Winston Wins Settlement for Woman Forced to Vacate Her Home As a Result of a Discriminatory Crime-Free Housing Ordinance

Winston and co-counsel the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights reached a sizeable settlement with the Village of Richton Park (IL) on behalf of our client—a Black mother of three who was forced to vacate her home after calling police to report a nearby shooting, as well as subsequent online threats, and shots fired into her home. 

Two weeks after seeking police assistance, our client was informed that her calls for help put her in violation of the Village’s Crime Free Housing Ordinance, which required her landlord to evict her or face daily fines from the Village. Our client was given a mere 10 days to vacate her home. Shortly after Winston filed the complaint alleging violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, the Village amended its ordinance to add due process protections and certain carveouts for calls for assistance from the police.

Winston’s representation in this matter is part of the firm’s Racial Justice & Equity CEASE Initiative. Crime-free ordinances are known to be racially biased because they disproportionately affect people of color and, as seen in this instance, may punish renters for contacting the police to report crime or seek assistance.

“Congratulations to the Winston team on an outstanding result for our client. Our client was mistreated, and the team ensured not only that her mistreatment was addressed but that Richton Park will not do this again,” said Chicago partner George Lombardi.

In addition to George, the Winston team that secured this victory included LaTisha Curtiss, Zoey Miller, Savannah Murin, Patrick Simonaitis, and Michael Trucco.

Learn more about Winston’s commitment to excellence in serving the public interest.