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P.S. Going Places will be delivered exclusively via email moving forward. You are receiving this e-newsletter because your email address is on file for your account. If you know of an HCV participant family who is not receiving Going Places, it's most likely because they don't have an email address on file. We hope you'll encourage them to contact CHA and add a personal email to their account. Just remember, if possible, any email on file should belong to the voucher holder, since CHA also uses it for sensitive account-related information.

Are you planning on moving to a new home in the near future? Maybe a new neighborhood? If so, make sure you’re taking the necessary steps in a timely manner to ensure a smooth move.

To get started, first you’ll need to determine if you are eligible to move. Have you renewed your current lease for another term? Have you received moving papers within the last 12 months? Do you have an Interim Re-Examination in progress or are you due for your regular Re-Examination within the next 120 days? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may not be eligible to move.

Remember: You can request to move no earlier than 60 days before your lease expiration date. Then, once you receive your moving papers, it will take approximately 37 business days, or 7-8 weeks, for CHA to process the move.

If you are eligible and ready to request to move:

• Contact the CHA Customer Call Center at 312-935-2600.
• Email hcv@thecha.org and include “MOVES REQUEST” in the subject line.

Do you already have moving papers and need more time to find a unit? If you need an extension, make sure to submit your request BEFORE your moving papers expire! CHA will typically grant extensions of up to 60 days on the voucher due to a reasonable accommodation, serious illness or death in the family, obstacles due to employment or family size, and special requirements.

For more information, visit thecha.org or see CHA’s HCV Participant Pocket Guide.

Are you looking to move into a Mobility Area? Mobility areas are neighborhoods with low poverty (less than 20%) and low crime rates. Families may choose to move to these areas for better schools, safer streets, and more job opportunities. CHA’s Mobility Counseling Program helps eligible families move into Mobility Areas by providing counseling to help plan your move (including grants for up to $1,000 for moving costs) and build a network of support in your new community.

Joining the Mobility Counseling Program is easy. Just make sure you are eligible by answering yes to the following:

• Are you new to the HCV Program, a current HCV participant not living in a Mobility Area OR a family moving in from another Housing Authority?
• Are you in good standing with CHA and your HCV property owner/manager?
• Do you have at least 45 days left on your voucher?
• Do you have one or more youth dependents up to age 16 living in your household?

Note: Families already in a Mobility Area who are interested in joining can get counseling but are not eligible for the $1,000 grant.

To learn how the Mobility Counseling Program can help you find your new community, visit thecha.org/mobility.

RENTCafé Tips: HCV Resources at Your Fingertips      

Your account on CHA’s RENTCafé not only gives you access to manage your voucher but also has important resources to set you up for success, including news and announcements from CHA that help you stay informed. All easily accessible from your dashboard.

Once logged in to your account, scroll down to view the HCV News and Announcements section. This is where you’ll find important information from CHA such as upcoming events, available resident programs and services, job and scholarship opportunities, office closure alerts and more.

If you’re looking for information to help you manage your HCV account, select the ‘HCV Resources’ tile on the RENTCafé dashboard. From there, you’ll have access to HCV Program forms, inspection information, guides, newsletters and links to several other CHA programs, policies and initiatives. Log in to your account today and take advantage of these helpful resources!

Not signed up for RENTCafé yet? It only takes a few simple steps:

1. Visit res-par.thecha.org and click Resident Login in the upper right corner.
2. Under the sign in fields, click the red text "Click here to register".
3. Type in your unique registration code (include all letters, hyphens and capitalization). Remember, all CHA codes start with 4935-T followed by the voucher number (e.g., 4935-Tm123456)!
4. Type in personal details for the Head of Household (these must match what is on file with CHA).
5. Set your account password, accept the Terms and Conditions, then click the green Register button.

If you weren’t able to join us on February 18 for the HCV Participant Webinar on this topic … make sure to watch the recording to learn more about how to navigate RENTCafé and manage your HCV account online.

CHA will be releasing proposed updates to the HCV Administrative Plan, Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plan (ACOP) and Senior Designated Housing Plan (SDHP) for public comment in late March/April.

Please check CHA’s website at thecha.org beginning March 27 for additional information, including start and end dates for the public comment period, hearing dates and times, and summaries of the proposed updates. CHA encourages and welcomes all program participants, residents, and the community-at-large to review the proposed updates to these documents and submit comments to CHA.

The Healthy Chicago Podcast focuses on topics that impact public health in the City of Chicago. During a recent episode, health experts discussed Chicago organizations that provide mental health and victim services support. See below for information on these organizations and the services they provide.

Chicago Survivors (1010 W. 35th St., #510, Chicago, IL 60609) — This community-based organization helps families affected by violent loss through empathetic, trauma-informed, multifaceted approaches to support. Visit chicagosurvivors.org to learn more.

Pilsen South Ashland Mental Health Clinic (1713 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60608) — This clinic offers free mental health services to all Chicagoans. They also provide vaccinations at no cost for Chicago resident children 0 through 18 years of age who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid-insured, or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)-insured as well as Chicago resident adults who are uninsured or underinsured for Flu and COVID-19 vaccines. To learn more, visit chicago.gov.

Stay up to date on Chicago health developments! Subscribe now to the Healthy Chicago Podcast on Amazon, Apple, RadioPublic, Spotify or YouTube.

Spring is right around the corner! A change in season is a great opportunity to practice self-reflection and get organized. Check out the tips below to learn how you can get a fresh start this spring.

Create a checklist. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, creating a spring cleaning checklist is a great first step. A checklist can help you feel organized and confident.

Make sure you’re equipped. Mops, dusters, vacuums, paper towels, sponges and cleaning products such as disinfectants and sanitizers will help ensure your home is in tip-top shape. Make sure you have these tools on hand before you begin.

Declutter. Did you know decluttering your living space can help improve your mental health? Studies have shown that decluttering your home can help boost your mood and sense of well-being. Go through your belongings this spring and discard any unnecessary items that are taking up space in your home.

Tend to your kitchen appliances. Food handling can lead to bacteria growth. Thoroughly cleaning kitchen appliances such as your oven, dishwasher and microwave can help reduce harmful bacteria in your kitchen. Don’t forget about the surfaces of your appliances too! Plus, make sure to scrub your countertops and sink as well.

Building Neighborhoods and Affordable Homes Program (BNAH) — This program provides forgivable grants to qualifying buyers to assist in their purchase of primary, owner-occupied residences. Grant funds can be used toward a down payment, closing costs, appraisals and more. Visit chicago.gov for more information.

Chicago Housing Trust — This organization specializes in inclusionary housing programs that help Chicago families stabilize their costs and purchase homes at affordable prices. Learn more at chicagohousingtrust.org.

CHA HOME (Home Ownership Made Easy) — CHA offers two paths to homeownership. Eligible HCV participant families can use their voucher to buy a home and receive monthly assistance toward the mortgage payment through CHA’s Choose to Own (CTO) Program. In order to qualify for the CTO Program, you must be a CHA resident for a minimum of one (1) year, in compliance and in good standing with your lease, a first-time homebuyer or did not own a home during the last three (3) years, and able to meet the income, credit and savings requirements. Additionally, CHA’s Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program provides eligible HCV participant families with a grant of up to $20,000 toward the purchase of a home. To learn more, visit thecha.org/paths-homeownership.

Shared Equity Investment Program — This program aims to expand homeownership, create wealth building opportunities, and support shared equity models of homeownership in Chicago. Homebuyers can receive grant funds of up to $60,000 per household. Visit chicago.gov for more information.

Zillow’s Affordability Calculator — This online tool will help you calculate what you can afford and set a budget that works for you. You’ll also be able to find more information on the homebuying process including terminology and different loan options. To learn more, visit Zillow.com.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025-2026 CHA Scholarship Program. Through the support of CHA's non-profit partner, Springboard to Success (S2S), the CHA Scholarship Program is able to offer more than 140 scholarships of $2,000 each to current HCV participants who are high school seniors or college undergraduates.

If you plan on attending an accredited two- or four-year college/university in the United States this fall, now is your chance to apply. Visit thecha.org/scholarship today for more information.

Deadline to apply is Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

In addition, for HCV participants who are enrolled or plan to enroll in a degree program at one of the Chicago City Colleges, CHA has a separate Partners in Education Program that will allow you to attend for little or no cost, after financial aid is applied. Click here to learn more.

The NLHA (National Leased Housing Association) Education Fund is now accepting scholarship applications for the upcoming school year. NLHA offers four (4) types of scholarships, with past award values ranging from $1,000 to $4,500, to help residents who are pursuing post-secondary education. HCV participants are eligible to apply for the type of scholarship that best fits their situation (only one application per individual). 

Click here to learn more about each available scholarship. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 14, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. All applications must be submitted online at nlhascholars.communityforce.com.

HCV Participant Webinar — Submitting an Interim Request through RENTCafé
Tuesday, April 8, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Click Here to Register

If you’ve experienced a change in your family situation or household income, you may need to submit an Interim request to CHA. Join us to learn what information and documents are needed to report a change and how you can easily submit your request using CHA's RENTCafé. Available 24/7, there’s no longer a need to come into the office, call the CHA Customer Call Center or send an email!

This session will also cover how you can use RENTCafé to access and manage your CHA account online, including updating contact information, downloading important documents, viewing appointments and high-level inspection results, and more.

HCV Participant Webinar — Managing the Chaos
Tuesday, April 22, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Click Here to Register

Did you know April is Stress Awareness Month? Join us to learn helpful tips and best practices on how to manage chaotic stressors that may be present in your life due to financial strain, caregiving responsibilities, news events, social media influences, misinformation, the unpredictability of the world we live in, etc.

HCV Participant Bootcamp @ the FIC
Tuesday, May 13, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Secure Your Seat ... Register Today

This in-person event will cover everything you need to know about the HCV Program, including entering the program and finding a unit that meets your needs, completing the required paperwork, HQS inspections and HCV Program enforcement. Plus, you'll be able to visit with several organizations throughout the day that offer housing, education, career, and/or family support resources for HCV families.

To view the full list of upcoming events, visit thecha.org/hcvparticipantevents.

Webinar topics include:

• How to Search for Housing
• Education & Employment
• HQS Inspections
• Moving with Your Voucher
• Homeownership
• And more!

Click here to take advantage of all the educational resources that are available in the HCV Webinar Library.

If you liked this newsletter, or have topic suggestions for newsletter articles or webinars, reply to this email and let us know.

Looking for past editions of Going Places? Find them under the HCV Resources menu on your RENTCafé dashboard at res-par.thecha.org.

Chicago Housing Authority | 60 E. Van Buren Street | Chicago, IL 60605