Community Investment Property Tax Deferment Program (CIPTDP)
Protecting Our Legacy Buildings. Empowering Our Local Landlords. Stabilizing Our Communities.
The Problem:
In neighborhoods like Auburn Gresham, Robbins, Chatham, Midlothiam, Bronzeville, and parts of Kankakee, many 2- to 6-unit buildings are owned by long-time residents who have maintained these properties for decades. They’re the glue of their blocks. But when property taxes spike due to reassessments, especially after new developments enter the area, these landlords face a dilemma: raise the rent, sell to out-of-town investors, or risk foreclosure.
Legacy businesses face the same issue—being taxed out of the communities they helped build.
What This Program Does:
The Community Investment Property Tax Deferment Program allows qualified small landlords and long-standing local businesses to defer a portion of their federal tax payments if they:
Maintain affordable rents at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI)
Make documented capital improvements (e.g. roof repair, HVAC upgrades, security enhancements)
Stay current on local property taxes and code compliance
The federal tax deferment would be proportional to the spike in local property taxes due to reassessment, helping to offset the financial pressure of gentrification without compromising tenant stability.
Eligibility Criteria
1. Property Type
To qualify, the applicant must own one of the following:
Residential Properties with 2 to 6 units
Mixed-use Buildings with commercial space + residential units (e.g., storefront + 3 apartments)
Legacy Small Businesses owning commercial real estate (e.g., stand-alone grocery stores, barbershops, daycares)
2. Ownership Criteria
Located within IL-1
Privately owned (not corporate/institutional ownership)
Must have at least 3 years of continuous ownership, OR
Be inherited or owned by a family member of the original owner
Owner-occupied units receive additional deferment weight
3. Property Tax Burden
Must demonstrate a tax increase due to reassessment of 10% or more within the past tax cycle
Proof of current property tax payments (no tax delinquency)
Must apply within 6 months of new assessment
4. Community Commitment Requirements
Applicants must meet at least 2 of the following:
Offer Below-Market Rent:
Rent must be no more than 80% of Area Median Rent (AMR) for at least 50% of unitsCapital Improvements Within Past 2 Years:
Such as:Roof replacement
Lead service line removal
Porch/foundation repair
Energy efficiency upgrades
Maintain Current Tenants for 2+ Years:
Demonstrates housing stability for rentersOffer Housing to Essential Workers or Veterans:
Discounted rent or lease priority
5. Reporting Requirements
Participants agree to:
Submit annual documentation of rents, repairs, and tenant turnover
Participate in optional property inspections for continued eligibility
What the Deferment Covers
A percentage of federal tax liability (income or capital gains) equal to the property tax increase, capped at a to-be-determined amount annually
Funds can be deferred up to 3 years, with continued compliance
Why Home-Ownership Stability Matters for Everyone in Illinois’ 1st District
Illinois’ 1st Congressional District is far more than the South Side alone. It stretches from dense urban blocks to older street-car suburbs to small towns and farm-edge subdivisions in Will and Kankakee counties. The faces, incomes, and housing styles differ, but the fear is the same: “Will rising taxes, outside speculators, or reckless policy force me to sell—or price my kids out of their own community?”
Whether you’re a retired steelworker in West Pullman, a young teacher rehabbing a Kankakee two-story, or a third-generation landlord on Vincennes Avenue, our housing agenda says:
“If you invest in the neighborhood—keep it affordable, keep it safe—we’ll back you, not tax you out.”
That is how we preserve wealth, prevent displacement, and pass opportunity forward for every homeowner in Illinois’ 1st District—without handing control to outside speculators or overreaching government programs.
Why It’s Possible:
Precedent Exists: The federal government has long used tax deferral and credit mechanisms to incentivize everything from renewable energy investment to business hiring. This simply applies the same logic to community affordability and housing stability.
Federal-State Partnership Ready: This program would operate in partnership with local tax assessment offices and HUD or the Treasury Department, ensuring compliance and accountability.
Cost-Neutral with Long-Term Gains: By deferring—not eliminating—taxes, the program avoids creating long-term deficits while providing short-term breathing room to property owners.
Impact Metrics (KPIs):
Stabilized Housing: Reduction in eviction and foreclosure rates among eligible properties.
Neighborhood Retention: Increase in average tenure of property ownership in qualified areas.
Affordability Index: Increase in the number of units rented below market rate.
Business Longevity: Reduced closures of legacy businesses in high-reassessment neighborhoods.
A Vision for District 1:
This is how we turn Illinois’ 1st District into a place where stability is rewarded, not punished—where being a good neighbor comes with support, not surprise bills. By lifting the burden off the people holding their communities together, we give our neighborhoods the chance to grow with dignity, without displacement, and with shared prosperity.
