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Dana Hudson with Hometown Realty in
Elkhart attended the Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) 35th
Annual Capitol Conference. More than 500 Illinois REALTORS® convened
in Springfield on April 5, 2011, to discuss with state lawmakers
issues affecting homeowners and the real estate industry.
In addition to participating in
briefings on important legislative and regulatory issues facing the
industry, attendees visited personally with their lawmakers to
discuss pending legislation on the Illinois Association of REALTORS®
(IAR) 2011 legislative agenda. Among the top priorities on the
REALTOR® agenda are two bills that would grant Illinois
municipalities unnecessarily far-reaching authority when it comes to
foreclosed and abandoned properties.
IAR opposes House Bill 1109, which
would give municipalities an unlimited, blanket grant of authority
to pass any rules, regulations and fees as they see fit regarding a
vacant property. Current state law already affords municipalities
extraordinary powers to clean up and secure abandoned properties,
and IAR believes this legislation offers none of those protections
or limitations important to consumers and would create a patchwork
of local ordinances where there is now uniformity.
IAR also opposes House Bill 760,
which would allow all municipalities to establish a new entity
called a Land Bank Authority. Under a Land Bank Authority, local
governments could create a separate real estate corporation that may
acquire, buy, sell, rent, hold, manage or develop any real estate
within its jurisdiction. IAR does not believe that this is a proper
role for local governments nor that Land Banks are a wise tool to
deal with local foreclosure issues.
At the IAR Capitol Conference
REALTORS® reminded lawmakers that the housing market plays a key
role in strengthening state and local economies.
"For most people, buying a home is
one of the biggest investments they will ever make and it's
important that their property rights be protected and that they stay
informed about issues affecting them, especially additional fees and
restrictions. The IAR Capitol Conference is an opportunity for
Illinois REALTORS® to play a role in influencing legislation
important to property owners and making sure their voices are
heard," Hudson said.
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Another bill that REALTORS® were
speaking about is House Bill 1323, which would allow all
municipalities to license and regulate all businesses. The
legislation flies in the face of state license laws which ensure a
single statewide standard. The bill would also allow all
municipalities to enact landlord and rental property licensing
without any limitations, a move that could be detrimental to
consumers.
One of the bills IAR is supporting
this spring is Senate Bill 1230 which expands to Cook County the new
provision in the Property Tax Code (advocated for by IAR) that
require boards of review to consider foreclosures and short sales of
comparable properties when revising and correcting assessments. IAR
also supports Senate Bill 1804 prohibiting a deed restriction or
covenant to waive, prohibit or restrict a right to object, oppose or
challenge a Special Service Area.
The Illinois Association of
REALTORS® is a voluntary trade association whose 46,000 members are
engaged in all facets of the real estate industry. In addition to
serving the professional needs of its members, the Illinois
Association of REALTORS® works to protect the rights of private
property owners in the state by recommending and promoting
legislation that safeguards and advances the rights of real property
ownership.
[Text copied from file received
from Hometown Realty, Elkhart]
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