Legislation aims to correct inequitable practices in tenancy rights, evictions due to crime free ordinances
Advocacy groups in Illinois are spearheading efforts to challenge the legality and implementation of so-called crime-free ordinances, following a series of contentious legal battles and mounting public outcry.
The impetus for this legislative push stems from the plight of Diamond Jones, a mother of three, who found herself embroiled in a harrowing ordeal that captured national attention. Months ago, Jones publicly decried her forced eviction from her residence in Richton Park, attributing it to her family’s interactions with local law enforcement. Her vocal condemnation of the village’s crime-free ordinance, which purportedly precipitated her eviction, galvanized housing advocates to scrutinize and challenge similar ordinances across the state.
At the forefront of this advocacy campaign is the proposed Community Safety Through Stable Homes Act, a bill introduced in Springfield on Friday. This landmark legislation seeks to dismantle the legal framework underpinning crime-free ordinances, which critics argue disproportionately penalize tenants and landlords for innocuous interactions with the police or vague allegations of criminal activity.