Evanston, Illinois, has expanded the protections the city offers tenants by amending its “Fair Housing Ordinance,” which was adopted with unanimous support by the Evanston City Council on September 27, 2022. The amendment to the ordinance extends protections to prospective tenants who possess criminal records that have no bearing on their role as a tenant, as well as victims of domestic violence who are in danger of being unstably housed.
With the new amendment, the protections included in the city’s Fair Housing Ordinance now mirror similar protections offered on the county level. Cook County (where Evanston is located) passed a Just Housing Amendment to the Human Rights Ordinance in April 2019 preventing tenants from being denied housing based on criminal charges that are more than three years old. To create a more equitable process, the county mandated that all applicants must go through a pre-screening process during which standard factors such as income, credit score, and eviction history are considered. Landlords can only perform background checks on prospective tenants who have been pre-approved as a result of this process. Landlords seeking to reject the applications of clients with criminal charges less than three years old must justify their rejection by claiming that the applicant would pose personal safety or property risks.
In fact, Evanston’s amendment to the Fair Housing Ordinance goes one step further by outlining how the new protections will be enforced within city limits. A landlord who is found to be in violation of the protections will be subject to a fine for each offense, and the ordinance explains that tenants may take civil action regarding any discrimination they encounter.
The protections were passed following the advocacy of Illinois-based housing advocates who have been working towards achieving fair and safe housing for their communities. Gail Schechter, executive director of the local group H.O.M.E., believes the new ordinance is a step in the right direction for Evanston. “I am so pleased that the Evanston City Council is taking housing discrimination seriously, and we look forward to seeing the city provide the enforcement, education, and affirmative outreach to make sure every resident and home-seeker is treated fairly, no matter their background.”