Help for Finding Low-Income Housing in Chicago
Safe housing in a decent neighborhood can provide the stability to raise a well-rounded family and provide children with an opportunity to grow in a communal environment. Locating this type of housing situation is a dilemma faced by many families. There are approximately 1,151,634 impoverished children in Illinois, according to data collect by the National Center for Children in Poverty. The federal government offers several subsidies, both direct and indirect, which makes searching for low-income housing a simpler process.
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The Chicago Housing Authority
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The Chicago Housing Authority, CHA, administers the federal government's Housing Choice Voucher, HCV, program that provides a rental subsidy for low-income households. The HCV program requires that an applicant meet specific income and resource related guidelines and complete an application process. The CHA also owns and operates approximately 17,800 housing units for disabled individuals and families. As a result, the CHA is a comprehensive resource for locating low-income housing through subsidy programs and housing counseling services. The CHA offers an online database to search low-income properties or applicants can call the agency for assistance.
Housing Counseling Services
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, sponsors several housing counseling agencies in Chicago that provide assistance for various housing concerns. The agencies provide information at low cost or free of charge depending on your specific situation. For example, foreclosure or homeless counseling is free. HUD offers a listing of counseling agencies approved by the agency.
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Online Housing Resources
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Several online resources offer apartment, single-family and condominium listings that accept applications from low-income households. The ILHousingSearch website offers a listing of rental units in Cook County. Units listed for low-income households are marked "not income based."
The city of Chicago also provides an affordable housing resource list. This listing offers information about the community, housing type, contact information and the number of low-income units.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Properties
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The Low Income Housing Tax Credit, LIHTC, program is "an indirect federal subsidy used to finance the development of affordable rental housing for low-income households," according to HUD. Private properties are offered an incentive, in the form of tax credits, to develop a number of units for low-income families or disabled individuals. Applicants can use the LIHTC Database to locate participating properties in the United States.
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