Key Takeaways
The bill proposes to allow Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs) to be established and ensuring that adults with disabilities are not treated differently when it comes to where they can live.
Historically, CILA providers have fallen short when it comes to quality care for their residents, and lack of regulation makes it difficult to hold them accountable. However, Levin & Perconti alone has litigated numerous cases against CILA facilities to hold them accountable for harm they caused residents.
True progress and accessibility means more than opening more CILA group homes. It means ensuring the people who walk through them are safe.
Illinois lawmakers are advancing legislation that could significantly change how adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities access housing. House Bill 1843 aims to prevent local zoning laws from blocking Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs).
The bill addresses a real problem. Across Illinois, municipalities have used zoning rules to delay or deny these homes, leaving families waiting months, or sometimes years, for placement.
But while the conversation has largely focused on access, there’s another side to this issue that cannot be ignored: what happens after those homes open?
What Are CILAs?
Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs) are small, community-based group homes that provide support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These settings are designed to promote independence while ensuring residents receive necessary supervision, medical care, and daily living assistance.
Related reading: How Does One Qualify or Receive Placement in a CILA Group Home?
What the Bill Gets Right
CILAs exist to give adults with disabilities the opportunity to live in community-based settings, with the support they need to live as independently as possible, often when their family is no longer able to care for them.
Under current zoning practices, providers are often required to:
- Seek special use permits
- Comply with arbitrary distance requirements
- Limit the number of residents
These are hurdles that typical homeowners never face. And in many cases, they raise serious concerns under the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibit discrimination in housing.
At its core, HB1843 is about ensuring that adults with disabilities are not treated differently when it comes to where they can live.
The Part of the Conversation That’s Missing
At Levin & Perconti, we are experienced group home abuse lawyers and we’ve spent years representing families whose loved ones were harmed in CILA settings. And that experience shapes how we view legislation like this. While expanding access to housing is critical, access alone does not guarantee safety.
We have seen cases where:
- Homes were understaffed
- Staff were poorly trained or inadequately supervised
- Residents’ medical or behavioral needs were not properly monitored
- Residents have suffered catastrophic, life-altering injuries, some resulting in death
In one case we handled, a young man with autism had a condition that caused compulsive water consumption. His care plan required strict monitoring of his fluid intake. Staff failed to follow those safeguards, ignored clear warning signs, and did not seek medical care as his condition worsened. He died from water intoxication.
We secured a $6 million settlement for his family.
In another case, a single staff member was responsible for 16 residents during mealtime. One resident required one-on-one supervision due to a known choking risk; but that supervision wasn’t provided. The resident choked and died.
These are not just isolated incidents. They are reminders that when systems fail, the consequences fall on individuals who often cannot advocate for themselves.
“Adults with disabilities have a right to live in these homes, but they also have a right to be safe once they get there.” – Margaret Battersby Black, Managing Partner
Access and Accountability Must Go Together
It’s easy to frame this issue as a debate between:
- Expanding housing
vs. - Regulating providers
The reality is: both can fail at the same time.
Municipalities can create unlawful barriers that prevent homes from opening. And providers can fall short of their duty to protect the residents once those homes exist.
“Adults with disabilities have the same right to live in the community as anyone else,” says Levin & Perconti Managing Partner Mike Bonamarte. “But that right has to include the right to be safe. We’ve seen what happens when that piece is missing.”
Where Levin & Perconti Stands on House Bill 1843
We support efforts to remove discriminatory zoning barriers and expand access to housing for adults with disabilities.
But our work has shown that access must be matched with accountability. When group homes are understaffed, undertrained, or fail to meet basic standards of care, the consequences can be devastating.
That’s why we continue to represent families, hold providers accountable, and advocate for stronger oversight.
Moving Forward
House Bill 1843 is an important step toward expanding access to community-based living.
But true progress means more than opening doors. It means ensuring the people who walk through them are safe.
Adults with disabilities deserve both.
If your loved one has been harmed in a group home setting, our team is here to help. Fill out Levin & Perconti’s consultation form or call us at 312-332-2872 for a free consultation.
