Chicago Plans 4,100 Mixed-Income Homes at Cabrini
The Chicago Housing Authority's Cabrini Now plan would build homes across 43 acres on the Near North Side over a decade.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Construction
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The Chicago Housing Authority unveiled plans for Cabrini Now, a mixed-income development of 4,100 homes on the former Cabrini-Green site. The agency aims to begin zone changes and request development proposals next year.
Why it matters
The plan would rebuild a neighborhood long associated with the demolished Cabrini-Green public housing towers, with affordability rules set by a 2000 consent decree. Residents in Chicago's Near North Side and nearby high-demand areas such as Old Town and River North would see the shape of the neighborhood change over the coming decade.
The plan calls for 4,100 homes on 43 acres across 16 non-contiguous parcels, replacing roughly 3,500 units built on the land over the past two decades. The 2000 consent decree requires 33 to 40 percent subsidized housing and 20 percent middle-income units, with up to 50 percent market-rate, and final project phasing remains unset.
The players
Chicago Housing Authority
The Chicago Housing Authority is the city agency that manages public housing in Chicago and is leading the Cabrini Now redevelopment.
Walter "Red" Burnett Jr.
Walter "Red" Burnett Jr. is a public official whose role in the Cabrini Now plan is referenced in the story's coverage of the redevelopment.
The details
The Cabrini Now plan includes housing of varying types and heights, including two eight-unit apartment buildings and townhomes, along with nine acres of parks and green space and a memorial to the neighborhood's history. Construction is expected to take place over 10 years, and the agency's plan follows the demolition of Cabrini-Green public housing buildings that began in 1995.
Timeline
1995: Demolition of Cabrini-Green public housing buildings began.
2000: A consent decree set affordability requirements for the Cabrini redevelopment.
November 11, 2026: The Chicago Housing Authority unveiled Cabrini Now plans.
2027: The agency aims to begin zone changes and request development proposals.
Market Landscape
The Cabrini Now plan follows the 1995 demolition of Cabrini-Green public housing and the affordability terms set by the 2000 consent decree. It shifts the site from concentrated public housing toward a mixed-income mix that could include luxury market-rate homes if parcels open to private development.
Residents near the Near North Side will see construction over a decade-long timeline as the 4,100 homes and nine acres of parks are built. The mix of subsidized, middle-income and market-rate units will shape who can afford to live in the neighborhood.
The takeaway
The Cabrini Now plan shows how a mixed-income model can replace a site once defined by public housing, but the affordability mix will determine who benefits. Watching the zone-change and developer-proposal stages next year will show how the terms take shape.
What happens next
The Chicago Housing Authority aims to begin zone changes and request development proposals next year.
Further reading
For more on the city's building projects, see Construction coverage across Chicago.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Real Deal New York.
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Should the city prioritize affordable housing on former public housing land?
