MPC releases the first of regular reports on the CHA's progress in implementing the Plan for Transformation.
For too long, residents of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) have been concentrated in high-and mid-rise buildings plagued with crime and isolated from the job opportunities and services available to the rest of Chicago.
After years of deterioration and neglect, the CHA faces capital needs in excess of $3 billion just to repair existing units. In 1999, following a three-year takeover by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the CHA was returned to local control. Under the leadership of Mayor Richard M. Daley and a new management team led by CHA Board Chairman Sharon Gist Gilliam and CEO Terry Peterson, the agency has embarked on an ambitious redevelopment plan.
The goal is to create, over the next seven to ten years, a totally rehabbed and/or rebuilt stock of public housing located in healthy mixed-income neighborhoods. The core strategy calls for professional property management, an aggressive capital development program and comprehensive social service supports.
The scope of the Transformation Plan is unprecedented. The proposed changes will affect not only the lives of public housing residents, but those of their neighbors, the City of Chicago and the entire metropolitan area. This is the first in a series of educational fact sheets, through which the Metropolitan Planning Council will attempt to keep both the public and the participants apprised of this crucial undertaking.
MPC supported the adoption of the Transformation Plan in 1999. Now we will report regularly on its progress, or lack thereof, to promote a broader public understanding of the duties and responsibilities of each stakeholder. We will identify both the success stories and any gaps that develop in funding or services.
See Related Resources below for the full report on CHA progress.