The Crime Free Housing / The Crime Free Multi-Housing Ordinance
The ordinance targeted the desperately poor, and “racial and ethnic minorities, female-headed households, and disabled households – because they are often more likely to live in rental housing.” The Crime Free Ordinance criminalized poverty. Povertylaw.org "The Cost of Being 'Crime Free'"
The majority of those targeted by the ordinance were already financially limited, could not afford legal representation and feared second guessing the police. The police, who are meant to be seen as peacekeepers and defenders, became feared in the community. With the risk of asking for police intervention being used as reasoning to evict not only them, but everyone in the household, many were forced to choose between their safety and housing. Fear of losing one's home should have nothing to do with requiring police help. Renters should not have to choose between housing and safety. And the police should never have had this burden placed on them.
Granite City’s Crime Free Ordinance originally called for evictions even if the offense happened somewhere other than an apartment or rental home. And these offenses could range from domestic abuse, drug overdoses, or even yard violations. It endangered many by not making exceptions for domestic violence, drug overdoses or even mental illness. Calling 911 and asking for basic help would result in everyone losing the house. By creating obstacles and denying renters housing, Granite City is not protecting these people. In fact it is making their already unfortunate situation even worse.
Justice Attorney Sam Gedge, who was suing the city stated that:
“Granite City’s compulsory-eviction law was unparalleled in its scale, senselessness, and cruelty…Granite City coerced evictions against hundreds of innocent people for the crimes of husbands, wives, partners, children, and parents” TheAppeal.org Cities "Cities Are Pressuring Landlords to Evict People Under ‘Crime-Free’ Housing Laws"
Those landlords targeted by the ordinance stated that the pattern of voicemails, letters and visits from the police were “part of a pattern of behavior that they endured for roughly the last 10 years until the ordinance changed. And they are still facing the consequences.” TheAppeal.org Cities "Cities Are Pressuring Landlords to Evict People Under ‘Crime-Free’ Housing Laws"
In 2020 it is important to note that Granite City was forced to amend its Crime Free Ordinance for several reasons. It violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Additionally it violated civil liberties codified from the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, the Illinois Human Rights Act and the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. This resulted in several civil lawsuits. The amended Crime Free Housing Ordinance still goes too far in punishing those in the community who are struggling the most.
Although Granite City was forced to change their Crime Free Ordinance law in 2020, the changes did not go far enough.
Rather than forcing direct evictions the city has created a tiered system making it difficult and time consuming for landlords to allow anyone with a criminal history, even if the offense was minor, from gaining a place to live or even visiting. The city has saddled landlords with additional licensing and fee requirements if they house people convicted of or people associated with those convicted of crimes.TheAppeal.org "Cities Are Pressuring Landlords to Evict People Under ‘Crime-Free’ Housing Laws"
The result is still the same as it circumvents federal laws and civil rights that are meant to help and protect people. Sam Gedge expressed these concerns, stating that “to avoid the special licensing requirements, landlords will feel pressure to simply evict entire families when there has been a crime-free violation.”
Small Landlords whose sole source of income are renters are being punished by the crime free ordinance. Without this income they are being forced to sell their “properties at a loss or arranging contracts for deeds.” One landlord stated that “he is selling his properties for what he says are pennies on the dollar.” TheAppeal.org "Cities Are Pressuring Landlords to Evict People Under ‘Crime-Free’ Housing Laws" Evictions cost around $1,000 and landlords are forced to pay the bill, whether they want to evict or not.
Perhaps the most alarming part of the ordinance is the unilateral power the mayor has in its enforcement. It is stated in the 2020 amended Crime Free Multi Housing Ordinance on page 29 that "the Mayor may affirm, reverse, or remand with directions and amendments, the Building and Zoning Administrator's decision. Granite City Crime Free Ordinance
The mayor has free reign to disregard Building and Zoning administrators in appeals made by landlords, no matter what, just because they are the mayor.
With crime historically being a narrative for Granite City, the City’s solution in the Crime Free Ordinance, has unfortunately not resulted in a drop in crime. In fact there has been no research showing that Crime Free Housing Ordinance’s lower crime. The RAND institute published their findings, An Evaluation of Crime-Free Housing Policies, in which they studied 104 municipalities in California with a crime-free housing policy. They found that from “2009 and 2019, municipalities with CFHPs experienced the same increase in crime as municipalities without CFHPs.” Legal Challenges to Crime-Free Housing Ordinances Bring Effectiveness into Question
Rand.org An Evaluation of Crime-Free Housing Policies
What does increase is the number of evictions, putting more families out on the street.