Welcome to the East St. Louis Housing Authority’s web site.  As with all other housing authorities around the nation we have the goal and the responsibility to provide decent, safe and affordable housing for low income members of our community.  This responsibility must necessarily go far beyond providing just housing.  We must be an active partner with city government and the many other community entities striving to improve our community.  For some, the City of East St. Louis, is like so many other post industrial communities where basic industries, both within the city and on its periphery such as aluminum production (ALCOA), the Swift and Armour packing plants at the National Stock Yards, the Granite City steel mills, Monsanto chemical production and the railroads have for the most part left the City of East St. Louis and surrounding villages behind.  Yet, in this community nestled against the eastern bank of the Mississippi River across from the St. Louis Gateway Arch, the seeds of rebirth and growth are being planted.

 Mixed finance developers such as McCormack Baron, Salazar and East Lake Management & Development Corp. have seen a bright future and have built, and are building new developments in our community.  A portion of this growth is tied to the region’s Metro Link Light Rail system, a critical transportation commuter asset, now to many in the East St. Louis community.  This system includes 38 miles of track, 28 stations, of which 4 are located in East St. Louis, and spans from Lambert International Airport in North St. Louis, through downtown St. Louis, across the Mississippi to East St. Louis finally terminating outside of Scott AFB in Shiloh, Illinois.  Phase IV of a new retail destination is growing at 25th Street and State Street.  This commercial area, being developed by Koman Properties, Inc. will bring new life to our community.  Down town next to the Mississippi River, the Casino Queen plans to begin a project of growth and expansion with a price tag of $150 million.  This expansion with include $50 million for 36,000 square feet of casino and restaurant space, with $100 million allotted for phases II and III, for more restaurants, an entertainment facility and a parking garage.

 The physical plant of our public schools is improving dramatically with the addition of the Brown, Vivian Adams and Annette Harris-Officer elementary schools, and Wyvetter Younge and Lincoln middle schools.  Additionally, the Gordon Bush, the Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Dr. Katie Harper Wright elementary schools, and the Clark-Mason middle school are currently under construction.  I believe that opportunity, self sufficiency and improvement for residents of our public housing community go hand and hand with the rebirth of the city and its surrounding environment.  I believe this web page is more than just a window to safe decent and affordable housing.  We are also one small voice of many in our community, seeking to shake off the rust of years of post industrialism, which has left challenges but at the same time great opportunities for our community and its citizens.