New ‘Missing Middle’ Residential Projects Selected for East and West Garfield Park, McKinley Park

Thirty-five multi-unit buildings containing 99 housing units are planned for McKinley Park and East and West Garfield Park through the next phase of the City's Missing Middle infill housing initiative, Department of Planning and Development (DPD) Commissioner Ciere Boatright announced today.

Selected in response to a DPD Request for Applications (RFA) and collectively valued at $35.5 million, the projects will replace 24 City lots with two-, three- and four-flat buildings that will be sold to owner-occupants earning up to 140% of the area median income, or $134,400 annually for a two-person household.

"These developments will put vacant City lots into productive use, bring attractive and much-needed infill housing to local blocks while creating home-ownership opportunities that build community wealth," DPD Commissioner Ciere Boatright said.

Missing Middle housing involves small residential buildings that have historically occupied city blocks but are missing today due to systemic disinvestment.

The selected Missing Middle development teams and proposals are:

Citizens Building a Better Community, East Garfield Park
The $10.6 million project includes six three-flats and three four-flats on the 300 block of South Homan Avenue and the 3500 blocks of West Jackson Boulevard and West Adams Street.

Westside Community Group, East Garfield Park
The $9.4 million project includes 10 three-flats on the 3300 block of West Adams Street and the 3300 and 3400 blocks of West Monroe Street.

Garfield Together Partnership, West Garfield Park
The $8 million project includes seven three-flats on the 3800 blocks of West Washington Boulevard and West West End Avenue.

TRUDelta, West Garfield Park
The $3.1 million project includes four two-flats on the 4000 block of West Jackson Boulevard.

Urbanism LLC, McKinley Park
The $4.4 million project includes five two-flats on the 2400 block of West 34th Place.

Potential DPD developer assistance could include up to $150,000 per housing unit and the sale of each City lot for $1, to ensure sales prices reflect market rates and contribute to the initiative's wealth-building goals. Funding would be provided through Housing and Economic Bond proceeds, pending City Council approval.

Projects were selected from 37 applications submitted to DPD in fall 2025.

Missing Middle is a key part of Mayor Brandon Johnson's market-rate housing initiatives, which also include office conversions, multi-family construction, Requests for Proposals and related efforts.

The initiative is expected to support construction of more than 500 new homes on the South and West sides, based on available City funding, with more than 200 units already advancing in North Lawndale, Chatham, South Chicago and Morgan Park through two previous RFA rounds.

More information on the Missing Middle program is available at Chicago.gov/MissingMiddle.