Education & Awareness

By providing education, data, and policy guidance, LCBH equips its community partners with tools to conduct effective campaigns to engage renters. LCBH’s programming works to highlight neighborhood connections and community investment by providing legal representation and the tools and knowledge necessary to empower renters to stay and thrive in their communities.

Chicago For All

The Chicago For All Coalition was convened by ONE Northside, and includes LCBH and many other tenant advocate and social service organizations. The purpose of the coalition is to address the rapid depletion of Single Room Occupancy (SROs) hotels in Chicago. SROs provide short and long-term affordable housing options for some of the city’s most vulnerable, very low-income residents, like the recently homeless, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

Chicago Healthy Homes Inspection Program

To date, Chicago has had a “complaint-based” housing code program. Inspections and enforcement are largely driven by tenant complaints. This places the tenant in the position of the “bad guy.” Ratting-out the landlord to the City Department of Buildings when the conditions become intolerable frequently results in spoiling the relationship with the landlord, retaliatory rent increases and, typically, eviction.

Chicago Housing Justice League

The Chicago Housing Justice League is collaborative of 37 groups, organizing for just housing since its inception in January of 2018. The League’s central mission is to inform and influence the City of Chicago’s 5 Year Housing Plan, as League members recognize the Plan’s potential to improve projects, programs, and policies to better the lives of Chicago residents. The Chicago Housing Justice League has developed a set of principles to guide the 5 Year Housing Plan and create more equitable housing opportunities across Chicago. The Chicago Housing Justice League is committed to assisting the City in integrating these shared Principles into the 5 Year Plan process and gathering input from Chicago’s residents.

Fair Housing Education Consortium

The Fair Housing Education Consortium (FHEC) provides fair housing training to educate various stakeholders in order to work towards elimination of discrimination and further promote equal access to housing, throughout Chicago.

Foreclosure Alerts System

Since the Keep Chicago Renting Ordinance (KCRO) went into effect in fall of 2013, LCBH has worked to ensure that the ordinance’s protections for renters in foreclosed properties are carried out effectively. With the goal of keeping foreclosed properties occupied, new owners (primarily lending institutions) must offer qualified renters either the option to stay in their home or a relocation fee of $10,600 to help families start over after being forced out.

Keep Chicago Renting

With the passage of the Keep Chicago Renting Ordinance (KCRO) in June 2013, members of the Keep Chicago Renting Coalition who advocated for adoption of the ordinance are now actively engaged in educating renters and other constituents about the ordinance’s new protections. It is expected that this ordinance will positively change the landscape of tenant protections—no longer will foreclosure alone be an excuse to vacate the properties of renters.

Learn More About The Issues

Apartment / Building Conditions
Your landlord has the responsibility of maintaining the building in compliance with building, health and safety codes.
Eviction
If your landlord wants to remove you from your home, s/he must follow the law.
Housing Discrimination
Fair Housing: It’s not an option, it’s the law!
Illegal Lockouts
Your landlord may not forcibly remove you from your apartment.
Landlord Retaliation
Renters have protections against retaliatory landlords.
Security Deposits
Security deposits may be used only for damages that make an apartment un-rentable.
Tenants in Foreclosure
Foreclosure doesn’t mean “Get out now!” If you are renting an apartment, house or condo that is in foreclosure, you have rights.
Utilities / Essential Services
Denying essential services such as heat, water, or electricity is wrong and may pose serious health and safety risks.