Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson Cuts Ribbon on First Completed 'Missing Middle' Homes in North Lawndale

CHICAGO ~ Chicago officials and developer Citizens Building a Better Community (CBBC) have completed 14 homes on previously vacant, city-owned land in North Lawndale, marking the first finished project under the Johnson administration's Missing Middle housing initiative.

Mayor Brandon Johnson, 24th Ward Ald. Monique Scott and Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Ciere Boatright joined CBBC for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The two-flat buildings are on the 1400 and 1500 blocks of South Trumbull and South Homan avenues.

The project received $5.4 million through the initiative, funded by the city's $1.25 billion Housing and Economic Development Bond. It broke ground in January 2026, according to the city.

"Today marks a major milestone for our Missing Middle initiative as we celebrate the first project welcoming new residents to our communities," Johnson said, adding that the homes would give Chicagoans an opportunity to build roots and wealth.

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Launched by the Department of Planning and Development in October 2024, Missing Middle provides city-owned land and up to $150,000 per unit in construction assistance to developers selected through a request-for-proposals process. At least one unit in each building must be sold to an owner-occupant, the city said.

The program aims to encourage construction of medium-density housing on vacant land, particularly in historically underserved South and West Side neighborhoods. The city says it offers lots for $1 and funding to support developers, including minority-owned firms, in building homes priced in line with market rates.

Boatright said the initiative is intended to create homeownership opportunities, return city land to the tax rolls and encourage further private investment.

Including the completed North Lawndale project, 204 homes valued at $68.8 million are underway on the West Side, while 165 units valued at $69.6 million are moving forward on the South and Southwest sides, according to the city.

The latest request for proposals, issued this month, covers 16 lots in Humboldt Park and is expected to produce about 60 units. Responses are due Nov. 16, the city said.

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