Chicago’s Department of Housing will issue up to $13.5M in tax exempt bonds to
finance the development of CARE Manor
Financial measures introduced today at City Council by Mayor Brandon Johnson and
the Chicago Department of Housing (DOH) will support the development of CARE
Manor, a four-story building that will provide 44 dwelling units affordable to those
at 60% AMI and below in the West Garfield Park community. The City will issue up
to $13,500,000 in tax exempt bonds, as well as up to $11,500,000 in multi-family
loan funds.
The project, spearheaded by United for Better Living in partnership with Corinthian
Temple Church of God in Christ, will contribute to the city’s comprehensive plan to
expand affordable housing options on Chicago’s west side.
CARE Manor, to be located at 4531-55 W. Washington Blvd., is designed to blend
with the neighborhood’s existing architectural style, preserving the charm of the
older buildings in the area.
The development will consist of three one-bedroom units, 30 two-bedroom units,
and 11 three-bedroom units, catering to a diverse range of households. Notably,
100% of the units are adaptable, and 50% are specifically designed to accommodate
individuals with physical disabilities.
CARE Manor will also feature a range of amenities to enhance the quality of life for
its residents. These amenities include a community room equipped with a kitchen, a
management office, and on-site laundry facilities. Furthermore, the development
will offer 22 on-site parking spaces for the convenience of residents and visitors.
The issuance of up to $13,500,000 in tax exempt bonds will play a pivotal role in
financing CARE Manor’s construction. These bonds are projected to generate
approximately $1,168,503 in 4% tax credits, providing significant support to the
project’s viability.
CARE Manor is a ministry of the Corinthian Temple Church of God in Christ and will
sit directly across the street from the church’s community center.
CHICAGO — Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today joined the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and local leaders to break ground on a $43 million streetscape improvement project in South Chicago as part of the INVEST South/West initiative to revitalize historically underserved neighborhoods. The CDOT-led project will transform Commercial Avenue between 83rd Street to South Chicago Avenue and 92nd Street between South Harbor Avenue and Anthony Street to provide safe, walkable, and attractive streets that will foster community and economic growth.
“Our goal with INVEST South/West is to transform our historically underserved communities through place-based investment, which is why we’re not only investing in mixed-use development projects but thoughtful streetscaping as well,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “That’s why I am especially thrilled to break ground on the Commercial Avenue Corridor Improvement Program in South Chicago. This effort will not only upgrade aging infrastructure with the community, but also create a more livable and vibrant commercial corridor for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.”
The Commercial Avenue Corridor Improvement Project is the second INVEST South/West streetscape project to break ground, following last week’s groundbreaking on Chicago Avenue in the Austin neighborhood. In total, CDOT is implementing $280 million in streetscape improvements along 12 key commercial corridors on the South and West Sides that incorporate infrastructure, pedestrian safety, and placemaking improvements. Encompassing 20 miles of arterial streets, these projects represent more than twice the mileage of all streetscapes completed in the 10 INVEST South/West neighborhoods since the 1990s.
“The Commercial Avenue streetscape project we are breaking ground on today goes hand in hand with the public and private investments being made in South Chicago as part of INVEST South/West. Creating a safer, more walkable, and inviting street is good for South Chicago residents and good for the local economy,” said CDOT Commissioner Gia Biagi. “Thanks to Mayor Lightfoot’s leadership, CDOT is implementing a dozen of these transformative streetscapes, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with community stakeholders to bring these projects to life.”
Improvements along Commercial Avenue will include:
Full width resurfacing.
Curb extensions that create safer and shorter crossing distances for pedestrians.
Bus bulbs that allow buses to pick up and drop off passengers without leaving the travel lane, which helps save time for transit riders.
Raised bike lanes.
Street lighting.
Tree planting and landscaping.
ADA ramps and crosswalks.
Traffic signal upgrades and improved signage.
Light pole identifiers and sidewalk plaques that highlight the history and culture of the South Chicago community.
Construction is expected to be completed in phases with full completion expected by the end of 2025.
These improvements will complement other investments being made in South Chicago as part of INVEST South/West. The flagship development project, Galleria 89, is expected to break ground next year on Commercial Avenue. Galleria 89 is a $36.4 million project from 548 Development, planned for approximately .6 acres of underutilized properties on the 8800 block of South Commercial Avenue. The project will create a four-story building with 48 affordable apartments and rehab an existing, three-story building with 10 affordable apartments.
INVEST South/West launched in fall 2019 with a $750 million City commitment toward priority commercial corridors in Auburn Gresham, Austin, Bronzeville, Greater Englewood, Greater Roseland, Humboldt Park, North Lawndale, New City, South Chicago, and South Shore. Since then, it has generated more than $2.2 billion in public, private, and philanthropic investment commitments.
CHICAGO — Today, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced two thousand vacant City lots are available for purchase and redevelopment by private buyers through a new land sale portal at Chicago.gov/BlockBuilder. This effort is part of a comprehensive improvement plan to replace all of the City’s land sale programs with a universal application process. The “ChiBlockBuilder” online portal includes an interactive map of available properties, pricing information, and a digital submission process that will foster infill development and open space projects within local neighborhoods.
“Our goal with ChiBlockBuilder is simple: to put vacant land to productive use in a community-driven way,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Vacant land presents an opportunity for our residents and businesses to create the change they want to see in their communities.”
The land is for sale for specific uses: side yards for adjacent neighbors, community open spaces such as gardens or plazas, housing developments, and commercial developments. Each of the 2,000 lots has an established market value and environmental clearance for purchase by the public, eliminating time-consuming and expensive processes for environmental reviews and appraisals that buyers previously had to take on. Each lot will be transferred through a quitclaim deed.
Applicants that are owner/occupants of adjacent properties or community organizations creating open space are eligible to purchase lots at 10% of their market values. Applicants can also use ChiBlockBuilder to apply for lots to develop as affordable housing through the Chicago Department of Housing’s City Lots for Working Families (CL4WF) program.
ChiBlockBuilder consolidates multiple programs the City previously used to sell surplus land, including the Adjacent Neighbors Land Acquisition Program (ANLAP), Sealed Bid program, Negotiated Sale program, and Large Lots program.
“This is an opportunity to bring much-needed infill housing to neighborhoods,” Department of Planning and Development (DPD) Commissioner Maurice Cox said. “The new, centralized interface eliminates the confusion that we heard from a lot of would-be buyers about how to purchase City land, how much it costs, and what environmental work may be needed.”
The 2,000 lots are among approximately 10,000 owned by the City, most of which were acquired through foreclosures and demolition liens dating as far back as the 1950s. Almost 90% of the lots currently available for purchase are located in the 10 community areas participating in Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West revitalization strategy.
Applications will be accepted through February 3, 2023. DPD will host three online webinars for potential purchasers this winter to answer questions about the process. Priority consideration will be given to adjacent property owners and applicants proposing to build new housing or other improvements that benefit the neighborhood.
Additional City lots will be made available throughout 2023. For more information, visit Chicago.gov/BlockBuilder.
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CHICAGO – Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced that Chicago has committed to inclusively design and implement building performance standards and complementary policies and programs across the city, driving investment into building retrofits and good-paying jobs that create healthier buildings and lower housing and energy costs. The news comes as Chicago joins forces with state and local governments across the country in the National Building Performance Standard (BPS) Coalition, a collaboration launched by White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Building performance standards paired with complementary programs and policies will enable us to meet our health, equity, and climate goals.
“My administration is very proud to join the CEQ as well as state and municipal leaders across the country to deliver on the shared goal of passing building performance standards and other aligned decarbonization policies,” said Mayor Lightfoot. The City of Chicago is committed to taking bold action to mitigate the climate crisis and is prioritizing the equitable reduction of building emissions to create meaningful outcomes. This will result in highly efficient buildings in all communities across Chicago, improved health outcomes, household savings and the activation of the green economy.”
Buildings are responsible for 70% of Chicago’s carbon emissions. Upgrading and retrofitting buildings to increase clean energy sources and reduce overall energy use can dramatically reduce these harmful emissions. At the same time, energy retrofits and upgrades can be leveraged to concurrently improve a building’s health and resilience for its occupants and surrounding community, while generating jobs and increased local economic investment.
Capitalizing on the momentum generated by the City’s Building Decarbonization Working Group, which convened over 50 partners, Chicago commits to joining the White House’s coalition to increase community and local stakeholder engagement to co-design building performance standards and complementary policies and programs – to advance legislation or regulation, with adoption by Earth Day 2024.
“We are eager for the opportunity to support city and state leaders representing the vanguard of innovative climate policy and joining this National Building Performance Standards Coalition. Members of this groundbreaking coalition will help drive new jobs to make existing buildings across the country more efficient, affordable, healthier and resilient, and will deliver equitable benefits across their jurisdictions,” said Mark Chambers, Senior Director for Building Emissions and Community Resilience at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
In pursuing our commitments as a member of the National BPS Coalition, Chicago will leverage technical support via federal agencies including the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. For more information about the coalition, visit www.nationalBPSCoalition.org
