(WSIL) � Small amounts of recreational marijuana will become legal in Illinois on January 1, but people who live in public housing will not be able to have it in their homes.
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a zero tolerance drug policy for tenants which supercedes state laws.Â
Vickie Milstead, Executive Director of Saline County Housing Authority, says tenants could be evicted if the tenant, household member, or guest is found with marijuana.
"We are subsidized with federal funds and it’s a federal law and marijuana is a federal control[led] substance," Milstead says. "If they’re caught using or has the possession of marijuana. Even if they don’t live on our property, but if we’re subsidizing their rent they can also be terminated from that program."
She says the state law might have changed but HUD’s rules will continue to apply.
Milstead says the agency is working on a written notice to HUD recipients about the cannabis restrictions on their property.Â
