For the first time since 1999, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is opening the family housing wait list for public housing.

Registration for the wait list will be held online through Friday, July 9. Anyone interested in applying for available CHA housing may do so during this period.

The CHA is distributing wait list registration information to the offices of elected officials, community groups, churches, government sites, and social service agencies. This education campaign stresses the four-week registration window and explains the three styles of housing available, how to register online, and the upcoming lottery that will select 40,000 names at random.

For online registration and information, go to www.CHAwaitlist.org, where information is available in English, Chinese, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu/Hindi, and Vietnamese.

Those chosen will be eligible for public housing units in rehabilitated CHA family, scattered site, or new mixed income housing as units become available. All applications will be treated equally by lottery.

Those without Internet access may go to one of more than 100 registration sites, where computers and technical assistance will be available.

Information on the family wait list opening also can be found through www.twitter.com/chawaitlist and on www.facebook.com/chawaitlist.

For any other questions, call 866-7THECHA or 311.