“I Can’t Pay My Rent”: Tips for Public Housing Waitlist Applicants & Job Seekers

Spanish Coalition for Housing
Published: February 14, 2019

With the Chicago Housing Authority’s Public Housing and Project Based Voucher (PBV) waitlists opening indefinitely in December, the Spanish Coalition for Housing (SCH) wanted to offer some tips to its neighbors seeking help.

Waitlist Registration Tips: Registering for CHA waitlists can be a complicated process. The below tips can help you prepare –

Create Checklists – Creating a checklist is a great way to stay organized throughout the registration process. You can prepare a checklist to include the following: social security cards, government issued IDs, proof of total household income and proof of immigration status for non-citizens. Also, you should be sure to have an active email to receive application confirmation and updates.
Attend an SCH Informational Workshop – By attending, you will learn more about the entire waitlist process, teaching you what to expect and have your questions answered in real time. To sign up call (773) 342-7575 or visit www.sc4housing.org.
Utilize Housing Counseling Agencies – Housing counselors and agencies, such as SCH, are there to help you receive affordable housing and will help you in all steps of the process. SCH services are offered in English and in Spanish at all three of its locations (1922 N. Pulaski, 1915 S. Blue Island and 9010 S. Commercial).
Register Directly – You can also register directly by visiting the CHA’s website at www.thecha.org or calling them at (312) 913-7400. A long list of languages is offered for website translation, allowing Chicago residents of all ethnicities to register in their native language.

Job Seeking Tips: Even when on the waitlist, the wait before actually receiving affordable housing can be extremely lengthy. The below tips can help you find a job in the meantime, as well as help those that do not qualify for affordable housing –

Attend a Section 3 Program Workshop – The CHA has a Section 3 employment opportunity program that helps low-income residents find jobs. The SCH hosts workshops to help such residents understand the process to apply for employment opportunities.
Create / Update Resume – Make sure you have a resume that lists your most relevant and recent work at the top of the page, along with its job description. Any skills, languages spoken and/or highest level of education should be highlighted as well. Be sure to include contact information including an active email address for employers to connect with you.
Download Career Apps – Most job listing websites, such as Indeed, ZipRecruiter and Monster, have apps you can download to your phone. Job seekers can utilize these tools to search and apply anywhere and anytime without complete access to a computer.

For anyone seeking assistance, please feel free to contact the Spanish Coalition for Housing by visiting the website at www.sc4housing.org or calling at (773) 342-7575.

Keywords: affordable housing, community, community organizations, housing, job, Job Searches, Jobs, rent