IMPACTFUL RESEARCH
CAFHA conducts important research through a racial-justice lens that reveals critical challenges to fair housing and makes the case for solutions that increase equity and strengthen existing programs.
Since releasing CAFHA’s last report on the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Homeownership Program in 2021, CAFHA and our partners have worked to advance recommendations to grow the program at the federal and local levels. This report, compiled in partnership with Woodstock Institute, picks up where the last left off and documents progress made, strategies tested, and lessons learned while advocating for greater program investment.
Related News
Yoon-Ji Kang, Esther. Namigadde, Adora. WBEZ The Rundown. July 5, 2024
PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAMS
Scaling Up a Powerful Yet Underutilized Tool to Restore Wealth-Building Opportunities
In 2021, CAFHA published new research highlighting the underutilization of Homeownership Programs offered by Public Housing Authorities. This report focuses on the opportunities, barriers, and impacts of these programs on Black voucher holders. CAFHA felt this focus was important due to the long-documented history of race-based homeownership exclusion committed against Black Americans, the fact that Cook County voucher holders are predominantly Black, and that discrimination against voucher holders in Cook County is largely rooted in anti-Black racism.
Related News
-
Baker, Gianna; Fron, Patricia.
"Public Housing Authorities Can Make Homeownership a Reality Op-Ed". Streetwise Chicago, Inc., February 2022 -
Pewitt, Morgan.
"Report: Public Housing Authorities Can Play A Role In Reducing The Racial Homeownership Gap". Chicago Crusader, June 2021
In 2018, CAFHA partnered with Shriver Center for Poverty Law to launch this first-of-its-kind report highlighting the current mechanics and impacts of aldermanic prerogative within a civil rights legal framework. The findings demonstrate that the City of Chicago has neglected to fulfill its civil rights obligations by failing to ensure a fair balance of power that allows for the development of equitable family affordable housing.
Related News
-
Laurence, Justin. "City Committee Ignores NW Side Alderman, Approves Apartments He Didn’t Want In Rare Move". Block Club Chicago, December 2021
-
Morrow, Molly. "Aldermanic Prerogative: Challenging a Controversial Tool". The Gate, June 2021
-
Kapp-Klote, H. "Under Fire, Aldermanic Prerogative Is Turned to Democratic Ends". Shelterforce, January 2020
-
Cherone, Heather. "Aldermanic Power To Blame For City Segregation, Housing Advocates Say". Block Club Chicago, September 2019
-
Sisson, Patrick. "How aldermanic privilege shaped Chicago". Curbed Chicago, May 2019
-
Hermalik, Amy. "Time to rewrite the rules of City Hall's game". Crain's Chicago, February 2019
-
Fron, Patricia, et al. "Aldermanic Prerogative is the Grease That Oils the Machine". Chicago Tribune, February 2019
-
Misra, Tanvi. "How Chicago’s Aldermen Help Keep It Segregated". Bloomberg, August 2018
-
Dhar, Michael. "Fighting Segregation Shouldn’t Mean More Power for Rahm, Aldermen Say". Logan Squarist Chicago, August 2018.
-
Bowean, Lolly. "New study examines aldermanic prerogative and how it can damage efforts to create affordable housing". Chicago Tribune, July 2018
-
Chicago Tribune Editorial. "Aldermanic privilege run amok". Chicago Tribune, July 2018
-
Waltz, Kate; Fron, Patricia. "How aldermen maintain segregation in Chicago". The Chicago Reporter, July 2018
-
Brey, Jared. "How Equitable Development Dies a Death of a Thousand Cuts". Next City, July 2018
-
Bauer, Kelly. "Chicago Is Still So Segregated Because Aldermen Are Too Powerful, Study Says". Block Club Chicago, July 2018
In 2017, the Chicago Policy Research Team (Chicago PRT) and the Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance (CAFHA) published this policy report examining source of income discrimination and the experiences of Housing Choice Voucher participants in Chicago and suburban Cook County. This report explores the barriers to HCV participants’ housing choice, affirms the benefits of affording access to areas of opportunity in our region, and offers mechanisms to ameliorate discrimination and smooth the uneven geographies of housing choice.
