Cook County Commission on Human Rights Announces Research Partnership with Roosevelt University Policy Research Collaborative to Study Just Housing Amendment
Today, Cook County Department of Human Rights and Ethics’ Director Jennifer King announced a research partnership with Roosevelt University’s Policy Research Collaborative to study the impacts of the Just Housing Amendment (JHA) to the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance on housing access for Cook County residents. The JHA prohibits housing discrimination based on an individual's involvement with the criminal justice system.
The research partnership is made possible by the Cook County Equity Fund with the support of Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle. Regarding the partnership, President Preckwinkle said, “With over 30,000 individuals returning home from prison annually in Illinois, fair chance housing laws, like JHA, are increasingly important for housing equity. In Cook County, we are proud to have paved the way, and we will continue to do so by regularly assessing our challenges and successes.” The research partnership launch took place at Roosevelt University with over twenty representatives of Cook County housing advocacy and non-profit organizations that were integral to JHA’s passage.
Enforcement of the JHA began in February 2020, coinciding with the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic. This posed several long-term challenges for the law, specifically in raising broad public awareness and outreach. Cook County Commission on Human Rights (CCCHR) has pursued several unique outreach techniques to overcome these challenges, resulting in a 2023 NACo Achievement Award.
As JHA was landmark legislation, CCCHR understands the importance of evaluating ongoing successes, barriers to housing, and enforcement challenges. The Commission on Human Rights’ understanding of the impacts of JHA are limited in scope to filed complaints and anecdotal information from residents. The research partnership announced today will significantly increase a comprehensive understanding of the JHA.
Director King emphasized that “[w]e are incredibly grateful for Dr. Laura Nussbaum-Barberena and Dr. Tania Arvanitidis’ leadership and collaboration in this important study. …We take our role as the enforcement agency of this historic legislation seriously and we understand the necessity of protecting Cook County residents who are searching for affordable, accessible housing.”
“The Policy Research Collaborative (PRC) is honored to partner with CCCHR to assess the impacts of the JHA, as part of their commitment to further awareness, compliance and enforcement of the ordinance. We look forward to offering data and insight, to inform CCCHR and civic partners’ approach to implementation of this important enforcement lever in the work of ensuring access to dignified housing for all Cook County residents,” said PRC Director Nussbaum-Barberena.
Roosevelt University’s Policy Research Collaborative is an interdisciplinary, applied research center at Roosevelt University conducting research with community partners to gather insight and data to inform partners’ transformative initiatives to build equity and strengthen communities through policy, program and advocacy work.
Cook County Commission on Human Rights works to protect people in Cook County from discrimination and harassment in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, credit transactions, and access to Cook County facilities, services and programs. If you believe you have experienced housing discrimination in Cook County, please contact the Cook County Commission on Human Rights.