensive housing tasks and the demographics of the encircling neighborhood together with accessibility to public transportation, colleges, well being care, grocery shops, and banks. The legislation requires IHDA to doc the full variety of models constructed or rehabbed and the variety of models put into service annually.
Lawmakers additionally wish to see the variety of functions for tasks, functions awarded and the quantity of funding granted annually. IHDA is required to notice any delays or points with growth together with acquisition, zoning and permits, labor, and supplies. Any compliance points with grant recipients and the actions taken in opposition to them should even be documented.
Faust advised lawmakers Wednesday that IDHA by no means submitted a report for 2022 as a result of there was no funding allotted by March 31 this yr and emergency guidelines weren’t authorized early sufficient upfront.
“We didn’t begin allocating till April. The following time the report is due, it will likely be absolutely accomplished and submitted on time,” Faust defined. “However we’re going to return and retroactively fill out this kind.”
Mazzochi steered lawmakers ought to request a semi-annual report from IDHA in September or October to assist perceive the info related to every of the tasks.
“The entire purpose that we wished this data was to make it possible for we’re truly focusing on the fitting areas in reference to the spirit of what this laws and the COVID funds and all the remainder of it have been entitled to be directed in direction of,” Mazzochi mentioned.
Chairman Guzzardi mentioned lawmakers anticipated it will solely take six months to get the emergency guidelines able to have the grant program operating by January with sufficient information to have a report by March 31. He famous the method with the Joint Committee on Administrative Guidelines simply took a bit of bit longer than anticipated. Guzzardi mentioned he’s prepared to debate a semi-annual report possibility with extra related data shifting ahead.
Copyright 2022 WGEM. All rights reserved.
Illinois
Here’s how much snow Springfield got — and when it’ll melt
Aerial video above Dallas captures rare snowfall
Drone footage shows a winter storm that brought rare snow and ice to Dallas and other parts of Northern Texas.
A blanket of snow covered Springfield late Thursday and early Friday, closing Springfield schools and some offices for a snow day.
Morning traffic appeared to be moving slowly but steadily. Cameras covering major roads in the city showed snow and slush remaining on many city roads but no major slowdowns.
How much snow did Springfield get?
As of 10 a.m., Springfield had seen around 6 to 6.5 inches of snow, according to Angelica Soria, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Springfield office. Southwest Missouri in general got slightly less snow, with reports of 5 to 6 inches.
About another inch of snow was possible in Springfield, according to the National Weather Service, but new accumulation was expected to taper off by noon.
When will the snow melt?
The snow likely won’t stick around long, with a high of 40 expected Saturday. Temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing again Monday before returning to daytime highs in the high-30s and 40s later next week.
While the weather is predicted to warm up this weekend, folks should take care driving when the sun goes down, even if all the snow melts.
“(The snow) will probably start melting during the day tomorrow, but we are worried about the re-freezing on the road, because it will probably get kind of slushy as the plows keep going around trying to get it off the road,” Soria said. “We definitely want to urge people to be careful while traveling … when the sun goes down, it’s harder to see black ice, things like that.”
Illinois
Waukegan, Illinois city workers suffer electric shock from power lines
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS) — Two city workers from Waukegan were rushed to the hospital Thursday morning after they were shocked by power lines.
Firefighters said the workers were trimming trees at Pershing Road and Greenwood Avenue near the Waukegan Generating Station, a now-shuttered coal-fired power plant.
The workers’ crane touched a power line, which energized the truck and gave the workers an electric shock.
A helicopter took one man to the hospital with electrical burns. The other was taken away by ambulance.
Illinois
Illinois’ important trio that stepped up big time in KJ’s absence
A surprise late scratch of a potential top five NBA draft pick like the one of Kasparas Jakucionis prior to Wednesday’s game very well could’ve thrown a wrench in the Illini’s recent momentum.
Or, at the very least, it probably should’ve looked like it had some effect. A 39-point drubbing? A 34-4 first half run? Alright, I guess nothing can slow down this Illini train right now.
Illinois didn’t skip a beat in its second emphatic victory in three games — and a big reason for that was the trio of guys it had step up to pick up the slack for its missing leader.
As read on TCR last night, the Illini made more history on Wednesday. Ben Humrichous, Tre White and Morez Johnson all reached 20 or more points, marking just the third time since the 1938-1939 season that Illinois had three 20-point scorers in the same game.
The individual performances of those three were particularly notable because all three of Humrichous, White and Johnson put up their respective big nights in entirely different ways. And all three used Jakucionis’s absence to send a message about how far they’ve already come just a quarter of the way into conference play.
For Morez Johnson, Wednesday’s 20-point, 11-rebound double-double encapsulated everything he brings to the floor the second he steps on it. It was efficient — done in just 20 minutes — and was the result of his constant energy and activity that found himself around the basket on what felt like every possession.
Johnson’s been perhaps the most consistently impactful producer in the Illini rotation all season. His per-40-minute numbers are absurd — try 14.6 points, 17.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks. His total rebound rate would rank in the top five nationally if he had the minutes to qualify. He just hasn’t gotten the opportunity to stuff the stat sheet as loudly as he did Wednesday. A well-deserved and long overdue breakout night.
Ben Humrichous’s explosive first half was the flashiest performance of the night, showcasing the ability to catch fire from deep that has always been there for him despite his December struggles. Humrichous nailed five first half threes and was a big reason the Illini’s lead ballooned in the midst of their dominating scoring run.
The most encouraging sign for Humrichous, though, is the way he’s beginning to diversify his game. Through December, Humrichous had attempted just 12 two-point attempts on the season, pretty much exclusively acting as a spot-up shooter on the perimeter. In just three games in January, Humrichous already has 14 attempts from two.
He flashed the ability to take advantage of mismatches with his size in some Marcus Domask-like mid post isos. He’s also gotten noticeably more aggressive attacking closeouts and finishing with force at the rim when the opportunity presents itself. Pair those things with a season-high 9 rebounds on Wednesday and you’ve finally got the version of Humrichous that makes Illinois its most dangerous self.
And quietly in the midst of everything else came another extremely productive Tre White performance. White reached 20 points and 7 rebounds in a similar manner to most of his recent production — doing a little bit of everything and doing it in a very efficient, inconspicuous manner.
Over the last 7 games, White is now averaging 16.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game on remarkable 63.3% efficiency from the floor. He’s turned himself into a consistent second scoring option alongside Jakucionis when he’s out there while making the types of winning plays that result from competing to win, as Brad Underwood detailed Tuesday.
White has made significant strides in almost every area, from scoring off the dribble to rebounding to the defensive end, and it’s taken Illinois to an entirely different level. Wednesday’s performance showed once again how dangerous he can be when he’s attacking and playing with high energy.
As a whole, the Illini certainly hope they’re without their star player for long. But their response without him — particularly from the Johnson, Humrichous and White trio that will continue to be vital to their success — was a welcome sight.
Illinois proved they have the depth to survive a man down while also showing what things can look like when its complementary pieces are at their best. Right now, it’s hard to imagine anything slowing down the roll these Illini are on.
-
Business1 week ago
These are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Culture1 week ago
The 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports1 week ago
The top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics1 week ago
New Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics1 week ago
Carter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics6 days ago
Who Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
-
Health5 days ago
Ozempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
-
World1 week ago
Ivory Coast says French troops to leave country after decades