Concerned Residents of ABLA v. Chicago Housing Authority

No. 99C 4959 (N.D. Ill. filed July 29, 1999).; Clearinghouse Number: 52441

Description

Tenants’ Suit Alleges That Planned Public Housing Redevelopment Would Force Out African Americans

Abstract

Tenants of the Addams, Brooks, Loomis and Abbott (ABLA) public housing development in Chicago filed a class action discrimination lawsuit against the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Plaintiffs seek to block HUD-approved CHA plans to demolish approximately 3,000 very low-income ABLA housing units and replacing them with fewer than 660 units. More than 1,500 families, virtually all African American, would be displaced under the plan, and their displacement would perpetuate patterns of racial segregation. Plaintiffs claim that the redevelopment plan will reduce by 70 percent housing for very low-income families and that the loss will be borne overwhelmingly by female-headed African American households and children under 18; they allege violations of the Fair Housing Act and Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act. Plaintiffs claim that the National Housing Act protects public housing units from demolition until redevelopment plans are negotiated in consultation with all tenants affected by the demolition and that all displaced tenants must be offered replacement housing of their choice and receive assistance from the public housing agency in finding and retaining decent and affordable replacement housing, including housing at the redeveloped site if practicable. Plaintiffs allege that certain relocation rights guaranteed them under the Uniform Relocation Act and the Housing and Community Development Act were also violated. See also Gautreaux v. Chicago Housing Authority/Concerned Residents of ABLA v. Chicago Housing Authority, Cl. No. 1969.

Additional Information

Attorney Information
Plaintiff represented by William P. Wilen, Daniel P. Lindsey, Wendy L. Stasell, National Center on Poverty Law, 205 W. Monroe St., 2d Floor, Chicago, IL 60606 (312.263.3830); Harold C. Hirshman, Robert B. Millneer, Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, 8000 Sears Tower, Chicago, IL 60606 (312.876.8000); Sharon K. Legenza, Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Inc., 100 N. LaSalle St., Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60602 (312.630.9744).
Docket Date
1999-07-29 05:00:00+00:00

Files

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