Human Rights Campaign

The Demolition of Public Housing in Chicago:

A Human Rights Crisis

Public housing residents in Chicago are experiencing a shocking human rights crisis. The Chicago Housing Authority’s massive demolition of public housing units has left thousands of former residents without access to their homes and communities. Hundreds more have been made homeless by the demolition program. The Coalition to Protect Public Housing views these human rights violations as affronts to our dignity and humanity, and we recognize that international law informs and can help remedy this situation. Read More

Organization of American States Hearing

On March 4, 2005, Cabrini Green residents, along with others experiencing homelessness and displacement from across the continent, testified before the Organization of American States Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that the current federal policy of public housing demolition is violating their human right to housing. The commission sympathized with the residents and encouraged them to exhaust domestic legal opportunities and to file a formal petition. Read the press notice.

International Human Rights Rally

In the mid morning of December 10th 2004, public housing residents and local advocates gathered in Cabrini Green to declare that "Housing is a Human Right!" Read the press release from this event.

Outreach

Interested in developing a "Housing as a Human Right" campaign within your organization? Already using a human rights framework and want to share experiences?

The CPPH is eager to collaborate with other groups that fight for housing as a human right. Please contact us with your ideas and suggestions.

Related Links

Public Housing Redevelopment as a Human Rights Crisis

CPPH Human Rights Campaign History

UN Declaration of Human Rights

Miloon Kothari's Solidarity Statement

Franklin Delano Roosevelt on Housing as a Human Right

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