Making Moves in East Garfield Park
Housing is essential to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Our most recent addition, the Englewood Family Housing Initiative, is modeled after our long-running Family Support Program, which has contributed to improved health, employment and educational outcomes. Though the project faced delays through the pandemic and reconstruction, we are finally ready for residents to move in.
Recognizing the time it took to reach this point, from ideation to occupancy, Chicago House is already looking ahead to how we can deliver hope to more doorsteps. In April, Chicago House was selected by the Illinois Housing Development Authority to move forward with our East Garfield Park project, which will provide 24 new construction units for individuals facing homelessness and living with HIV. Through this expansion, Chicago House will continue to reach the most vulnerable populations and provide a stabilizing space we call home.
“While Chicago House has offered scattered site housing throughout Chicago for over 15 years, we recognize the need for residential-based housing programs that offer daily on-site support services, especially for communities most impacted by HIV,” said Michael Herman, Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited to continue expanding our residential housing portfolio.” -
In the early 2000s, Chicago House received funding through the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS grant program to launch Scattered-Site housing, and since that time, our capacity has grown significantly with additional units throughout the city. This style empowers individuals to maintain stable, affordable housing, often in their community of origin, and connects residents to other Chicago House services. While this program promotes independence, residents have less regular in-person contact with case managers, which could impact their adherence to medical appointments and other services, as well as their overall health.
Based on this knowledge, Chicago House will structure East Garfield Park similar to our Residential program in that we will utilize flex space on the first floor in each building to meet with residents and provide services. This will contribute to more consistent case manager/client interaction and communication, leading to better health outcomes. The residents will also maintain independence, like in the Scattered Site program, meeting with service providers on their schedule in a building that is designed with their privacy and personal space in mind.
Along with the benefits to the individuals and families we will house, the East Garfield Park project also supports the community. According to the Garfield Park Community Council, more than 1,500 vacant lots in East Garfield Park create safety concerns and transportation barriers for residents. Many groups have worked to resolve this, building affordable housing and resource centers, but there is still a significant expanse of unused property. Leveraging public controlled land, Chicago House will turn vacant lots into new permanent supportive housing, which will bring more value to the community.
Follow along our journey as we continue to expand affordable housing. East Garfield Park Homes are scheduled for completion May 2026, so stay tuned as we progress all the way to move-in day!