February 25, 2021 - SPRINGFIELD, Ill.
Leader Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago), has introduced legislation to provide emergency financial assistance and protections for Illinoisans in danger of losing their homes due to foreclosure or eviction. HB2877 is a reintroduction of SB3066, which passed in the House on January 12th, during lame duck session but was not called for a vote in the Senate. The measure has been championed by State Senators Omar Aquino (D-Chicago), Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), Robert Peters (D-Chicago), and State Representative Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago), in the House.
This legislation targets the needs of homeowners and renters. This bill will help address the crisis of evictions and foreclosures that hundreds of thousands across the state are facing right now. This bill creates critical protections for those facing eviction during the pandemic, by automatically sealing eviction records, creating clear guidelines to make sure those most in need receive Emergency Rental Assistance through a new federal program which will distribute over $800 million in aid, and institutes foreclosure protections so that families will not lose their homes.
“The urgency was great the first time we brought this legislation to the House, as evidenced by the overwhelming bi-partisan support when it was called for a vote. The bill not being called for a vote in the Senate was devastating, and the situation is even more dire now. Many Illinois families are in recurring danger of losing the roof over their heads. It’s our job to take action to prevent people from being forced out of their homes.
The hardships inflicted upon working people by this pandemic are ruthless and relentless; we must be proactive about passing policies that keep people housed. This legislation is necessary to serve our residents and meet survival needs during this pandemic,” said Ramirez.
Said Aquino, “Housing insecurity has plagued our communities for far too long. Gentrification has pushed out many families from neighborhoods like Humboldt Park, Hermosa and Logan Square. Now the pandemic has exacerbated this tenuous problem. What this legislation will do is thoughtfully and intentionally support these communities. Our state’s share of federal funds particularly need to be targeted to, and need to reach, these families because that will make all of the difference.”
“The people of Illinois have been living through a time of unprecedented, unrelenting crisis. As we work our way out of this pandemic, we have a moral responsibility to help people stay in their homes while providing relief to small landlords,” said LaPointe. “I believe the HB2877 will provide immediate, fundamental assistance to people who are at risk for losing their housing, and look forward to getting this important bill passed as soon as possible.”
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February 4, 2021
Dear Mayor Lightfoot:
Like most Chicagoans, we have deep interest in the Chicago Public Schools’ return to in-person learning. Our core principles for such a return should be to serve the broadest group of students, to avoid unnecessary risk for students and staff, and to make in-person school as safe as possible. While we have seen improvements in the case rates and hospitalizations, the pandemic continues to hit particular neighborhoods hard, and COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Latinx families across the city. We owe it to our constituents to balance the desire for a return to in-person instruction with the real danger the pandemic continues to pose. We ask that you do the same with regard to returning to schools.
We understand that three main points of contention remain in reaching an agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union: accommodations for CPS staff who live with vulnerable household members, a vaccination plan for educators, and a phased-in return to in-person school.
We have similar requests as City Council Members who wrote you last month:
1. We request that you reach an agreement on a safe return to in-person school with the Chicago Teachers Union.
2. To provide sufficient time to reach an agreement, we request that educators continue to have access to their remote teaching and working platforms and that no teachers be locked out of remote work platforms prior to an agreement being reached. It is our belief that there should be no in-person return to learning prior to the second semester’s start on February 8 and that a return to in-person learning be phased in.
3. We request that the CPS accelerate and expand a staff vaccination program to ensure that schools can reopen for in-person learning safely.
4. We request that parents (perhaps LSC parent representatives) and community partners who already work with a school are included in the health and safety committees. 5. We request that CPS adopt remote learning best practices, as more than 200,000 students remain fully remote and remote learning comprises 60% of hybrid learning.
We know that educators want to be working with their students in a safe environment. We also know that an agreement is possible and we hope and trust you will reach one soon.
Best regards,
State Representative Jaime Andrade
State Senator Omar Aquino
State Representative Kam Buckner
State Representative Kelly Cassidy
State Representative Lakesia Collins
State Representative Marcus Evans
State Representative Edgar Gonzalez
State Representative Will Guzzardi
State Representative Greg Harris
State Representative Sonya Harper
State Representative Lindsey LaPointe
State Representative Theresa Mah
State Senator Robert Martwick
State Representative Aaron Ortiz
State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas
State Senator Robert Peters
State Representative Delia Ramirez
State Representative Lamont Robinson
State Representative Denyse Stoneback
State Representative Andre Thapedi
State Senator Ram Villivalam
State Senator Celina Villanueva
State Representative Ann Williams
Updated: Apr 24, 2021
January 27, 2021 - CHICAGO, IL
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and State Representative Delia Ramirez publicly released the final report and recommendations from the Task Force on Children of Incarcerated Parents. The Task Force was created through legislative statute in 2019 for the purpose of developing recommendations to address the effects of incarceration on families throughout Illinois.
“The consequences of incarceration reverberate for generations to come, and the trauma of parental incarceration for children is often ignored,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “The recommendations of this Task Force are an important step towards creating a more equitable future for all Illinois children, and I am grateful to the Task Force for its work on these important issues.”
Led by State Rep. Delia Ramirez and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s Justice Equity and Opportunity Initiative, the task force included 25 members of state and local law enforcement, legislators, the adult and juvenile corrections systems, members of the academic community, individuals who had been incarcerated, and children of incarcerated parents.
Cabrini Green Legal Aid provided subject matter expertise and support to the Task Force. Recommendations include: ensuring family visitation options at all detention facilities statewide, involving youth in the development of training for law enforcement, implementing policies to reduce trauma at all points of contact, and creating a standing commission to continue addressing these issues moving forward.
“It has been an honor and a humbling experience to serve on the Task Force for Children of Incarcerated Parents” State Rep. Delia Ramirez stated, “Our goal has been, and continues to be, centering the voices of individuals impacted by parental incarceration in the development of policy solutions that address these issues. Implementing the recommendations in this report will help us to better meet the needs of children and families impacted by parental incarceration.”
The Task Force’s full report and recommendations can be accessed here: bit.ly/COIPREPORT
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