Community leaders from Evanston and Chicago discussed the history of redlining, fair housing policy and how these issues connect to reparations in a public forum Thursday.
The forum was hosted by Open Communities, an Evanston-based non-profit housing agency focused on fair housing, and was moderated by Shorefront Legacy Center founder Dino Robinson. Panelists looked at housing discrimination through the lens of politics, religion, and business and included Ald. Robin Rue Simmons (5th) and Black Coalition for Housing Executive Director Courtney Jones.
Rue Simmons said Evanston’s initial reparations program aims to redress discriminatory housing policies. Evanston’s Restorative Housing Program will distribute grants of up to $25,000 to 16 qualifying families to fund down payments, mortgage assistance or home repairs. The decision to center housing in the initial reparations program came from Evanston stakeholders’ feedback during community meetings, according to Rue Simmons.