It is time to get ready for the Annual Poster Contest:  “What Home Means to Me?” sponsored by the Illinois NAHRO (National Association  of Housing & Redevelopment Officials.)  The poster contest provides an wonderful opportunity for children residing in affordable housing and community developments to reflect the national theme of “What Home Means to Me.” This is an important way for the children of our communities to have their voices heard with policy makers at all levels. 

Youth who submit posters must be in grades K-12. The age selection categories are as follows: Elementary: K to 5th grade; Middle: 6th to 8th grade; and High: 9th to 12 grade.

Winners of the state contest entries will be submitted by IL NAHRO council for the regional competition.  The eight regional councils will then select three winners—one from each age category—and will forward those winners to the national competition in Washington, D.C. 

National honorees will be selected by a panel of judges assembled by NAHRO staff.  National honorees will be announced during Housing America Month in October.

The grand prize cover winner will receive an iPad and a framed copy of their original artwork.  The cover winner and one legal guardian will also receive a tour of Capitol Hill and attend NAHRO’s Washington Conference in Washington, D.C. where he or she will be honored.  The 12 national winners will each receive a $100 Visa gift card.  

Any of our Carroll Apartments children interested in this wonderful opportunity should contact the CCHA office at 815-273-7081, as soon as possible, for the poster contest entry rules, and poster application.  The deadline for submission of a poster is Tuesday, March 18, 2025, by 5:00pm. 

With spring approaching this month, the Carroll County Housing Authority (CCHA) is preparing for the HUD NSPIRE physical unit inspections.  While our housing authority has had physical unit inspections in the past, this will be the first time that we will be inspected under the new HUD NSPIRE physical inspection  regulations. These inspections will concentrate more on the inside of each tenant’s unit and less on the exterior of the buildings, and the grounds.  The HUD inspector will look at the tenant’s unit for:  cleanliness, bugs/insects, working smoke detectors/carbon monoxide detectors, faucets, toilets, electrical outlets, etc.  HUD has worked on these new regulations for over three years, and 2024 was the first year that the regulations were implemented.

CCHA is scheduled for the HUD NSPIRE physical inspection anytime after this month.  We will be notified by the inspector, and given a date for the inspection.  We are not advised of specific units that they will inspect, per each site, until the actual day of the inspection.  It is imperative that every tenant at CCHA participates in making sure that their unit is clean, tidy and that all electrical, plumbing and other mechanical items are working properly. If for some reason, you

believe that something is not working correctly, please call the CCHA office to initiate a work order for the maintenance staff to come to your unit and repair the issue.

All units will be pre-inspected by our staff in the months of March and April.  If it is determined that your unit will not pass the new HUD NSPIRE physical regulations, you will receive a letter detailing the items that need to be corrected so that the unit is in compliance for the HUD inspection.  We appreciate your cooperation in this important task.