Ninety-nine new homes collectively valued at $40 million are planned for North Lawndale through five developer selections announced today by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) through its Missing Middle housing initiative.

Selected from 30 teams that responded to a DPD request for applications (RFA) for six clusters of vacant City land, each developer is minority-led and proposing a variety of multi-unit buildings that have systemically “gone missing” from the community in recent decades, DPD Commissioner Ciere Boatright said.

“These teams will be leading the charge to repopulate North Lawndale by replacing an initial 36 lots with market rate housing that’s affordable to local buyers,” Boatright said. “This pilot phase of the Missing Middle initiative will be expanded to include other West and South Side neighborhoods in months to come.”

The selected teams are led by:

• Alteza Group LLC, which is proposing 23 units for Cluster A’s eight City lots (two two-flats, five three-flats and one four-flat). Total project cost: $6.4 million
• Trumbull Collective, which is proposing 16 units for Cluster C’s eight City lots (eight two-flats). Total project cost: $5.6 million
• Citizens Building a Better Community (CBBC), which is proposing 16 units for Cluster D’s eight City lots (eight two-flats). Total project cost: $5.9 million
• Beauty for Ashes Developers LLC, which is proposing 11 units for Cluster E’s five City lots (four two-flats, one three-flats). Total project cost: $3.4 million
• Sunshine Management, which is proposing 33 units for Cluster F’s seven City lots (two four-flats, five three-flats and one 10-flat). Total project cost: $18 million

Developer responses for Cluster B’s eight City lots are still under review, with potentially 16 units or more potentially to be developed.

DPD development assistance for each project could include up to $150,000 per unit to ensure sales prices reflect market rates for local buyers. The assistance would be provided through Housing and Economic Development bond proceeds, pending formal terms to be approved by City Council. Each lot’s potential purchase price – approximately ranging from $4,700 to $49,900 – could also be subject to a land write-down.

A community meeting to introduce the selected developers and proposed housing designs will be co-hosted by DPD and the 24th Ward office from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13th, at UCAN Academy, 3605 W. Fillmore St.

Pending community engagement and City review processes, construction could start this summer.

For more information about DPD’s Missing Middle initiative and the RFP, visit cityofchicago.org/MissingMiddle.

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