Illinois Senate Minority Leader John Curran and State Senator Erica Harriss have introduced a series of legislative proposals aimed at making homeownership more affordable in Illinois. The lawmakers highlighted recent challenges facing first-time homebuyers, citing data from the National Association of REALTORS’ 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, which found that first-time buyers now make up just 21 percent of total purchases and the average age for these buyers has reached 40 years.
“There’s nothing quite like turning the key to your very first home,” said Senator Harriss. “Families across the Metro East work hard to build their lives here, but Illinois’ sky-high taxes are making everyday life tougher. It’s easy to campaign on affordability and property tax relief, but too often those promises go unfulfilled. Lowering taxes can be done. I have done it before. This legislative package builds on the progress we have already made and continues my commitment to delivering real, tangible relief for Illinois families.”
One measure introduced by Senator Harriss is the Welcome Home Illinois Tax Credit (Senate Bill 3959), which would provide a $500 non-refundable tax credit for first-time homebuyers that can be carried forward for up to five years.
Citing recent Census Bureau migration estimates, Senator Harriss noted that nearly 7,500 residents left Illinois for Missouri, where average property tax bills are less than half those in Illinois.
To address this disparity, she introduced Senate Bill 3781, which would make the state’s Property Tax Credit refundable when filing income taxes. “If your credit exceeds what you owe, you receive a check for the difference,” said Senator Harriss. “That turns a paper credit into real relief — dollars that can help cover groceries, utilities, or prescription costs.”
Another proposal from Senator Harriss is Senate Bill 3782—the Fairness in Property Tax Foreclosure Task Force—which aims to reform Illinois’ property tax foreclosure system following a United States Supreme Court ruling deeming it unconstitutional. Currently under state law, delinquent property taxes may be sold to investors, putting homeowners at risk of losing both their homes and accumulated equity.
Senator Harriss stated that this task force will focus on responsible reforms to protect homeowners’ lifetime investments.
The legislative package also includes Senate Bill 3849 from Leader Curran. This bill proposes linking annual increases in the General Homestead Exemption with inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index so homeowners receive relief aligned with rising costs—a response to University of Illinois findings showing home prices have risen by 37 percent over five years without similar adjustments in exemptions.
Additionally, Leader Curran introduced Senate Bill 3848 in response to rising homeowner insurance premiums—some up more than 25 percent over the past year—by creating an income tax deduction on yearly increases in insurance costs.
“We need a holistic approach that includes real, long-term property tax reform if we want to make purchasing and owning a home more affordable in Illinois,” said Leader Curran. “However, these solutions would help bring costs down right away to support families while we work for greater change.”
Senator Erica Harriss was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois’ 56th Senate District in 2023 after succeeding Kris Tharp.
