Fair housing law for those with a criminal past, must be taken advantage of
Pictured above is the front of the Uptown People’s Law Center or UPLC office located at 4413 N. Sheridan. UPLC provides legal representation to people who have a criminal record, and help with fair housing applications through the Just Housing Amendment.
The Just Housing Amendment is a law that was put in place to prohibit housing discrimination against people in Cook County who have a criminal record.
Passed in 2019 and enforced in the beginning of 2020, this human rights ordinance could benefit the 70% of men between the ages 18 and 45 who have a criminal record in the North Lawndale area, if they were in need of housing.
Obtaining housing after being released from prison is a challenge in itself. Some have the privilege of living with loved ones, while others in need of their own residence are denied during the housing application process because of their record. Due to the vicious cycle of poverty, many are then forced to live homeless on the streets.
Homelessness is a far larger issue than only former inmates not being able to find housing. Brittany Sprails, the peace hub coordinator for the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council, says housing issues happen all throughout the country in Black communities.
“Disproportionately Blacks who live in communities that are underserved throughout the United States are negatively impacted by housing instability and poor living conditions due to discrimination and systemic racism,” she said. “Because of these policies and systems, West side communities like North Lawndale have its own unique challenges around sustainable housing.”
To prevent the challenges, or at least help with sustainable housing options, a local law center, the Uptown People’s Law Center (UPLC), works closely with former inmates who are in need. They provide legal services for them, and want to inform them that JHA protects applicants of all housing options. These options include: public, federal subsidized housing and section eight project based housing.
According to Charlie Isaacs, an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the UPLC, JHA applies to but is not limited to the communication used in advertisement, not denying applicants the opportunity to visit a unit; and a housing provider cannot conjure up a different application for those with a record than those without a record.
The point is no unequal treatment is allowed. Applicants under JHA cannot be turned away solely because of their criminal background and during the process are protected from start to finish.
But applicants with a record should be aware that there are some stipulations. The JHA can deny applicants under the “not covered” or exceptions section for reasons including a recent offense (under three years) that endangers other residents.
The Uptown People’s Law Center attended a NLCCC meeting on March 24 to address public safety, in hopes of providing those in the area with knowledge of this law and housing support. According to Isaacs, before this law was passed, there were no previous laws put in place to protect people against housing discrimination.