Ben Carson Declared Mission Accomplished in East St. Louis — Where Public Housing Is Still a Disaster
The HUD secretary came to town last year and declared residents were no longer at risk, three decades after the federal government took over public housing here. In fact, the complexes are falling apart and a woman was killed in the weeks before his visit.
Local Reporting Network
What Do You Know About Public Housing in the U.S.? Help Us Investigate.
ProPublica is teaming up with The Southern Illinoisan to examine the public housing crisis in small and mid-sized cities around the country.
Local Reporting Network
Afraid of “Political Repercussions,” HUD Delayed Action on Crumbling Public Housing
As residents in Cairo, Illinois, dealt with mice, toxic mold and lead paint, HUD officials waited to step in, according to a report from the agency’s inspector general. HUD “could and should have done more to oversee it,” a new report says.
Local Reporting Network
HUD Is Failing to Protect Children From Lead Paint Poisoning, Audits Find
Two new reports found that HUD didn’t properly oversee inspections or removal of lead-based paint in public housing complexes across the country.
Local Reporting Network
HUD May Soon Evict Residents in Two Public Housing Complexes in Southern Illinois
The failures of the complexes — and HUD’s role — is being investigated by The Southern Illinoisan and ProPublica.
Local Reporting Network
Senators Question HUD’s “Rash” Decision to Close Two Housing Complexes in Southern Illinois
HUD says it doesn’t have the funds to fix up two public housing developments in Thebes, Illinois. The state’s two U.S. senators question whether the agency’s decision to close them — forcing 85 people to relocate — violates federal law.
Local Reporting Network
HUD Long Neglected These Residents. Now As They Move Out, Some Feel HUD Let Them Down Again.
A scramble for housing in southern Illinois has exposed mixed messages and false hope. “It’s betrayal, really,” one resident said of the way she’s been treated by HUD.
Local Reporting Network
In Small-Town America, the Public Housing Crisis Nobody’s Talking About
The shuttering of public housing complexes in two small Midwestern towns raises big questions for residents, HUD and Congress. To tell the story, I could use your help.
Local Reporting Network