The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General has begun to audit the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) on how it verifies residents’ immigration status and criminal backgrounds.
According to documents and reviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times, the audit is part of HUD’s push to ensure that illegal immigrants are not receiving federal housing assistance. In an audit notice to CHA Interim Operating Chairman Mattew Brewer, HUD stated, “The objective of our audit is to (1) determine whether the Authority complied with HUD’s and its own requirements for verifying eligibility of individuals for HUD assisted housing based on criminal activity, citizenship, and immigration status, and (2) assess the Authority’s practices for preventing and addressing criminal activity.”
The CHA is the third-largest housing authority, operating on a budget of over $1 billion while serving more than 65,000 households. It is the largest single owner of Chicago rental housing.
The CHA’s audit will cover the period of Sept. 1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2025. HUD and CHA officials met on Dec. 3 to discuss the depth and scope of the audit.
The CHA is among several public housing authorities, including the District of Columbia Housing Authority, now being audited by HUD. Last week, HUD notified Boston Mayor Michelle Wu of a new probe into that city’s “housing policies, practices, and programs.”
