SPRINGFIELD – A Real Estate Valuation Task Force will be established under a new law led by State Senator Mattie Hunter, aiming to combat discrimination in the housing industry.

“Black people have been at a generational disadvantage in this country since we were denied our right to forty acres and a mule,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “Even in the modern era, we’ve dealt with systemic barriers such as redlining and other forms of housing discrimination. It’s past time for change.”

The creation of the Real Estate Valuation Task Force stems from an unresolved history of federal housing agencies discriminating against Black and Brown people when underwriting real estate loans.

Both the Federal Home Owners' Loan Corporation and the Federal Housing Administration have devalued property or refused to make loans secured by property in communities of color. The harmful consequences of these discriminatory acts are still prevalent today.

“This task force is the stepping stool toward eliminating discrimination for anyone who hasn’t been given a fair shot in the housing industry,” Hunter said. “Today is a new day, one that brings equity and rectifies the sins of our past.”

Anyone who has experienced housing discrimination can file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

House Bill 4410 is effective January 2023. The Task Force shall submit a report by January 2025.