Champaign and Housing Discrimination

Smile Politely had an article about the Racial Justice Task Force's housing recommendations yesterday. Specifically it argued that, unintentionally or not, the exemption for renters with a criminal conviction in the City of Champaign's Human Rights Law has a disproportionate effect by race. It argues this is because it plays off of racial disparities present in our criminal justice and economic systems. From the article:

For some reason, in 1994, we decided that instead of disallowing discrimination based on any prior conviction, instead, we should disallow discrimination based on any prior conviction if the convicted person is five years clear of the offense (and any incarceration that might have resulted thereof). Again, it might seem innocuous; after all, we don’t want violent or drug felons living in our nice neighborhoods, right?

Did you catch yourself nodding along? If you get caught with a baggie of weed in Illinois (10 grams), that’s a misdemeanor. Get caught a second time, that’s a felony. Some very nice people in very nice homes in very nice neighborhoods have 10 grams of weed at home right now. They just haven’t been caught.

Who’s likely to get caught? Well, based on national and local statistics for policing, Black people. What we know from national studies is that while minorities don’t commit crimes at a rate greater than that of Whites, Blacks and Latinos are much more likely to be detained and searched (and with flimsier justification) than Whites. What section 4.5 amounts to, in effect, is housing discrimination not targeted at “crime” so much as it is at minorities.

The Champaign County Board, the City of Champaign Human Rights Commission, and the Champaign County Racial Justice Task Force have all called for the repeal of section 4.5. Champaign City Council member Alicia Beck (District 2) has proposed a study session to begin the process of repealing the offending text in section 4.5, and council members Will Kyles (at large) and Matthew Gladney (at large) have signed on. Two more signatures are needed to effect the study session.

Full article here. It has contact information for City of Champaign Council members. More information, including maps to look up your district and representative here. County Clerk tool to look up your districts and representatives here. Or click on the map below to find your district directly: 

What might not be so obvious is that the exemption applies only to renters who tend to be lower income than home owners and landlords themselves. In other words if you can afford to own the property then you're protected. In fact you could legally discriminate against renters convicted of the same crimes as yourself.

Proponents point out that ending this exemption brings Champaign and Urbana laws closer in sync and would still allow vetting of lessees by landlords. It simply wouldn't allow for blanket bans that only take into account convictions of specifically just those people who can't afford to buy property.


More information:

More on the Racial Justice Task Force here.

More on the recent Champaign County Board vote to urge the City of Champaign to change the ordinance here: Committee of the Whole and RJTF Recommendations

CU Indivisible's statement on the RJTF recommendations: CU Indivisible and RJTF Recommendations 


Related: Housing Authority of Champaign County rules

The RJTF Housing recommendations also included changing a similar issue at the HACC.
Housing Recommendations

1. The Housing Authority of Champaign County should change its eligibility policies to provide fair housing rights to all applicants with criminal conviction records except when U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rules require a public housing authority to reject an applicant due to criminal record.
2. The Champaign County Board should urge the Housing Authority of Champaign County to change its policies as described above.
3. The Champaign City Council should repeal Section 17.4-5 of the city code.
4. The Champaign County Board and local law enforcement officials should urge Champaign City Council members to repeal Section 17.4-5 of the city code to help reduce recidivism and racial disparities in the criminal-justice system.

Quick Overview of the Housing Authority of Champaign County here: New Housing Authority Director