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In December, LCBH partnered with the Chicago Housing Justice League (CHJL) to submit a grant through the Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund (the Fund), a commitment from thirteen foundations to raise and move $3M to Chicago organizations building and sustaining movements for justice that center Black lives and address anti-Blackness. In January, LCBH and CHJL were notified that the application had been awarded. In 2021, LCBH will serve as the fiscal sponsor and the CHJL will be awarded $40,000 to continue their work of bringing multiple organizing and advocacy groups together to fight for real changes for housing and racial justice and support the adoption and implementation of people-first policies and programs that improve and stabilize majority Black or Latinx neighborhoods so families can thrive.

Since its inception, the League has been supported through in-kind contributions of time, meeting space, supplies and resources from its member organizations, with LCBH providing considerable voluntary contributions to its development and maintenance. The CHJL has been able to accomplish many things using this model, but the League and its members will benefit greatly from a dedicated Program Coordinator. This new funding will be put towards hiring a staffer to oversee the administrative and programmatic activities of CHJL, which will build the League’s capacity, create a sound leadership structure, and sustain its programmatic work.

Giving Tuesday was launched in 2012 as a simple idea: to create a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past eight years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

Today, LCBH is launching its month-long show of support for the different programs and initiatives at LCBH with Giving Tuesday. LCBH needs your help now more than ever.

Throughout December, we will introduce you to multiple stakeholders at LCBH. To start, we want to introduce you to one of LCBH’s Board Members, Mae Whiteside. We’re thankful for Mae's support and her drive to give back to the community. Her story highlights why it’s crucial to create a stable environment for families and the amazing things they can achieve when they are not worried about eviction. Please take a moment to hear Mae's story.

For low-income families, the threat of homelessness due to the pandemic is very real. While state and federal laws prevent evictions today, those restrictions will end soon, placing thousands of renters who have experienced a COVID-19 related income loss at great peril.

After LCBH closed its doors in March, we pivoted our services to a digital and virtual world where we continue to provide the same level of services and advocacy for Chicago tenants. Through "Renny" and Rentervention, LCBH provides legal information available to Chicago tenants 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and, in some cases, connects tenants with LCBH attorneys through Rentervention's Virtual Legal Clinic. In May, LCBH launched "Tenant Thursdays," a Facebook Live series that hosts segments on essential topics for Chicago tenants. Tenant Thursdays allow viewers to directly ask their question's to our subject matter experts on the live stream.

The Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing (LCBH) family just got a little bit bigger. We are happy to welcome Michelle Gilbert as our new Legal Director. Michelle is leading LCBH's COVID-19 Eviction Prevention Project.

LCBH is grateful to have Michelle's voice and advocacy. If you are a former staff member, board member, or intern, we encourage you to Share Your Story.

Why did you choose to work in housing in legal aid?
I had practiced a lot of housing law in the HIV Project of Legal Aid Chicago (then LAF). When LAF was divided into subject matter practice groups, I knew that housing was my first choice, immediately, instinctively, like how you know when you have met the person you will marry. Housing is fundamental – my chronically ill clients could not take their meds without housing. I feel like a missionary for eviction prevention – our society can’t solve homelessness until we stop making so many new people homeless. Plus, honestly, I like the practice. I like writing briefs and making arguments in court.