Chicago Coalition for the Homeless has long been active in ensuring that anti-discrimination laws protect people without housing.

In 2003, the Law Project secured the largest amount of damages ever awarded by the City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations in a sexual harassment in housing case. The client was sexually harassed and assaulted by her landlord as soon as she moved into her apartment after a period of homelessness. The Law Project staff first worked with the client to ensure that she could relocate to safe housing. The case is currently on appeal in the Illinois Appellate Court.

In 2002, the Law Project successfully settled another discrimination case in the Cook County Commission on Human Rights against a school district that excluded children from school based on race and housing status. In that case, the school district paid damages to the family and agreed to overhaul its policies and practices regarding enrollment of homeless children.

In 1998, the Law Project brought the first “housing status” discrimination case under the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance, resulting in a favorable settlement reinstating and compensating an employee who was terminated when his employer learned he was homeless.

In 1994, CCH worked with women in shelters on a legal case that established that people living in homeless shelters are protected by the same anti-discrimination provisions of federal and local fair housing laws as those who rent or own.