Spotlight Salon: Understanding America’s Public Housing Experience

Join NCJWCNS on Sunday afternoon, November 9, 2025, to tour the National Public Housing Museum, where you will see the rich history of America’s government sponsored housing. You will visit three recreated historic apartments showcasing different families’ experiences at different moments in public housing history between 1938 and 1975. Registration is below.

Almost a century after the government first took on the challenge of providing decent homes at scale for low-income working households, public housing remains a core of stability as well as an ongoing concern in American life. More than 10 million people have lived in public housing, providing a pathway into the middle class at best, a symbol of urban dysfunction at worst, and an enduring center of life for communities.

The National Public Housing Museum was incorporated in 2007 to offer transformative programs that connect the past with contemporary issues of social justice and human rights, honoring the lives and culture of public housing communities across the country. The Museum’s permanent home opened in early 2025 at the historic Jane Addams Homes at 919 South Ada Street in Chicago’s Near West Side. Photo courtesy of the National Public Housing Museum.

Small group tours will be led by a docent. After the tour, stay for refreshments, socializing, and to see the rest of the museum. Cost for adults: $30. Cost for seniors (over 55): $20.