HUD To Begin Relocating Families From Public Housing In Cairo, Ill.
![Abandoned lots in Cairo, Ill.](https://will.illinois.edu/images/uploads/44921/siegler-abandoned-lot_custom-30050cd82bf0d705327c41b4d2341867e0474469-s800-c85__large.jpg)
Abandoned lots in Cairo, Ill. Kirk Siegler/NPR
Cairo used to be a thriving river port and manufacturing hub. Now it's one of the fastest depopulating towns in rural America. The latest blow: Its two large public housing projects are shutting down.
![](/images/uploads/siegler-historic-downtown-d499637eb352088f7febbad90bb51ca1253a469b-s800-c85.jpg)
Cairo has lost more than half of its population in recent decades. Today, there are just under 3,000 people left.
Photo Credit: Kirk Siegler/NPR
Links
- A Public Housing Crisis In Cairo; Illinois Politics Update; Debunking Fast Food Myths
- Tired Of Promises, Struggling Cairo, Ill. Wants Problems Solved
- Authorities Spent On Trips And Bonuses As Family Housing Units Languished In Cairo
- Evacuated Cairo Residents Allowed to Check Property
- Cairo, Other IL River Communities Bracing for Severe Flooding