Understanding Landlord Related Issues in Permanent Supported Housing
(6/1/2010 - 9/30/2011)
This study aimed to develop a better understanding of issues related to stigma of clients who are receiving services from one of two permanent supportive housing programs run by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC).
Clients of each of these programs have reported to AFC that they have perceived stigma directed towards them from landlords within the past year. However, case managers have voiced serious doubt as to whether landlords are actually stigmatizing clients. Case managers have instead voiced to AFC that clients are interpreting understandable landlord reactions to negative tenant behavior as stigma.
AFC requested a partnership with CURL to investigate this phenomenon to inform the development of more appropriate interventions to address the problem. We collected and analyzed qualitative data from one case manager focus group, one client focus group, and 10 semi structured phone interviews with landlords. An internal report was produced.
Research Team
C. George, CURL
D. Watson, CURL
L. Sharma, Sociology
Community Partners