Chicago Commission on Human Relations – BGA Policy 2025 Budget Snapshot

The Chicago Commission on Human Relations is the investigatory and enforcement agency for Chicago's Human Rights and Fair Housing ordinances. The Commission also provides support for hate crime victims and oversees advisory councils on equity, LGBTQ+ issues, new Americans, veterans' affairs, and women.

Departmental Highlights

Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2024 Budget

• As in several other departments, a negative appropriation has been retroactively added to the 2024 appropriations data, in this case for the professional and technical services appropriation. At the time of the 2024 appropriation ordinance's passage, CHR's total professional and technical services appropriation was $55,694. In the 2025 dataset, the same appropriation is given as -$776,737. The Office of Budget and Management has not responded to a BGA Policy inquiry regarding the retroactive use of negative appropriations in the 2025 appropriations dataset.
• CHR staffing remains largely unchanged. A single human relations specialist position has been eliminated, while a single hate crime victim advocate position has been added. The only other staffing change is a retitling.
• The "indirect costs" appropriation from the previous year's budget has been eliminated in CHR's 2025 appropriations, as has a "student as trainees" appropriation.

Historical Context

From 2011-2024, the commission's budget increased at an average rate of 0.3% per year. Departmental budgets overall increased an average of 6.1% per year over the same time period, while the total city budget including Finance General appropriations grew at an average rate of 8.5% annually.

Over the same period the department's budgeted workforce declined at a rate of roughly -3.0% annually, largely due to a reduction in headcount in Rahm Emanuel's first budget in 20212. Overall budgeted positions for the city remained relatively flat across the same time period, with minor year-to-year fluctuations averaging out to an overall growth rate of 0.04%.

Staffing

CHR staffing remains largely unchanged. A single human relations specialist position has been eliminated, while a single hate crime victim advocate position has been added. The only other staffing change is a retitling.

Net and Percent Position/FTE Changes, 2024 to 2024 (proposed) Budgets

Appropriations

CHR is slightly more than half funded from the corporate fund, with the remainder of its appropriations relying on the Community Development Block Grant.

Largest Appropriations

CHR's appropriations are primarily personnel-related, with salary and benefits making up the top three appropriations and the bulk of the department's budgeted spending.

Apart from personnel-related categories, outside contracting via the professional and technical services appropriation is the department's largest budgeted expense.

Change from Previous Year

As in several other departments, a negative appropriation has been retroactively added to the 2024 appropriations data, in this case for the professional and technical services appropriation. At the time of the 2024 appropriation ordinance's passage, CHR's total professional and technical services appropriation was $55,694. In the 2025 dataset, the same appropriation is given as -$776,737. The Office of Budget and Management has not responded to a BGA Policy inquiry regarding the retroactive use of negative appropriations in the 2025 appropriations dataset.

The "indirect costs" appropriation from the previous year's budget has been eliminated in CHR's 2025 appropriations, as has a "student as trainees" appropriation.

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