Lottery Under Way to Select 79 Families for North Town Village

CHICAGO-One part of the long, sometimes contentious, process of decentralizing mass public housing projects in Chicago is an effort currently under way to select 79 CHA families who will be a partof the $65 million mixed-income residential community at 1401 N. HalstedSt., just west of Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood. Phase I of construction at North Town Village, as the project is called, is well under way.

The recent signing of the Cabrini Consent Decree clears the way for alottery of current and former CHA residents, from which 700 will bedrawn to apply for CHA replacement housing and 270 for tax credit units.”That process is unfolding,” says Dave Holsten, co-developer of North TownVillage. “Then we will be given the names on the lottery list to interviewfor residency in our apartments.”

In addition to the 79 CHA families who will occupy residences at North TownVillage, the consent decree gives preference to Cabrini-Green relocates forthe 39 affordable rate units. Selection of the CHA families will beginas soon as the lottery process has been completed.

The Resident Transition Plan of North Town Village provides transitioningsupport to all residents to ensure that each inhabitant of the seven-acremixed-income community is properly acclimated. Aside from the ResidentTransition Plan, other efforts include plans for work force development andcommunity building.

The Kenard/Holsten housing plan for North Town Village calls for 50% of the housing to be market-rate units, and 20% to beaffordable-rental and affordable for-sale units for families earning up to120% of the area median income. The balance of the units will bepublic housing replacement units dispersed throughout the development.