Earlier this year, we celebrated the completion of a project many years in the making: the Haven on Lincoln, Chicago’s first stabilization housing project.
The Haven on Lincoln is the culmination of the collective vision, passion, diligence, and adaptability of our office, city departments, and partner organizations. Together, we have created a first in Chicago: 37-unit, non-congregate shelter with onsite services for our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness.
This project has been many years in the making. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, the Chicago Departments of Public Health and Housing launched a pilot program using vacant downtown hotels as non-congregate housing for unhoused residents at the highest risk during COVID. By providing individual units—instead of shared sleeping spaces and bathrooms—alongside wraparound health and social services, we not only helped prevent the spread of COVID, but also connected more people to permanent housing, medical and behavioral health care, and better long-term health outcomes. The results of that project reaffirmed what many of us already instinctively knew––that when we invest in people and center the experiences of those most impacted, we achieve better outcomes for everyone.
Unhoused Chicagoans are our neighbors, and it is their humanity that we need to center when we embark on public projects like this one. As homelessness continues to affect more and more people in our city, it is the responsibility of municipal government to not only provide shelter and resources, but to support people on their journey with the same dignity each of us would want if we found ourselves in similar circumstances. The Haven on Lincoln is a first step in delivering on that responsibility.
The journey from that initial vision to the opening of The Haven on Lincoln has been a long one, filled with its own challenges and hurdles. Thankfully, we in Chicago know how to overcome challenges––with the spirit, creativity, and determination that make this the greatest city in the nation. Through two mayoral administrations—beginning with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and continuing under Mayor Brandon Johnson—our office partnered with dedicated public servants from the Departments of Housing, Public Health, and Family and Support Services, to build a sustainable and compassionate model—one that has the potential to change how our city supports people experiencing homelessness.
The last step in the process before the Haven can open officially is receiving a No Further Remediation (NFR) letter from the Illinois EPA, which proves the site meets safety standards. Once that letter is complete, the City will transfer the property to Cornerstone Community Outreach to operate the Haven. We are doing everything we can to expedite that process, and are looking forward to the day we invite our first neighbors to their new home!
In the meantime, you can take a virtual tour of the space below: