Evanston Addresses Housing with the Nation’s First Local Reparations Program

September 29, 2022  

Evanston Addresses Housing with the Nation’s First Local Reparations Program

The In Depth section on HUD User’s Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse (RBC) takes a closer look at innovative state and local strategies, activities, and plans to mitigate the impacts of regulations on the development of affordable housing. Each In Depth article highlights a particular plan, ordinance, or strategy in the RBC database and elaborates on aspects such as the approval process, stakeholder participation, and the progress made in reducing regulatory barriers.

Following extensive public engagement, the city of Evanston, Illinois, adopted a resolution in 2019 that led to the Restorative Housing Program, the first local reparations program in the nation. This program addresses the legacy of racist housing policy in the city by making grants of up to $25,000 each to African-Americans who lived in Evanston from 1919–1969, their adult descendants, or any adult who can prove they have experienced housing discrimination after 1969. Recipients can use the grants for home improvements, mortgage assistance, or down payments and closing costs for a primary residence located in Evanston. The project is funded by a tax levied on recreational cannabis retailers.

Visit HUD User’s RBC In Depth page to learn more about Evanston's Restorative Housing Program, as well as other plans and initiatives that state and local governments have enacted to reduce impediments to affordable housing.