CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY: ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAMS
Building smarter systems for a stronger future
Visualization of the HUSARCH review process.
Chicago | ongoing
Our Role: Prime Accessibility Assessors
Project Owner: Chicago Housing Authority
The Chicago Housing Authority’s (CHA) mission is to create “strong communities where seniors thrive and everyone can unlock their economic power”. Central to this mission is ensuring that CHA’s housing portfolio remains not only affordable, but also accessible, so that through a universal design, every differently abled body can have a safe and comfortable home. At HUSARCH, we believe strong communities emerge when every resident, especially seniors and people with disabilities, live with dignity and confidence.
In January 2023, HUSARCH stepped into the role as the CHA’s in-house accessibility consultants and program managers. At the time, there were no established program management tools for tracking accessible unit data, making it difficult for CHA to meet the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) requirements, respond to resident needs, or ensure timely placement into appropriate units. In short, accessibility work was happening, but without the systems to make it sustainable, transparent, or strategic.
Building a Program from the Ground Up
HUSARCH utilized GIS to create a map of all CHA properties.
Since taking on this role, the HUSARCH team built a comprehensive foundation for managing the CHA’s accessibility portfolio. We developed a system to track and monitor open unit issues across the portfolio. We brought clarity, consistency, and usability to a complex system, so that the CHA could better serve its residents.
We developed:
Comprehensive systems for organizing and assessing CHA’s total number of accessible units.
Open-Source checklists that directly reference code sections, ensuring anyone–within or without CHA–could follow the methodology of the work.
Interlinked workbooks with built-in automations to reduce entry errors, increase efficiency, and streamline the collection and organization of accessibility data.
Training Programs for AORs, CHA Project Managers, Property Managers, and Contractors to bring understanding of accessibility codes and the CHA preferred and approved solutions. In these training sessions we review common errors to avoid, so the whole system can improve, enhancing efficiency during assessments and rehabilitations.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to detail how Projects are added to the system, and how workbooks are developed and amended to ensure transferability and clarity for partnerships.
Integrations of these tools into CHA’s broader systems, to ensure accessibility remains a core part of the housing strategy.
These efforts yielded measurable impact:
In a given year, HUSARCH assesses an average of 1,236 existing and new construction units.
From this work, we’ve identified trends in non-compliance and present solutions for their improvement. With organizational tools now in place, these issues have been and are being addressed on predictable timelines to ensure issues don’t fall through the cracks.
Comprehensive overview of issues that need be addressed. These exist for each individual CHA property with accompanying breakdown of specific units and issues.
Community Impact
While the numbers are critical, the true impact is human.
On-site assessments aimed at improving quality of life for disabled residents.
Accessible housing helps seniors maintain their independence, navigate their living spaces with ease, and feel a sense of pride and security in their homes. It allows people with disabilities to move freely in their homes and offers a sense of security, self-sufficiency, and belonging. It’s not just about physical compliance, but about creating a safe haven, a comfortable space suited to the resident’s unique needs.
CHA’s leadership in prioritizing accessibility reflects their broader vision for a thriving Chicago where every neighborhood offers equitable access to affordable housing that welcomes and uplifts all people. The systems HUSARCH has helped to create will serve as a long-term framework, supporting a seamless expansion of CHA’s portfolio without compromising resident experience or quality of life.
Partnerships for Progress
As in-house accessibility consultants and program managers, we identified inefficiencies, streamlined outdated workflows, and built tools that brought clarity, coordination, and longevity to CHA’s accessibility portfolio.
Today, the tools we’ve implemented make the day-to-day work easier for CHA staff, while laying the groundwork for smoother, smarter accessibility unit management tomorrow. Our systems now ensure that residents with disabilities can access the units they need without significant delays. Our success shows what’s possible when mission-driven public agencies and forward-thinking consultants collaborate.
For organizations facing challenges in navigating large data sets, working in outdated or inefficient systems, or even just seeking to evolve their processes - HUSARCH offers more than just technical expertise. We help our clients like the CHA succeed by bringing a fresh perspective, adaptable systems, and a passion for solving problems that often get overlooked. Our work helps clients meet their goals today, while building frameworks that support their success long into the future.
Photography: Kathleen Hinkel
