2024-2025 Food Access PPA Verification Process

As part of the Preliminary Project Application (PPA) review under the 2024-2025 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP), applicants must demonstrate that they are within an acceptable distance from fresh healthy food. For purposes of the 2024-2025 PPA process, an acceptable distance is considered to be at least one mile of a full-service grocery store or farmer’s market/produce market in Chicago, Metro Chicago or Other Metro. Non-Metro project applicants must demonstrate that the project is within 5 miles of a full-service grocery store or farmer’s market/produce market. For 2024-2025, IHDA will be using stores and markets that are listed in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) system. Full-service stores (NAICS 445110) or farmer’s market/produce markets (NAICS 445230) are listed and mapped within the NAICS system.

Applications that cannot meet the Food Access thresholds may still be granted a conditional approval, and if so, will subsequently (at application) be required to provide additional documentation that there are plans to develop in the defined radii a supermarket, supercenter, large grocery store, produce market or farmer’s market OR that a Community Revitalization plan exists that accounts for improving food access OR the applicant can provide narrative/maps showing other means of accessing food.

To aid the documentation requirement above, IHDA has developed a tool for use in determining proximity to full-services grocery stores or farmer’s market/produce markets. This tool allows the user to search for a specific address or location on the map and then choose the required radius for that location. The tool will mark the location and provide the names of the full-service grocery stores or farmer’s markets/produce markets located in the area. The tool then allows the user to take a screen shot of the outcome, to be submitted as part of the required PPA documentation. Please note that IHDA will verify this documentation as part of its PPA review process.

For a video tutorial of how to use this tool, please click here.

Click on the map below to view the IHDA Food Access Locator.

Grocery stores, farmer’s markets/produce markets shown on the map above have been updated as of June 2023 utilizing the most current available ESRI data. IHDA will update this information on an annual basis or if there is a substantial change in the data sources used for this tool.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (“IHDA”) provides the data in this tool as a service to the public. Although every effort has been made to provide complete and accurate information, IHDA makes no warranty, representation, or guaranty, express or implied, as to the content, accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of any of the data provided at this website. IHDA makes this data available on an “as is” basis and explicitly disclaims any representations and warranties, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. IHDA shall assume no liability for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the data provided at this website regardless how caused or any decision made or action taken or not taken by anyone using or relying upon data provided at this website.