Justice Department stands up for fair, affordable housing

The United States filed a civil lawsuit yesterday against the City of Joliet, Illinois, alleging that it has violated federal housing laws by moving to condemn and take through eminent domain a federally-subsidized affordable housing development known as Evergreen Terrace.

Joliet’s action would displace from their homes approximately 764 low-income residents, most of whom are African-American, and require most of these residents to leave Joliet because of the lack of sufficient affordable housing elsewhere in the city. The government is seeking a court order prohibiting the alleged housing discrimination as well as unspecified monetary damages for those harmed by the city’s actions and a civil penalty.

More information is available from the Chicago Sun-Times.