This resolution addresses the issue of "crime-free" housing programs and ordinances that have been implemented in various municipalities in Illinois. These programs often require housing providers to evict tenants connected to crimes, deny housing, or impose penalties based on a broad range of activities, including arrests or calls for police service. The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) and the ACLU of Illinois have reported that such ordinances can lead to discrimination against Black people and other people of color, survivors of domestic and sexual violence, individuals with disabilities, and can introduce biases of the criminal justice system into the housing market, potentially exacerbating segregation and undermining fair housing responsibilities. Additionally, these ordinances may violate legal protections such as due process, housing discrimination prohibitions, and the First Amendment.

The resolution highlights the adverse impacts of these ordinances, as detailed in reports by the IDHR and the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, including discouraging victims of domestic violence from seeking help and undermining public safety by deterring crime reporting. The City of Chicago, adhering to its Equity Statement of Principles, supports the passage of Illinois SB 3680, HB 5314, and HB 5432, or The Community Safety Through Stable Homes Act, which seeks to amend the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code to prohibit local governments from requiring landlords to evict tenants for contacting police, having a criminal conviction, or if a guest or household member had police contact. The resolution calls for the Chicago City Council to declare its support for this legislation and to distribute copies of the resolution to relevant Illinois government officials and committees.