Civil Society Consultation

Universal Periodic Review for the United Nations Human Rights Council

April 13 and 14, 2010

Tuesday, April 13

Panel and Discussion: Discrimination in Public and Subsidized Housing in the Chicago

Metropolitan Area: (1) The Teardown of Public Housing High-rises: CHA's Plan for Transformation and What It Means for Past and Future Residents; (2) Segregation and other Problems Experienced by Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Recipients; (3) Preservation of Project-Based Section 8 Housing; (4) Development and Preservation of Accessible and Supportive Housing; and (5) Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities in Public and Subsidized Housing

Moderator:                 F. Willis Caruso

Panelists:                 

(1)       The Teardown of Public Housing High-rises: CHA's Plan for Transformation and What It Means for Past and Future Residents

                            a. Richard Wheelock, Legal Assistance Foundation of  Metropolitan Chicago 

(2)       Segregation and other Problems Experienced by Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Recipients

a.   Andrew Greenlee, Nathalie P. Voorhees Center for Neighborhood and Community Improvement, University of Illinois at Chicago

b.   Chris Klepper, Housing Choice Partners  

(3)       Preservation of Project-Based Section 8 Housing

                                         a.   Kate Walz, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law 

(4)       Development and Preservation of Accessible and Affordable Housing

            a.   Hipolito (Paul) Roldan, Hispanic Housing Development Corporation 

(5)       Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities in Public and Subsidized Housing

                                          a.   Kenneth Walden, Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago 

Panel and Discussion:       The Role of Discrimination in Contributing to the Present Crisis in Lending and Foreclosures in the Chicago Metropolitan Area: (1) Foreclosure Rates and the Destabilizing Impact in the Region; (2) Unfair Lending Practices; (3) Measures That Are and Are Not Being Taken to Counter the Loss of Homes; and (4) Impact of Foreclosures on Desegregation Efforts and the Destabilization of Neighborhoods in the Chicago Metropolitan Region

Moderator:                 Michael P. Seng

Panelists:                 

(1)        Foreclosure Rates and the Destabilizing Impact in the region

a. Geoff Smith, The Woodstock Institute 

(2)      Unfair Lending Practices

a. Dan Lindsey, Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago 

(3)      Measures That Are and Are Not Being Taken to Counter the Loss of Homes

a.   Katie Gottschall Donohue, Housing Action Illinois

b.   Michael van Zalingen, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago

          c.   Kelli Dudley, The John Marshall Law School Predatory Home Lending Project

d.   Peter Brown, Minnesota Tenants Union

 (4)      Impact of Foreclosures on Desegregation Efforts and the Destabilization of Neighborhoods in the Chicago Metropolitan Region.

           a. Kathy Clark, Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing

 b. John Petruszak, South Suburban Housing Center 

Panel and Discussion: The Problem of Homelessness in the Chicago Metropolitan Region 

Moderator:     Sharon Legenza 

Panelists:      a.   Ryan Dowd, Hesed House

                        b. Amy Rynell, Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights

                        c. Patricia Nix-Hodes, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless

 Panel and Discussion: Discrimination in the Private Market in the Chicago Metropolitan Area: (1) Segregated Housing and its Effect on Health, Education and other Essential Indicators; (2) Refusals to Rent and Sell; (3) Racial and Ethnic Steering; (4) Advertising and the Impact of the Internet; and (5) Problems Faced by Private Developers in Locating and Building Integrated Low-Income and Affordable Housing in the Chicago Metropolitan Area

Moderator:     Sharon Legenza

           Panelists:                 

(1)       Segregated Housing and its Effect on Health, Education and other Essential Indicators

          a.   Francisco Ramos, Coalition of African, Arab, Asian, European and Latino Immigrants
of Illinois (CAAAELII)                             

 (2)   Refusals to Rent and Sell

a.   Bernie Kleina, Hope Fair Housing Center  

b.   Gail Schechter, Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs

c.   Damian Ortiz, JMLS Fair Housing Legal Clinic

(3)   Racial and Ethnic Steering

                               a. Allison Bethel, JMLS Fair Housing Legal Clinic  

(4)   Advertising and the Impact of the Internet

a.   Betsy Shuman-Moore, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

           (5)   Problems Faced by Private Developers in Locating and Building Integrated Low-Income and Affordable Housing in the Chicago Metropolitan Area

                               a.   Mary Ellen Tamasy, Lake County Residential Development Corp.

                               b.   Kevin Jackson, Chicago Rehab Network 

 Wednesday, April 14

8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.         Tour of Housing in Chicago and Discussions with Community Residents – focus will be the Southwest Side to see the affects of predatory home lending practices and foreclosures and to talk to neighborhood residents followed by a tour to view one of the housing developments built to replace public housing on the South Side.