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| 1 | AN ACT concerning State government.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Illinois Housing Development Act is amended | ||||||
| 5 | by adding Section 7.33 as follows: | ||||||
| 6 | (20 ILCS 3805/7.33 new) | ||||||
| 7 | Sec. 7.33. Urban and suburban gardening at affordable | ||||||
| 8 | housing projects. | ||||||
| 9 | (a) Findings. The General Assembly finds that the | ||||||
| 10 | long-term sustainability of the Illinois communities depends | ||||||
| 11 | upon improved uses of land that has already been developed. | ||||||
| 12 | The General Assembly also finds that agricultural growth in | ||||||
| 13 | urban and suburban areas contributes significantly to | ||||||
| 14 | environmental and economic sustainability by providing | ||||||
| 15 | locally-produced agricultural goods, as well as improving the | ||||||
| 16 | landscape of these areas. | ||||||
| 17 | The purpose of this Section is to authorize the Authority | ||||||
| 18 | to develop a program that provides incentives for the | ||||||
| 19 | development of housing projects that incorporate urban and | ||||||
| 20 | suburban gardening programs. | ||||||
| 21 | (b) Definitions. As used in this Section, "gardening" | ||||||
| 22 | means the production of consumable produce to be kept or sold | ||||||
| 23 | and includes the farming of chicken, ducks, and small farm | ||||||
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| 1 | animals for milk production. | ||||||
| 2 | (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the | ||||||
| 3 | Authority may develop a program that provides incentives for | ||||||
| 4 | the development of affordable housing projects that | ||||||
| 5 | incorporate urban and suburban gardening programs. Under the | ||||||
| 6 | program, the University of Illinois shall be consulted | ||||||
| 7 | regarding best practices in urban gardening and farming, | ||||||
| 8 | including vertical gardening, aquaponics, and community | ||||||
| 9 | gardening. An affordable housing project that incorporates an | ||||||
| 10 | urban or suburban gardening program must provide any land, | ||||||
| 11 | buildings, or tools necessary to develop and maintain the | ||||||
| 12 | garden or farm. Under the program, the Authority shall also | ||||||
| 13 | coordinate and collaborate with the Department of Commerce and | ||||||
| 14 | Economic Opportunity to create distribution networks that link | ||||||
| 15 | urban and suburban gardens with local businesses in order to | ||||||
| 16 | facilitate the sale and distribution of locally-grown | ||||||
| 17 | agricultural products and food stuffs to consumers residing | ||||||
| 18 | within the local community. | ||||||
| 19 | (d) The Authority and the Department of Commerce and | ||||||
| 20 | Economic Opportunity may adopt any rules necessary to | ||||||
| 21 | implement the program.
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| 22 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
| 23 | becoming law.
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