Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Department of Housing (DOH), in collaboration with the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS), has secured $4 million in grant funds to support the Non-Congregate Shelter Acquisition program. The funding, administered by the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Community Development, will allocate $2 million each to two grantee finalists: La Casa Norte and Unity Parenting and Counseling, Inc.

"This investment in non-congregate shelters will give individuals the stability and care they need to transition to permanent housing," stated Mayor Brandon Johnson. "By working alongside community partners like La Casa Norte and Unity Parenting and Counseling, Inc., we are building a future where every Chicagoan has a safe place to call home. I am grateful for the collaboration of the State of Illinois and our local partners in advancing these critical efforts."

La Casa Norte aims to serve youth aged 18–24 experiencing homelessness with their new acquisition providing non-congregate shelter in Humboldt Park. The grant will fund rehabilitation on the building's first floor for improved community spaces and supportive services.

Unity Parenting and Counseling, Inc., also targeting youth aged 18–24 experiencing homelessness, will establish a new shelter facility in Washington Heights. Funds will be used for property acquisition and rehabilitation to create non-congregate shelter facilities, community services areas, and an outdoor courtyard.

The DOH is collaborating with five organizations through its Non-Congregate Shelter Acquisition program. This initiative supports transitioning the city’s current shelter infrastructure toward a more non-congregate model to enhance shelter services and assist more residents in moving to permanent housing.

Investments in this model are informed by research from University of Chicago Medicine and Lawndale Christian Health Center on hotels used as non-congregate shelters during the pandemic. The study indicated significant improvements in health measures, mental health symptoms among participants, and increased transitions to permanent housing under this model.

"We are extremely appreciative of the State of Illinois’s support for the Non-Congregate Shelter Acquisition program," said Lissette Castañeda, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Housing. "DOH is excited to partner with DFSS, La Casa Norte, and Unity Parenting and Counseling, Inc. in bringing these essential, evidence-based services to the community."

On January 25, 2024, Chicago's annual Point-in-Time Count estimated that 18,836 people were experiencing homelessness either in shelters or unsheltered locations.