Residents

The Chicago Housing Authority is the second largest public housing agency in the nation. It serves more than 15,000 low-income public housing households, providing safe, decent and affordable housing in healthy, vibrant communities. Public housing provides homes for families, the elderly and those with disabilities from scattered single family houses to apartments for elderly families.

CHA’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program allows low-income families to rent quality housing in the private market via federal funds provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Through the HCV Program, CHA pays a portion of eligible families’ rent each month directly to the landlord. Families can use their vouchers to rent a house or apartment in the private market in neighborhoods across Chicago. Today, voucher holders live in every one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Because there are more families who need rental assistance than there are funds available, CHA uses a waiting list to administer the program to eligible families

CHA’s commitment to helping residents strive towards economic independence is supported by a number of programs and initiatives that have yielded positive outcomes year after year. This is accomplished by providing support to residents as they identify the paths they want to take to self-sufficiency. The CHA offers a range of programs and services for residents, including employment training, job retention assistance, child care programs, college scholarships and other services.