>> ILLINOIS OFFICIALS ARE ANNOUNCING A NEW ACTION PLAN AIMED AT FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS AND THE RACIAL DISPARITIES THAT CAUSE IT.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AFTER A NEW STUDY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO SHOWING BLACK AMERICANS ARE 4 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS THAN WHITE AMERICANS.

BUT ILLINOIS, THE SITUATION IS EVEN WORSE WITH 8 WITH BLACK RESIDENTS.

8 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BECOME HOMELESS AND IN CHICAGO, WHILE AFRICAN-AMERICANS MAKE UP A 3RD OF THE POPULATION, THEY ACCOUNT FOR ALMOST 3 QUARTERS OF THOSE WHO ARE UNHOUSED.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE OUR ARI, I SHOULD LEHMAN, A DOCTORAL STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO AND ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE STUDY, SHERRY ALLEN REEVES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PHOENIX FOUNDATION WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS GIANNA BAKER CALL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE CHICAGO AREA.

FAIR HOUSING ALLIANCE AND JOINING US VIA ZOOM FROM SPRINGFIELD, CHRISTINE HALEY, CHIEF HOMELESSNESS OFFICER FOR THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING SO, CHRISTINE, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

YOU WERE DESCRIBED AS BEING THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE STUDY.

TELL ME WHAT PROMPTED IT AND WHAT WERE SOME OF THE KEY FACTORS THAT YOU WANT FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND?

>> IF YOU GO INTO A SHELTER WITHIN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THAT.

AND THE 3.75% OF THOSE IN OUR TRADITIONAL SINGLE ADULT SHELTERS ARE BLACK.

BUT IF YOU GO TO FAMILY SHELTERS, PARENTS WITH THEIR CHILDREN, ABOUT 90%.

THE RESIDENTS IN CHICAGO SHELTERS TRADITIONAL SHELTERS ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT CHARITY AND WHY IT WAS SO IF YOU PULL BACK TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, WE SEE THAT THAT LACK MILLIONS ARE ABOUT 14% OF THE POPULATION.

30% OF THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED POVERTY.

YES, 61% OF THOSE ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

THE DOMINANT DRIVERS THAT THE DOMINANT NARRATIVE WE HEAR ABOUT WHAT CAUSES ALMOST THAT DECISION MAKING OR MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE USE.

BUT IF WE THINK ABOUT THE RACIAL DISPARITIES THAT EXIST.

THAT DOESN'T LINE UP.

THAT DOESN'T RING.

ALSO IN THEIR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT.

THE ROOT CAUSES I'VE EQUITY WITHIN HOUSING.

HE THAT REDLINING.

LACK GENERATIONAL WEALTH.

PER SE ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AREN'T PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS, EITHER.

SEPTEMBER OF 2021.

GOVERNOR PRITZKER SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS WHICH CREATED THE OFFICE TO PREVENT AND WHO AND ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIONS THAT WE TOOK WITHIN THE OFFICE, TO CREATE THE RACIAL EQUITY ROUND TABLE ON BLACK HOMELESSNESS SO THAT WE BE ABLE TO PULL TOGETHER BLACK LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

WHO FOR EXAMPLE, THE MAYOR OF PEORIA, MIR ALI, ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH LIVE EXPERTISE OF HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING INSECURITY.

THE FORMER AROUND PEOPLE THAT COULD ANSWER SOME OF QUESTIONS TOO, WHAT IS WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL STOMACH DRIVERS THAT CAUSED WITH AND THE AND THE SECOND HIGHEST, THE CHARITY IN THE COUNTRY.

>> SHERRY, I WANT TO JUMP TO US SOMEONE THAT IN FIELD.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT MAYBE SOME OF THAT RECURS OR CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MIGHT LEAD TO SOMEONE BECOMING HOMELESS FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE.

>> SO, I WOULD SAY THE NUMBER ONE DRIVERS PARTY.

ALL RIGHT, LACK AND LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I THINK THAT THOSE 2 THINGS, ONE HAND IN HAND.

AND I ALSO THINK IT'S DYSFUNCTIONAL BY DESIGN RIGHT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN THE CITY OF CHICAGO WITH THE DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND THE IMPACT OF THOSE THOUSANDS THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WHO GET DISPLACED FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES, THOSE PEOPLE SCATTERED ALL OVER THE PLACE AND SOME OF THEM WHO COULD MATTER OF FORD, WHO WHO GET PUBLIC HOUSING SECTION 8 VOUCHERS COULDN'T TAKE CERTAIN FAMILY MEMBERS WITH THEM BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT NOW THEY REACH CHECKING AND MAKING SURE SOMEBODY WHO HAD A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CAN COME INTO THE SO THAT MEANT MORE AND MORE FAMILIES WERE AND THEY LOST THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

SO WE KNEW.

SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OUR CHRISTINE COUNTER POINTED OUT THE FACT THAT PEOPLE OFTEN THINK BECAUSE OF SUBSTANCE USE MENTAL HEALTH.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST THAT JUST THE SYMPTOM THAT HAPPENS AFTER SOMEBODY THIS PLACE AFTER PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST A SENSE OF HOPELESSNESS.

WHAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE ASKING WHAT HAPPENED.

I WHAT WAS THE TRAUMA THAT HAPPENED TO CAUSE THIS TO HAVE YOU BECOME HOMELESS?

BECAUSE IT'S MORE NOBODY SETS OUT ON A LIFELONG AMBITION TO BECOME HOMES.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE, OH, I WANT TO DO THAT.

KNOW SOMETHING HAPPENED.

SOMETHING TRIGGERED THAT AND WE NEED TO GET BACK TO WHAT WHAT WAS THE THING THAT HAPPENED?

ACOSTA.

>> AND I I WANT TO JUMP TO BECAUSE YOU ARE ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE OF THE STUDY AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME KIND OF TALKING WITH PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.

WHY DO WE SEE SUCH A PROFOUND RACIAL WITHIN THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY AND CHICAGO AND ILLINOIS?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME OF THOSE KEY DRIVERS?

YES.

SO AFTER LOOKING AT QUANTITATIVE DATA AND QUALITATIVE DATA SPEAKING WITH FOLKS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS, THE MAIN FACTORS WHERE STRUCTURAL LIKE CHRISTINE HALEY BROUGHT UP.

SO THAT BEING AFFORDABLE HOUSING EVICTIONS AND EVICTION INCARCERATION IN PARTICULAR PROGRAMMING AFTER IS RELEASED FROM PRISONS OR JAILS >> ALSO >> THE FOSTER SYSTEM AND HAVING PROGRAMS AFTERWARDS TO SUPPORT FOLKS, HEALTH CARE AS WELL AS A HUGE DRIVERS.

IF YOU LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO HOSPITALS ARE HEALTHY FOODS, BUT THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU'RE FAR MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE HEALTH CONCERNS, WHICH WILL AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO BE EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYMENT WAS THE LAST ONE ACCESS TO UNEMPLOYMENT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HARDER FOR BLACK FOLKS ACCESS THAN WHITE FOLKS.

AND JOHN, I WANT TO JUMP TO THIS.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO TOUCH ON ANOTHER ISSUE, WHICH IS PROBABLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RIGHT?

WHAT ROLE?

BUT YOU SAY THAT THAT RACIAL DISPARITIES SIGNIFICANT.

SO WHEN WE IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, WE KNOW THAT A SEVERE SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT THAT AFFORDABLE AND AVAILABLE HOUSING.

>> AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT AND WHAT THAT MEANS BECAUSE WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE REPORT, IT FOCUSES ON FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING RENT RENT BURDEN.

>> AND THE EASIEST WAY TO LOOK AT THAT IS THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE PAYING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR HOUSING OR HOUSEHOLD BUDGET HOUSING.

AND SO WHAT THAT REALLY LOOKS LIKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IS THAT WHAT YOU THAT PAY YOUR RENT?

YOU ARE IN THE PREDICAMENT OF DECIDING.

AM I GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY PAY FOR GROCERIES FOR CHILD CARE FOR WHAT I MEAN, ME FOR MY HEALTH.

AND SO EVEN JUST ANY EMERGENCY COULD END UP LEADING TO YOU BECOMING I WOULD ALSO SAY I'M NOT ONLY FROM THE LANDS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS GOING BACK TO SOME OF THE HISTORY THAT SHERRY, AS WELL AS CHRISTINE TALKED ABOUT WITH THINKING ABOUT JUST THE CONTEXT, SPECIFIC LEA BLACK HOMELESSNESS.

WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT HISTORIC LEGACY OF DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING POLICIES AND PROGRAMS, WHETHER WE'RE GOING BACK TO RELY OR IF WE EVEN TALK ABOUT A MORE POLICIES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH PUBLIC HOUSING.

AND AND IT'S NOT ONLY THAT IT'S DISPLACING BLACK HOUSEHOLDS, BUT IN EVEN TALKING THE REPORT TALKS ABOUT EVICTIONS AND IT TALKS ABOUT CARS INCARCERATION.

AND THOSE ARE SIMILAR AND THERE WAS AN THAT I KNOW OF WHO WAS RENTERS.

AND SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW THE EXPERIENCES OF THE BLACK FAMILY SAYS SHE WAS WORKING WITH WAS VERY AND SO WAS SHE WAS SAYING THEY WERE NOT EXPERIENCING LANDLORDS, OBVIOUSLY NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO READ TO YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE BUT WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS LOOK EVICTION FILINGS, WHICH AN EVICTION FILING IS JUST A COURT RECORD.

DOESN'T SAY WHETHER OR THERE WAS ACTUALLY NEGATIVE JUDGMENT AND AN ADDICTION WRECKER FOLLOWS YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO FEW OPPORTUNITIES ACTUALLY GET A SEALED OR IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ARREST OR CONVICTION RECORD.

AND WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE RETURNING HOME, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE MOTHERS AND AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY'RE SCREENED OUT BEFORE THEY EVEN GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET ACCESS TO HOUSING.

SO YOU GET SCREENED OUT BECAUSE OF THE EVICTION FILING.

YOU GET SCREENED OUT BECAUSE OF THEIR ARREST OR CONVICTION.

RECORD IN COOK COUNTY.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LAW PASSED THAT ENSURES THAT PEOPLE HAVE A FAIR CHANCE TO ACCESS HOUSING IF THEY HAVE AN ARREST OR CONVICTION PROTECTIONS IN URBANA CHAMPAIGN TO FOR WITH THE REST OF CONVICTION RECORDS WE HAVE AT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, SOME JUST ON ARREST, BUT IT DOES NOT COMPREHENSIVELY ADDRESS THE KINDS OF CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

I WAS GOING TO ASK BECAUSE YOU JUST MENTIONED LET FUNDING LOOKS RIGHT.

SO WE KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY ANNOUNCED AN ACTION PLAN AND AN EXTRA 50 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE 2025 BUDGET.

>> CHRISTINE, I WANT TO JUMP TO YOU BECAUSE I WONDER WHAT WHAT YOU THINK.

I SOME KEY ELEMENTS OF THAT PLAN, RIGHT?

DO YOU HOPE THAT THIS WELL, SEE THIS IMPROVING THE SITUATION.

THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND WE WERE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH IN THE ALLOCATION OF THE PROPOSED ALLOCATION OF THE 50 MILLION, THE BULK OF THAT FUNDING WOULD GO FOR A COURT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT FAMILIES WHO ARE IN EVICTION COURT.

SO THAT THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOME.

SO PREVENTING FAMILY BECOMING HOMELESS IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT CORE BASE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AREA THAT WOULD IMPACT THAT IMPACT.

CHARITY WAS ONE THAT FEATURED FROM THE REPORT.

WE'RE ALSO INVESTING OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THREE-BED OF PLATE.

FOOD ASSISTANCE.

CASH ASSISTANCE AND OTHER MEDICAL THAT AND IN TURN TO THAT, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO >> RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR.

AND THEN IN THE PAST AND AND HOW WE CAN HIGHLIGHT IT IS APPROACHES.

YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AS THEY'RE EXITING CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM AS THEIR YOUNG ADULT WHO MAY BE EXITING FROM BEING WITHIN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND HOW WE CAN BEST SUPPORT PEOPLE FOR THAT PREVENTION KEY.

SO THAT FOLKS YOU NOT BECOME HOMELESS GO THROUGH THE TRAUMA BECOMING HOMELESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> AND CHRIS AND I HAD TO CUT