JBFC: Frederick Wiseman’s America— Public Housing

Public Housing documents daily life at the Ida B. Wells public housing development in Chicago. The film illustrates some of the experiences of people living in conditions of extreme poverty. Events shown include the work of the tenants councils, street life, the role of police, job training programs, drug education, teenage mothers, dysfunctional families, elderly residents, nursery school, and after school teenage programs, along with the activities of the city, state, and federal governments in maintaining and changing public housing.

Jacob Burns Film Center