Evanston Action Coalition Files Opposition to SB 635 Faith-Based Land Development Bill
On May 29, 2026, Evanston Action Coalition submitted an opponent witness slip and written statement to the Illinois Senate Executive Committee opposing SB 635, as amended by Senate Amendment 2 and Senate Amendment 3.
Senator Feigenholtz’s SB 635 would create a statewide by-right development framework for qualifying faith-based properties, allowing certain multifamily and mixed-use housing developments to proceed without traditional local discretionary review.
Evanston Action Coalition supports thoughtful efforts to expand housing opportunities, prevent displacement, preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, encourage investment, and streamline reasonable development processes. Faith-based organizations can be important partners in addressing housing needs, and many communities may choose to pursue voluntary partnerships with religious institutions.
However, SB 635 goes much further by overriding local zoning authority, limiting home rule powers, and reducing meaningful public participation in land-use decisions that affect infrastructure, public services, historic resources, and the built environment.
The Illinois Municipal League has also opposed SB 635, warning that the bill would require qualifying developments to be approved without public hearings, zoning board recommendations, plan commission review, aldermanic sign-offs, or other local legislative approval processes.
Key Concerns Raised by EAC
EAC’s written statement raised several concerns with SB 635, including that the bill would:
Undermine home rule authority and local democratic decision-making
Reduce meaningful local review of land-use impacts
Create infrastructure and fiscal pressures for municipalities
Threaten historic and architecturally significant areas
Increase redevelopment pressure and land costs in established communities
Further advance statewide zoning preemption without a comprehensive baseline capacity analysis showing how much housing current local zoning already permits
In communities like Evanston, land-use decisions require balancing housing goals with infrastructure capacity, stormwater management, traffic circulation, public safety access, preservation priorities, school impacts, and the stability of low-intensity residential districts.
Those judgments should not be removed from local residents, elected officials, plan commissions, preservation bodies, and municipal staff through a rushed statewide mandate.
Read Our Testimony
Read Evanston Action Coalition’s full written statement opposing SB 635, submitted to the Illinois Senate Executive Committee and State Senator Laura Fine.
Stay Involved
Evanston Action Coalition will continue monitoring late-session housing legislation in Springfield and advocating for housing solutions that respect local control, preserve public participation, protect existing communities, and reflect the unique needs of Illinois municipalities.
To stay informed, sign up for alerts and consider joining Evanston Action Coalition at EvanstonAction.com.
Related Coverage
May 26, 2026 — Capitol City Now: State Dems say they have housing solutions
Brief statehouse coverage noting the Senate Democratic housing push and municipal opposition to state action that would usurp local zoning jurisdiction.
May 26, 2026 — WAND News: IL Senate Democrats push for new affordable housing plans despite growing opposition
Statehouse coverage summarizing the Senate Democratic housing package, including proposals to allow faith-based organizations to develop dense mixed-use and multifamily housing on their property by exempting them from local zoning requirements.
May 28, 2026 — Daily Herald: Will lawmakers pass bill that could lead to more multifamily housing?
Suburban coverage of the late-session housing fight, describing the BUILD-related push to ease residential zoning rules and the opposition from municipal and local-government voices concerned about loss of local control.
Resources
May 22, 2026 — Illinois Municipal League: Position Paper: Development on Church Land Act / SB 635
Illinois Municipal League opposition paper explaining that SB 635 would require qualifying developments on faith-based property to be approved without public hearings, zoning board recommendations, plan commission review, aldermanic sign-offs, or other local legislative approval processes.