The Chicago Housing Authority is proposing elimination of tenant councils at its mixed-income developments. Officials say this non-traditional form of public housing doesn’t need the same type of tenant support as its other properties.

Mixed-income communities are replacing low-rise and high-rise public housing throughout the city. CHA officials want public housing residents to integrate among the residents who live in the market-rate and affordable units. So, officials say Local Advisory Councils are unnecessary. Condo owners in mixed-income developments have their own boards that exclude CHA residents.

WHEELOCK: But for some reason public housing residents are not entitled to their own association or organization whereby they can speak and articulate their own concerns as public housing families.

Richard Wheelock is with the Legal Assistance Foundation. It represents the larger body of council presidents and opposes the CHA proposal. Local Advisory Councils are pipelines for CHA residents. The council presidents relay myriad concerns on behalf of tenants. Mary Wiggins is a CHA resident who sits on the authority’s board of commissioners. She says abolishing tenant councils at mixed-income developments isn’t a big deal.

WIGGINS: None of the mixed-income residents have come and said anything to me about why you all not going to represent us. I don’t even know if they don’t know.

Those who do know can attend a public hearing on the issue at 6 p.m. at 525 S. State Street.

I’m Natalie Moore, Chicago Public Radio.