City Council members introduce ordinance to make finding affordable housing easier

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There's a new effort to help people navigate the challenges of applying for affordable housing. The waiting lists are long and the process can be painstaking.

Some city leaders and advocates say the current affordable housing system is due for an overhaul.

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A new ordinance aims to remove some of the existing barriers to make finding housing easier and more accessible.

"We have a shortage of 120,000 units of affordable housing throughout the city and we need to make sure that the systems in place are making it easier for people to find a shelter, find a home," Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez said.

The Accountable Housing and Anti-Discrimination Waitlist Act was introduced at last week's Chicago City Council meeting.

SEE ALSO: Chicago affordable housing wait can take years as city, CHA face severe shortage

The measure would create a centralized online waitlist portal where all providers list their available units.

"With this database, it would allow residents that are seeking affordable housing as well as veterans the ability to find affordable housing units," Alderman Gil Villegas said.

Sponsors say the ordinance would protect Chicago's access to federal affordable housing funds, placing the city into substantial compliance with the fair housing act.

"The application fees for rent is going up, the security deposits have gone away, now there are moving fees. Additional fees for your pets, and once people finally find a place that they can apply to, there's still no guarantee they're going to get that apartment," Alderwoman Maria Hadden said.

Another aim of the proposed ordinance to tackle discrimination.

"Every 120 days, affordable housing providers will need to report on the number of applicants they have accepted and say the reason for denial of each applicant that they screen to the department of housing," Emily Coffey with Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights said.

The ordinance is now with the committee on housing and real estate. If it passes through committee, it would then be brought to full City Council for a vote.