CAFHA monitors the enforcement of fair housing laws and works to advance policies and programs to promote create change.
HUD COMPLAINT
In 2018, CAFHA led the joint filing of a fair housing complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) against the City of Chicago for its use of “aldermanic prerogative”, a policy that has allowed members of City Council to reject affordable housing developments in their wards. This has resulted in limited affordable housing options for Chicagoans and the ongoing perpetuation of segregation in Chicago's neighborhoods. Aldermanic prerogative has also allowed unregulated zoning practices to flourish, affecting the availability and pricing of housing in the City. HUD is still in the process of conducting an investigation and has not yet issued a finding. Follow us on social media for additional updates.
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Evans, Maxwell. "Trump Administration Drops Civil Rights Cases On Environmental Justice, Affordable Housing". Block Club Chicago, August 8, 2025
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Johnson, Daniel. "Trump-Era HUD Moves To Close Civil Rights Probes Into Housing Complaints From Black Communities". Black Enterprise, July 21, 2025
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Cherone, Heather. "Aldermanic Prerogative Showdown on Tap as City Council Confronts Affordable Housing Shortfall". WTTW, July 15, 2025
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TRD Staff. "Chicago eludes feds’ probe of aldermanic power under Trump: HUD previously found system blocked affordable housing; advocates pursuing another route." The Real Deal, July 9, 2025
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Chase, Brett. "Federal investigation into affordable housing, aldermanic prerogative in Chicago fizzles". Chicago Sun-Times Chicago, July 8, 2025
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Dent, Lisa. "Did city’s aldermanic prerogative violate Chicagoans’ civil rights?". WGN Radio, November 29, 2023
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Chase, Brett. "Chicago wrongly limited affordable housing with aldermanic prerogative, HUD Says". Chicago Sun-Times, November 28, 2023
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Cherone, Heather. "Aldermanic Prerogative Fuels Segregation and Violates Black, Latino Chicagoans’ Civil Rights: Federal Officials". WTTW, November 28, 2023
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Laurence, Justin. "City Committee Ignores NW Side Alderman, Approves Apartments He Didn’t Want In Rare Move". Block Club Chicago, December 14, 2021
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Pratt, Gregory. "Is aldermanic power killing affordable housing projects in Chicago?". Chicago Tribune, December 9, 2021
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TRD Staff. "Feds probe Chicago aldermen’s veto power over affordable housing". The Real Deal, December 2021
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Sisson, Patrick. "How aldermanic privilege shaped Chicago". Curbed Chicago, May 31, 2019