A long-time vacant lot in Humboldt Park may be the new site of a 64-unit affordable housing project.
The lot, located at 1201-09 N. California Ave., is cited in a proposal by nonprofit developer Hispanic Housing Development Corp. The proposal includes a nine-story building with 64 units and just over 3,200 square feet of retail space.
Block Club Chicago reported that the development firm told Ald. Roberto Maldonado’s 26th Ward office “several months ago” the units would comprise 29 three-bedroom apartments, 15 two-bedroom apartments and 10 one-bedroom apartments.
“The elderly and working families of the Humboldt Park community face rapidly rising rents and a diminishing amount of choice in the area’s rental market,” the developer told the alderman’s office in an email. “This development will help secure a more secure future for long-time community residents.”
Hispanic Housing Development Corp. purchased the vacant lot in February 2019 for $1.2 million, Cook County property records show. The property was previously involved with a deal with Chicago-based developer City Pads to build a “co-living” apartment complex, but the deal fell through in 2018.
The nonprofit developer has several other affordable housing projects in the works. They currently have a veterans housing complex at 1045 N. Sacramento Ave. and are developing a new apartment building geared toward seniors at the former site of La Casa Puertorriquena at 1237 N. California Ave.
Affordable housing has been at the forefront of Chicago residential developments since Mayor Lori Lightfoot created the affordable housing ordinance in order to boost affordable housing in Chicago. Lightfoot just appointed Tracey Scott as the new Chicago Housing Authority CEO to oversee affordable housing development. [Block Club] — Jacqueline Flynn