Kankakee Times

A bill aimed at increasing the availability of affordable housing for Illinois community college students awaits final approval and signature from Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Community colleges are traditionally not legally permitted to develop or own student housing, with the process of developing student housing currently administered by local housing authorities or nonprofit organizations.

House Bill 374 would amend the Public Community College Act and the Housing Authorities Act to legally allow community college boards of trustees and local housing authorities to develop affordable housing for community college students.

"There are many advantages to living on campus for students," Illinois State Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago), a sponsor of the bill, wrote in a May 26 Facebook post. "We all know that housing provides a place to lay your head, but the benefits go far beyond that, as studies show that students who live on campus complete more credit hours and have higher grade point averages, while also making campus resources like the library, labs and support services more easily available."

Proponents of the bill argue that the restricted housing currently offered by community colleges is often inadequate in meeting the needs of many students, especially those facing long commutes to school and international students.