CHICAGO —Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Ald. Jessie Fuentes, Department of Housing Commissioner Lissette Castañeda, Department of Family and Support Services Commissioner Angela Green, the team at La Casa Norte, and members of the Humboldt Park community to break ground on La Casa Norte's North Hotel, a City-supported non-congregate shelter designed to serve young adults experiencing homelessness.
“Supporting our youth by providing safe, private, and dignified housing is at the center of our administration’s commitment to building a safer, more affordable Chicago,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “La Casa Norte’s North Hotel will help support Chicago’s shelter system while ensuring disadvantaged youth have access to critical support resources.
By supporting the rehabilitation of this space, our administration is investing in stability and opportunity for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
“As a former educator and child of Humboldt Park, this project is personal,” said Ald. Fuentes. “La Casa Norte’s North Hotel will be the life-giving sanctuary that my most vulnerable former students could have benefitted from.
I am grateful to have La Casa Norte’s North Hotel situated between so many amenities that make this community strong and vibrant.”
The City-backed project builds upon the Johnson administration’s ongoing effort to empower disadvantaged youth and expand housing options and employment opportunities.
La Casa Norte acquired the former North Hotel at 1622 N.
California Avenue and will work to rehabilitate the space into an expansive shelter serving unhoused youth ages 18-24.
The facility will include 40 rooms, with each unit comprising a private bedroom, en-suite bathroom, and mini kitchenette to promote privacy, dignity, and safety.
“Youth come to La Casa Norte in crisis, unsure of what the future holds,”said Jose M.
Muñoz, CEO of La Casa Norte.“The North Hotel youth non-congregate shelter gives them a space of their own to heal, and a team dedicated to helping them dream again.
This is the future of how we end youth homelessness.”
The North Hotel will operate 24/7 and provide a comprehensive array of services supporting youth in their transition toward long-term housing stability, self-sufficiency, and independence.
The project will convert vacant ground-floor retail space into a community and service area where residents can access workforce development, career planning, physical and mental health care, family reunification assistance, and other resources.
“DFSSis proud to have partnered with the Chicago Department of Housing and La Casa Norte throughout the planning, site selection, and acquisition of this new facility,” saidDFSS Commissioner Angela Green.“We are excited for the renovations that will bring accessibility and comprehensive support services for youth experiencing homelessness.
This work is about much more than providing a roof over one’s head.It will create a foundation for stability, connection, and hope among young Chicagoans experiencing homelessness.”
The project is being supported by $4.09 million through the Chicago Neighborhood Recovery Program.
An additional $2 million in funding was provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, supplementing $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“DOH is incredibly excited to be a part of a growing movement across the country to move towards non-congregate shelters,” saidDOH Commissioner Lissette Castaneda.“DOH’s $4.09 million in acquisition funding has already allowed for youth to come through La Casa Norte and come out on the other side sheltered, stabilized and resourced. The rehabilitation of this property would not have been a reality without collaboration with our partners at HUD and DCEO.”
Residents have already begun to move into the building, while rehabilitation of the main floor is underway and expected to be completed as soon as the end of 2027.
The redevelopment is particularly significant in Humboldt Park, where the community has experienced high levels of gentrification and displacement in recent years.
To ensure lasting affordability, the property must remain a shelter, permanent supportive housing, or affordable housing for at least 30 years.
It expands Chicago’s shelter capacity while advancing a service model centered on privacy, dignity, healing, and long-term stability.
The project builds on the success of stabilization housing models first piloted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of DOH’sNon-Congregate Shelter Acquisition program, the Johnson administration is working to convert approximately 300 traditional shelter beds into non-congregate settings that offer greater privacy and supportive services.