West Englewood Lands 30 New Homes & a Major Affordable Housing Win — Spring 2026 Is Shaping Up Big

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/West Englewood ·

West Englewood is closing out the first week of April with two major housing announcements that signal just how much momentum this neighborhood has right now.

First, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Planning and Development officially launched the latest round of the city's Missing Middle Infill Housing Program on April 1 — and West Englewood is front and center. Thirty city-owned vacant lots along the 69th Street corridor are now available for private purchase and redevelopment as owner-occupied townhomes and two- to six-unit buildings. Each parcel is being offered for just

, and developers can access up to
50,000 in construction assistance per unit to keep sale prices within reach for the families who already call this neighborhood home. Applications are due May 18, and an informational webinar is scheduled for April 13 — so developers and community stakeholders still have time to get in on the ground floor. This is exactly the kind of block-by-block investment that turns vacant lots into thriving, family-filled streets.

Meanwhile, the City of Chicago's Department of Housing just announced a sweeping $300 million affordable housing investment covering 15 developments citywide — and West Englewood's own Bontemps Apartments made the list of 2025 LIHTC awardees. That designation locks in 30 years of guaranteed affordability for future tenants, backed by an estimated

00 million in private equity and hundreds of millions in city financial assistance.

Taken together, these investments make clear: West Englewood isn't just growing — it's growing on its own terms. Want to learn more about the Missing Middle lots on 69th Street? Attend the April 13 webinar by visiting the Missing Middle website, and keep following ragenglewood.org for community updates as these projects take shape.

Sources:
1. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dcd/provdrs/ec_dev/news/2026/march/mayor-johnson--ddpd-announce-spring-purchase-opportunities-for-v.html
2. https://chicago.suntimes.com/real-estate/2026/04/03/chicago-missing-middle-program-families-south-west-sides-vacant-lot
3. https://www.chicagocityscape.com/blog/four-early-april-2026-dates-adu-chiblockbuilder-jackson-park
4. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/doh/provdrs/housing_resources/news/2026/april/mayor-brandon-johnson--department-of-housing-announce--300-milli.html