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Authorization to approve Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy and Residential Lease Agreement, effective November 17, 2026.
presenter
Presenter: Leonard Langston, Jr., Interim Chief Property Officer
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Recommendation
The Chief Executive Officer recommends that the Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Housing Authority approve the amended Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) and Residential Lease Agreement, with an effective date of November 17, 2026.
The requested action complies in all material respects with applicable Chicago Housing Authority Board policies and applicable federal (HUD) regulations.
Background
Pursuant to HUD regulations, CHA is required to implement an ACOP to govern its Public Housing Program. The ACOP provides the required information on the rules that CHA will follow in the administration of the Public Housing Program.
The amendments are intended to align CHA policy with current HOTMA regulations, remove outdated requirements, clarify screening and verification policy applications, and improve consistency across re-examination, interim, and lease-related processes.
CHA held a 30-day public comment period from September 17, 2026, through October 16, 2026. Announcements for the public comment process appeared on CHA’s website, in the Chicago Reader, and in the Chicago Sun-Times. CHA also distributed resident notices across CHA properties. Below is a brief overview of the changes.
Key revisions include:
Utility allowance. Added language to align utility allowance adjustments with the Modified Re-Examination Schedule, applying updated allowances at resident’s annual, biennial, or triennial review. Residents under biennial or triennial schedules may temporarily pay more than 30% of their adjusted income on rent and utilities. However, residents may opt-in to an annual re-examination schedule or request an interim re-examination to receive the current year’s utility allowance.
The revision provides residents wi...
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