Tenant
Resources

If you are a renter with a Housing Choice Voucher, a housing authority may pay a higher rent level for you to move to a Mobility Area with better educational and employment opportunities. Some of the benefits of Mobility Areas include:

Twice as many job opportunities than in traditional areas
Better schools with superior performance
Significantly less crime than traditional areas

Join HCP's CHA Mobility Counseling Program and obtain:

Assistance in locating community resources and enrolling children in school

Community tours and unit search assistance
Up to $1,000 to be used toward a security deposit or move-in fee
Support and mediation of any problems during leasing, move-in, or afterwards.

Looking for Housing - Where to Start

It's important to ask yourself, what it is that you want in your new community? Which of the following do you want to prioritize?

Safe Neighborhood
Good Schools
Quality Shopping
Job Opportunities
Community Activities
Recreation for Children
Access to transportation
Diverse neighborhood

Also, what type of housing are you comfortable with and what amenities do you want to prioritize in your new home?

Apartment, condo, townhouse, single-family home
Central air/heat, backyard, appliances, washer/dryer in unit, pet-friendly building, etc.
Disability accessibility of the unit

Using Helpful Tools

To find available units, you may want to consider visiting websites that offer free apartment finding services. Keep in mind that while many agents are not entirely familiar with how HCV processes work, denying you service because you use a voucher is discriminatory. Although they may need more time and information to assist you, consider reporting any discriminatory actions, especially if you are turned away for services.

Use a website or app like Google Maps to see where a unit is located and what schools, stores, public transportation, highways, and other amenities are nearby. Search your route to work or school or to the doctor. Look for the "nearby" button for an idea of which amenities are in the area.

Use a website like Walkscore to search the rental's address and find out how many shops, restaurants, parks, and public transportation are nearby. The more walkable, the more amenities are in the area. Locations are graded on a scale of 1-100.

Also, not all available listings are online. Driving or walking through a community with a notepad and taking down information from "For Rent" signs is a great way to see available properties and get to know communities.

Additional Things to Keep in Mind

Select the bedroom size and price range appropriate to your voucher. Remember your affordability calculations will need to include other utilities you might be required to pay. CHA offers landlords rent amounts based on comparable units within one mile of the rental you apply for. A unit may be advertised at a higher rent than comparable homes nearby, which may lead to a lower rent offer than the landlord is willing to accept. Your HCP CHA Mobility Counselor can assist you with this.

Know Your Rights

Renters who utilize a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) to pay for rent, should be treated equal to any other applicant. Refusing to accept housing vouchers to pay rent can constitute “source of income discrimination" which is illegal under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Learn more about:

Resources

If you are currently searching for a unit in Chicago, click here to enter the address into a Map of Chicago Opportunity Areas.

HCP has compiled a list of free online apartment search websites. This list is not exhaustive.

Tenant Resources