By Bill Cameron, WLS-AM 890 News

(CHICAGO) Some of Chicago’s poorest suburbs are getting housing help in 2017.

More than 500 apartments are slated for rehab in five poor suburbs: Park Forest, Harvey and Robbins;  Chicago Heights and Ford Heights. Cook County Housing Authority chief Rich Monocio says the affordable housing need is great.

“Ford Heights, for example, right near Chicago Heights is the poorest community in the whole country.  You have no grocery stores to speak of – total food deserts.  Really the beauty of this program is, I think, the investment  that we make is going to attract more private investment as well because if you haven’t been out there really it’s a stark difference to what we’re all used to, in the city,” said Monocio.

$80 million of public funds are being invested creating hundreds of jobs.

@2016 WLS-AM News