A man in a dark blue polo shirt sits on a couch looking at the camera. He's Black, with a bald head and a close-trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. Behind him is a blank grey wall and, in the background, a kitchen.

Homecoming

Every year, about 20,000 people leave Illinois prisons. Two in five will return to prison within three years. State and local officials want to stop this tragic and expensive cycle.

Have you struggled with housing during the Covid-19 crisis?

Half of Cook County renters were already “cost-burdened” before the pandemic, paying more than half of their income in rent. Widespread layoffs, a patchwork of protections, and the slow rollout of rental assistance have created confusion and a looming eviction crisis. We want you to be part of our reporting process as we investigate how renters are navigating these systems.