On Thursday, November 13, 2025, the Cook County Commission on Human Rights (CCCHR) issued the 2025 Just Housing Amendment Evaluation and Report. The Just Housing Amendment (JHA) to the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance prohibits housing discrimination based on an individual's arrest or conviction history, limiting conviction lookback to three years and requiring an individualized assessment of convictions within the past three years. JHA, which was passed in 2019, significantly increases housing access for individuals with arrest or conviction records in Cook County.   

The Report includes CCCHR JHA complaint data, a map of where individuals experienced potential JHA discrimination, brief survey findings, and a summary of three Listening Sessions.   

• CCCHR will continue increasing its outreach efforts in 2026, with specific emphasis on education regarding the two-step process, required notices to applicants, and the Commission's investigation process.    
• CCCHR will create a new tool for housing providers, specifically smaller housing providers, to check that their screening process follows JHA.    

• CCCHR will continue working with third-party screening companies used in Cook County to support their screening tools to follow the bifurcated process mandated by JHA.   

CCCHR is greatly anticipating the forthcoming JHA Impact Assessment, which will provide new insights into successes and ongoing challenges in JHA’s implementation. It will also allow CCCHR to advise other jurisdictions of the true impact of laws like JHA.