Chicago Housing Authority header
File #: 25-35   
Type: Resolution Status: Passed
File created: 3/31/2025 In control: Real Estate Operations Development Committee
On agenda: 7/29/2025 Final action: 7/29/2025
Enactment date: 7/29/2025 Enactment #: 2025-CHA-21
Effective date:    
Title: Authorization to list and sell a single vacant lot for housing development with the City of Chicago in the Douglas Community Area.
Attachments: 1. Approved Board Ltr. & Resolution No. 24, Sale of vacant land, 314 E. 29th St.

title

Authorization to list and sell a single vacant lot for housing development with the City of Chicago in the Douglas Community Area.

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Development Address

Community Area

Target Population

314 East 29th Street

Douglas

N/A

 

presenter

Presenter: Rishab Mehan, Deputy Chief Development

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Recommendation

The Interim Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Chicago Housing Authority (“CHA”) recommends that the CHA Board of Commissioners (“Board”) authorize the interim CEO or her designee to: 1) list the vacant lot at 314 East 29th Street for sale through the City of Chicago’s vacant land purchase portal, ChiBlockBuilder, 2) enter into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with the identified buyer at a fair market value, and 3) execute and deliver such other documents as may be necessary or appropriate to implement the foregoing.

 

Property Summary and Estimated Contract

 

Property/Site

Acreage and Square Feet

Payment to CHA

Land at 314 East 29TH Street

Approximately 2,500 square feet

$75,000

 

The property is a vacant lot, located at East 29th Street and South Prairie Avenue in the Douglas Community area. It was acquired by the CHA from the City of Chicago in 1969 and has remained vacant for decades. This lot is a small section of a larger area that was previously used as a parking lot between two City-owned buildings (a police station and Ward building).

 

Funding

N/A                     

 

 

Property Profile

 

 

 

Background and Approach

In January 2025, the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development approached CHA to express interest in listing the CHA-owned lot with the City-owned vacant properties on either side for sale for future housing development.

 

Following CHA Board approval, the City plans to list the whole project site on the City of Chicago’s ChiBlockBuilder platform, which is a publicly accessible, transparent portal providing information about City-owned vacant lots (www.chiblockbuilder.com <http://www.chiblockbuilder.com>). The platform is also used to list City-owned properties for sale for specific purposes such as housing development, urban agriculture, side yards, and open space.

 

CHA staff will have a role on the evaluation committee for the listing process. CHA has worked with the City of Chicago to ensure that affordable housing is included as a goal for any redevelopment proposals submitted for the project site.

 

The project site includes the approximately 2,500 square-foot CHA-owned lot and surrounding City-owned vacant lands and buildings, totaling approximately 0.86 acres (37,460 square feet).

 

The CHA-owned lot represents less than 6% of the project site and does not currently have an intended future use or purpose. By supporting a potential comprehensive redevelopment of the project site through a City-land sale, CHA has an opportunity to support new investment in the community.

 

Once a buyer is identified, CHA will execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement with the buyer for the transfer of the CHA-owned lot at fair market value. A separate closing process will take place between the City and the buyer for the City-owned properties.

 

The requested action complies in all material respects with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, and CHA policies. CHA staff have completed all necessary due diligence to support the submission of this initiative.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted:

 

______________________

Angela Hurlock

Interim Chief Executive Officer