The July 2025 Edition of ILEPI’s newsletter, Illinois Insights, has been released.

This Edition discusses recent ILEPI reports:

• A new report finds Illinois is currently facing a housing shortage of 142,000 units and must build 227,000 new homes over the next five years to meet growing demand. Despite Illinois maintaining relatively affordable home prices compared to other states, the cost of ownership has surged due to rising property values, mortgage rates, insurance, and property taxes—further limiting mobility and access to housing.
• A new report calls for updating the state’s outdated tax system, which currently covers just 29 of 176 consumer services. As the economy shifts toward services, expanding the tax base—while exempting essentials like healthcare and childcare—could raise nearly $2 billion annually. This would support key services like education and transit, and make the tax system fairer for low-income households.

Be sure to check out the July 2025 Edition! Also, please subscribe to Illinois Insights by entering your email address here, like us on Facebook, follow us on X, like us on Instagram, and follow us on BlueSky.