Know Your Rights: Credit Score Denial Protection Training 

Duration: 75 minutes
Format: Presentation + Q&A
Level: Beginner–Intermediate

Ideal for: Renters, voucher holders, social workers, community organizations, case managers, tenant advocates

Workshop Overview

Many renters in Chicago are denied housing because of “poor credit,” even when that denial violates local housing laws.
This workshop gives participants a clear, accessible understanding of:

• when a landlord can use credit history
  
  

• when they cannot
  
  

• what protections exist under Chicago and Cook County law
  
  

• and how to confidently respond when faced with unfair or discriminatory screening practices.
  
  

Participants walk away knowing exactly what rights they have, what questions a landlord is allowed to ask, which practices are illegal, and what documentation they should gather if they believe they’ve been wrongfully denied based on credit.

Topics Covered

✔ Credit score discrimination laws in Chicago & Cook County
✔ Difference between credit history vs. credit score
✔ Landlord obligations when using credit information
✔ Illegal credit-based screening practices
✔ Common red flags renters should watch for
✔ What a legally compliant denial looks like
✔ How to document a wrongful denial
✔ Where and how to file a discrimination complaint
✔ Scripts for what to say during showings or screening
✔ How to request a copy of a landlord’s tenant selection criteria

Participants Receive

• A Credit-Based Denial Documentation Checklist
  
  

• A Know Your Rights — Credit Protections handout
  
  

• A step-by-step explanation of the complaint filing process
  
  

• Examples of real-world discriminatory screening patterns
  
  

Educational Disclaimer

This workshop provides information and educational tools and does not constitute legal advice.

Know Your Rights: Criminal Background Protection Training  

Duration: 75 minutes
Format: Presentation + Q&A
Level: Beginner–Intermediate

Ideal for: Renters, re-entry community members, case managers, social workers, housing navigators, justice-impacted families

Workshop Overview

Chicago and Cook County have some of the strongest protections in the country for renters with past criminal backgrounds. Yet many landlords continue to apply outdated or unlawful screening practices.

This workshop explains—in clear, practical terms—what landlords are allowed to consider, what they are prohibited from doing, and how renters can recognize illegal practices.

Participants will learn how to identify discriminatory behavior, how to respond confidently during the screening process, and how to begin documenting potential violations.

Topics Covered

✔ Chicago “Just Housing Amendment” protections
✔ What landlords can check vs. what they cannot
✔ Required steps landlords must follow before using background information
✔ Time-limit protections (3-year look-back period)
✔ Arrest records vs. convictions — what’s allowed
✔ How to recognize illegal blanket denials
✔ What a compliant individualized assessment looks like
✔ What documents renters should collect
✔ What to do if a landlord denies housing unlawfully
✔ How and where to file a complaint

Participants Receive

• A Criminal Background Screening Rights handout
  
  

• A Background Check Denial Checklist
  
  

• A step-by-step overview of the complaint process
  
  

• Sample scripts for responding to housing providers
  
  

• Examples of common violations and red flags
  
  

Educational Disclaimer

This workshop provides information and educational tools and does not constitute legal advice.