The Domestic Violence Outcome Project had a two-fold purpose: first, to identify the long-term outcomes and needs of those who receive services from domestic violence agencies, and second, to establish procedures for on-going evaluation within agencies. Working closely with 15 agencies that are members of the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network, the researchers developed a survey to evaluate services and identify client needs. The services evaluated included court advocacy (e.g., assistance from an advocate in obtaining an order of protection), legal services (assistance from a licensed attorney with divorce or other court proceedings), emergency shelter, and counseling.
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This chapter addresses the syndemic relationship between HIV/AIDS and homelessness or precarious housing. We focus nationally on the United States, and conclude with a case study from the city of Chicago. This chapter reviews a wide number of studies which demonstrate that homelessness or unstable housing greatly impacts the health and overall well-being of individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
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(2015)
This report examined a security deposit assistance program in Milwaukee that uses the incentive to encourage low-income residents to move to higher opportunity, lower poverty neighborhoods. Funded by the Washington DC-based Poverty Race Research Action Council, CURL partnered with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council in completing this project.
In January 2015, the report was published in the Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC) Civil Rights Research journal. The report provides evidence that security deposit incentives do help in encouraging low-income families to move to new mixed-income communities providing greater educational, employment, and quality of life opportunities.
Download Final Report: Take a Chance on Me: A Review of the Milwaukee County Security Deposit Assistance Program
(2014)
CURL Research faculty, Christine George, and former CURL Fellow, Jennifer Chernega, co-edited a special edition of the Journal of Poverty titled Housing the Homeless: Emerging Research on Programs and Policies. Within the issue they also published an article, “Works in Progress: Searching for Solutions to the Difficulty Problems of Homelessness.”
Download Journal Article: Works in Progress: Searching for Solutions to the Difficulty Problems of Homelessness
View copy of the journal special issue.
(2012)
Working with various social service agencies that provide homelessness services, the research team evaluated the programs and models that have been put into place under the Chicago 10 year Plan to end Homelessness and provide data to make necessary mid-course corrections and improve implementation going forward. The four key components of the project are a qualitative study of homeless clients, a longitudinal client survey, a homeless service agency survey, and a service inventory.
Initial Results
Interim Results
Final Results
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(2005)
This report focuses on the role that community-level organizations have had, currently have, and could have in setting regional agendas. Data for the report come from a representative sample of 49 community-based organizations in the City of Chicago, the Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Will, and Lake, as well as the Indiana counties of Lake and Porter. We also completed eight case studies of regional initiatives to examine the different ways in which community-based organizations connect with regional and statewide issues. Research was guided by a working group comprised of university-based researchers, community-based organization leaders, and regional group representatives.
Download Final Report Who Is Listening to Local Communities? Connections between Chicago Region Community-Based Organizations and Regional, State, and National Policy Initiatives
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(2003)
CURL worked with the National Neighborhood Coalition (a coalition of national and local organizations concerned with building the capacity of neighborhood-level organizations throughout the U.S.) to collect survey data and conduct focus groups that gave NNC an understanding of current and emerging policy issues at the local level.
Download Final Report The Future of Grassroots America: Local Perspectives on Current and Emerging Issues Facing Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities
Download Case Studies Getting It Together: Connecting Local Neighborhoods and National Advocates
(2001)
Given the prior and current need for civic education, especially among young Americans, CURL, Erie Neighborhood House, Howard Area Community Center, and Family Matters developed a curriculum, designed as a teacher’s guide, to engage 30 high school-age youth in civic life and public policy. The Civic Engagement: Passport to Your Future curriculum seeks to provide an inviting, interesting format for instilling political and civic knowledge to youth so that they will become active and informed citizens.
View Passport Curriculum Civic Engagement: Passport to your Future
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