Lawyers' Committe for Better Housing

Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing
33 N Lasalle Street, Suite 900
(312) 347-7600

This past Friday on the Resistance Legal Clinic TV show, we had a guest, Mark Swarz from the Lawyers Committee for Better Housing. Just like the NWSHC, I'll give a short but detailed explanation of LCBH.

Founded by a group of young lawyers in 1980, LCBH "Promotes the availability and access" to the safe, decent and affordable housing on a non-discriminatory basis the website describes. To that end, they have several programs and methods to help homeowners and tenants. For starters, their Tenants Advocacy Project acts on behalf of tenants whose difficulties with their landlords have not yet been taken up in court.

The Committe also provides legal services for low-income families and tenants at no cost to them in the Attorney of the Day Eviction Defense Project (AOD). A similar program, the Tenants in Foreclosure Project, helps tenants who are living in and renting in buildings whose landlords have already been foreclosed on, which are unseen victims of Chicago's foreclosure crisis.

The TFIP also helps provide info regarding tenants' rights during the foreclosure process and helps preserve affordable housing in the city. And speaking of affordable housing, there is also the Affordable Housing Preservation Program, which seeks to help tenants who are living in less than ideal living and building conditions. They provide legal assistance to these tenants, inform them of their rights, negotiate with landlords on behalf of clients and represent the tenants.

There are also fair housing advocacy programs, which helps combat discriminatory practices and supportive services for their more vulnerable clients. They also provide foreclosure information and renters' resources for tenants.

Their website, where much of this information was found, is lcbh.org. Do not hesitate to call them.