(Cook County) – The Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) has opened four affordable housing waitlists under its new South Suburban rehabilitation project to meet the demand for its senior and disabled housing needs.
For the first time, the agency is accepting applications at multiple sites in the south suburbs providing housing opportunities for the most vulnerable populations – seniors and the disabled. The number of seniors spending more than half their household income on rent rose by 34 percent nationwide and roughly 1 in 7 Americans is over the age of 65. “The demand for senior housing continues to grow and we are taking bold steps now in the south suburban communities to meet the needs of an aging population who desperately need affordable housing that is safe and can accommodate people with disabilities. Our goal is to preserve our housing stock so that we have adequate living accommodations in place to make their quality of life and community affordable and welcoming,” said HACC Executive Director Richard Monocchio.
HACC owns & operates six senior high rises and eight senior and/or disabled high rises. During the rehabilitation phases at these properties, current residents have comfortably and conveniently relocated to other units inside the buildings to avoid any inconvenience.
Many of the features in the current senior and disabled housing stock is ill equipped to accommodate the growing need of older and impaired households, indicating an increasing need for home modifications that allow for maximum residential mobility as homeowners age. Some of the improvements include common area accessibility, parking lot and sidewalk curb cuts/ramps – to meet federal accessibility standards – hearing and visually impaired units, common area reading rooms, new flooring, fixtures, cabinets and windows.
“This is a unique opportunity for struggling seniors and the disabled to get affordable housing at a time when the demand is shrinking due to growing demand,” added Monocchio. The waitlists for units at Turlington West and Edward Brown opened in late April, while Golden Towers and Juniper Tower waitlists opened earlier this week. HACC staff will be available at each property and at the downtown central office to assist with the application process. Applications will be available until the units are leased.
The Housing Authority of Cook County is the second largest public housing agency in Illinois and owns and operates 23 housing properties. For more information about the Housing Authority of Cook County, please visit us at www.thehacc.org; www.facebook.com/theHACC or www.twitter.com/theHACCtweets
