(65 ILCS 95/4) (from Ch. 24, par. 1604)

Sec. 4. Creation of Commission.

(a) Whenever in a municipality with more than 1,000,000 inhabitants, the question of creating a home equity program within a contiguous territory included entirely within the municipality is initiated by resolution or ordinance of the corporate authorities of the municipality or by a petition signed by not less than 10% of the total number of registered voters of each precinct in the territory, the registered voters of which are eligible to sign the petition, it shall be the duty of the election authority having jurisdiction over such municipality to submit the question of creating a home equity program to the electors of each precinct within the territory at the regular election specified in the resolution, ordinance or petition initiating the question. If the question is initiated by petition and if the requisite number of signatures is not obtained in any precinct included within the territory described in the petition, then the petition shall be valid as to the territory encompassed by those precincts for which the requisite number of signatures is obtained and any such precinct for which the requisite number of signatures is not obtained shall be excluded from the territory. A petition initiating a question described in this Section shall be filed with the election authority having jurisdiction over the municipality. The petition shall be filed and objections thereto shall be made in the manner provided in the general election law. A resolution, ordinance, or petition initiating a question described in this Section shall specify the election at which the question is to be submitted. The referendum on such question shall be held in accordance with general election law. Such question, and the resolution, ordinance, or petition initiating the question, shall include a description of the territory, the name of the proposed home equity program, and the maximum rate at which the home equity program shall be able to levy a property tax. All of that area within the geographic boundaries of the territory described in such question shall be included in the program, and no area outside the geographic boundaries of the territory described in such question shall be included in the program. If the election authority determines that the description cannot be included within the space limitations of the ballot, the election authority shall prepare large printed copies of a notice of the question, which shall be prominently displayed in the polling place of each precinct in which the question is to be submitted.

(b) Whenever a majority of the voters on such public question approve the creation of a home equity program as certified by the proper election authorities, the mayor of the municipality shall appoint, with the consent of the corporate authorities, 9 individuals, to be known as commissioners, to serve as the governing body of the home equity program. The mayor shall choose 7 of the 9 individuals to be appointed to the governing commission from nominees submitted by a community organization or community organizations as defined in this Act. A community organization may recommend up to 20 individuals to serve on a governing commission. Beginning after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, a home equity commission shall consist of 7 commissioners; however, the 9 commissioners serving on a governing commission on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly shall be allowed to finish their current terms of service. Thereafter, the number of commissioners shall be reduced to 7.

No fewer than 5 commissioners serving at any one time shall reside within the territory of the program. Beginning after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, and upon the number of commissioners being reduced to 7, no fewer than 4 commissioners serving at any one time shall reside within the territory of the program.

Upon the initial appointment of 7 commissioners to a governing commission under the provisions of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, the terms of the initial commissioners shall be as follows: one shall serve for one year, 3 shall serve for 2 years, and 3 shall serve for 3 years and until a successor is appointed and qualified. All succeeding terms shall be for 3 years, or until a successor is appointed or qualified. Commissioners shall serve without compensation except for reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of duties as a commissioner. A vacancy in the office of a member of a commission shall be filled in like manner as an original appointment.

All proceedings and meetings of the governing commission shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Open Meetings Act, as now or hereafter amended.

(Source: P.A. 100-107, eff. 1-1-18.)