Public Housing Litigation with BPI Chicago

Julia Elena Brown from BPI Chicago joins ACS to discuss her work on the Gautreaux Case, which finally reached a settlement this past year, but will have an enduring impact on housing law.

Information on the Gautreaux Case: The Gautreaux lawsuit charged that by concentrating more than 10,000 public housing units in isolated African-American neighborhoods, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had violated both the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the laws, and the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which outlaws racial discrimination in programs that receive federal funding. Decisions at the district, appellate, and, ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court levels affirmed the Gautreaux plaintiffs’ position, finding both CHA and HUD guilty of discriminatory housing practices. The Gautreaux public housing desegregation lawsuit has helped to change the face of public housing in Chicago, reform national public housing law and policy, and inspire some of the nation’s most innovative housing programs.

Information on Julia Elena Brown: Julie Elena Brown joined BPI in 1989 and currently is co-leader of BPI’s public housing program, directing both policy development and litigation efforts. Prior to BPI, Julie began her career as Assistant Corporation Counsel with the City of Chicago Law Department. She holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin and a JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review and an editor at the International Law Journal.