The Cook County Commission on Human Rights Announces the Release of the Just Housing Amendment Impact Assessment Report

Today, Cook County Commission on Human Rights released the Just Housing Amendment Impact Assessment Report, the final product of a first-of-its-kind research partnership with Roosevelt University’s Policy Research Collaborative (PRC). Launched in October 2024, the study examines how the Just Housing Amendment (JHA) has impacted housing access for returning Cook County residents. The research partnership is made possible by the Cook County Equity Fund.

“When we passed the Just Housing Amendment in 2019, we became one of the first municipalities to pass a law like this,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “Now, seven years after its passage, our work continues. The recommendations from the JHA Impact Assessment Report will guide our ongoing efforts to change the outcomes for our neighbors with criminal justice involvement.”

In 2019, Cook County passed the JHA, among the earliest of this kind of protection, which prohibits housing discrimination based on arrest or conviction history. The JHA went into effect on January 1, 2020.

Key Findings

• Lack of Awareness: The report found there is a widespread lack of awareness by housing seekers and providers about the Just Housing Amendment, leading to the law not being followed.
• Lack of Transparency: Participants mentioned not being told why their housing applications were denied, even though the JHA requires landlords to give written explanations. Participants often didn’t know whether their denial was connected to their record.
• Lack of Individualized Assessment*: Individualized assessments are meant to let applicants explain the context of their conviction, but survey responses showed that none of the denials included one. This means applicants weren’t given a chance to share important information that could affect the decision of whether or not they would be able to access housing.
• Interview participants said there isn’t enough affordable housing in Cook County. Many were frustrated that they couldn’t meet income requirements for homes that were safe, the right size, or fit their basic quality‑of‑life needs.

*An individualized assessment is a process by which a person considers all factors relevant to an individual’s conviction history from the previous three (3) years. An individualized assessment is not required for convictions that are more than three (3) years old.

 “We are grateful to Roosevelt University’s Policy Research Collaborative, Dr. Laura Nussbaum-Barberena, and Dr. Tania Arvanitidis for their collaboration on this landmark study,” said Commission on Human Rights Executive Director Jennifer King, Esq. “Given our focus on strategic enforcement and outreach, the report findings are especially helpful. They offer greater insights into the barriers faced by housing seekers, as well as ways to strengthen compliance with the JHA among housing providers.” 

Recommendations
The report outlines recommendations to the Commission on Human Rights to strengthen the JHA’s reach and enforcement 

• Increase Accessibility for housing seekers to report violations of the JHA
• Expand enforcement and accountability mechanisms, including filing more Commission-initiated complaints 
• Increase outreach and education on JHA

The report also outlines recommendations for Cook County and other municipalities. 

“The Policy Research Collaborative (PRC) was honored to partner with the Cook County Commission on Human Rights to assess the level of awareness and compliance with the JHA,” said PRC Director Dr. Laura Nussbaum-Barberena. “This research was a step forward in advancing their commitment to ensure all Cook County residents have access to housing.” 

The Commission on Human Rights invites community partners and stakeholders to join them for a discussion on the report findings at an upcoming event, Measuring the Impact: A Fireside Chat on Cook County’s Just Housing Amendment. The event will feature a conversation between Dr. Laura Nussbaum-Barberena, Director of the Policy Research Collaborative at Roosevelt University, and Mr. Wendell Robinson, Executive Director of Restore Justice as they explore and contextualize the report’s findings. 

The event will take place in person on Wednesday, May 27, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM, at 69 West Washington, 22nd Floor, Conference Room B, Chicago, Illinois. Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/5e47xFH970.

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