June of 2000 was a memorable month for Chavele Adams, because it was the month the 34-year old mother of five and former Robert Taylor Homes resident relocated to her new home. Adams’ story illustrates the relocation process as CHA’s Plan for Trans- formation progresses.

When contacted for a short interview, she was living in her new 4-bedroom house for over a year, after spending almost 10 years as a resident of the Robert Taylor Homes.

Adams said she liked her new home for many reasons:

“It is big and roomy and much more private than my apartment at Robert Taylor. The neighborhood is quiet; at least on my block it is quiet. I think the privacy it gives me and the size are the main things I like about it,” she said.

Adams first heard about the possibility of moving out of Taylor while working in the CHA resident self-sufficiency program. Before moving, she went through three self-sufficiency orientations that taught her “how to get along with my neighbors, budget my money because of my family’s new standard of living, and how to keep the new neighborhood up to par.”

In all, she said the process was an easy transition for her. CHA conducted a credit check and later did a criminal background check to approve her for occupancy. She says she and her children, ranging in age from 1-14 years old, are comfortable in their new home.

Nonetheless, the hardest part of the relocation process was the waiting period. By September of 1999, she was on the list of residents getting ready to move, but didn’t actually move until June of the following year.

Ms. Adams believes her story carries an important message both for Chicagoans who fear the influx of CHA residents in their neighborhoods and the CHA residents themselves who may lack the confidence and commitment to make the transition to a new community.

“Public housing residents are not all bad people. They are all looking for opportunities to better their lives and I am living proof of that,” she said.