Housing Ledger

Public Housing Authorities in Chicago, Illinois

3 Public Housing Authorities serve the Chicago area.

Housing Authority Cook County

10 S La Salle St Ste 2200 · Chicago, IL 60603 · (312) 542-4721
Public Housing: 276Section 8: 14,142
Public HousingSection 8 (HCV)

Chicago Housing Authority

60 E Van Buren St · Chicago, IL 60605 · (312) 742-8500
Public Housing: 19,177Section 8: 54,082
Public HousingSection 8 (HCV)

Illinois Housing Development Authority

111 E Wacker Dr Ste 1000 · Chicago, IL 60601 · (312) 836-5200
Public Housing: 0Section 8: 235
Section 8 (HCV)

Applying for Affordable Housing in Chicago

Affordable housing in Chicago is administered locally by the housing authorities listed above. Each authority sets its own application schedule, but the basic process is consistent: gather identification and income documentation for every member of your household, complete the authority’s pre-application (usually online or by mail), and wait to be placed on the list. When your name reaches the top of an open waiting list, the authority will contact you to verify income, run a background check, and issue either a public housing offer or a Section 8 voucher you can use to rent from a private landlord.

Wait times vary enormously. In some smaller cities a household may receive housing assistance within a few months. In high-cost metros, waits of two to eight years are not unusual. Apply to multiple authorities to maximize your chances, keep your contact information current with each one, and respond to every letter promptly — missing a single notice can result in your application being purged from the list.

What to Bring to Your Chicago PHA Appointment

When a Chicago housing authority invites you to an eligibility appointment, the staff will need to verify every figure you reported on your pre-application. Bring originals (not photocopies) of: a government-issued photo ID for every adult; Social Security cards or letters for every household member; the most recent two months of pay stubs for everyone earning wages; the latest annual federal tax return; current statements from any other income source — Social Security, SSDI, child support, pension, unemployment, veterans’ benefits; bank statements covering the last 60 days for every account in any household member’s name; and birth certificates for any minor children. If you claim a local preference (veteran, working family, displaced by domestic violence, current resident), bring documentation of that as well. Missing any of these documents typically results in the appointment being rescheduled, which can push you weeks deeper into the queue.

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