HUMBOLDT PARK — In an effort to combat gentrification and make home ownership attainable, two plots of vacant land in Humboldt Park have been transformed into houses, marking the completion of the neighborhood’s first factory-built homes under a pilot program.
The homes located at 822-824 N. Homan Ave. were constructed by Inherent Homes, a modular home company with a manufacturing facility in North Lawndale. This company stands out as one of the few developers focusing on affordable housing and pathways for home ownership in the city. The initiative is part of a $12 million pilot program by Cook County, which aims to introduce a total of 12 homes to Humboldt Park this year.
This collaborative effort includes Inherent Homes alongside the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development and the Cook County Land Bank Authority. Over the next several years, the program is expected to lead to the development of 120 homes throughout Cook County, targeting individuals who earn up to 120 percent of the county’s median income, as outlined on the program’s website.
At a recent ribbon-cutting event celebrating the completion of the Humboldt Park homes, Sarah and Melissa, aspiring homeowners who preferred not to disclose their last names, shared their excitement about their future residence in West Humboldt Park.
“We came across one of these units and it seemed almost too good to be true, and then we saw it in person, and then it got really, really real really quickly,” said Melissa.
Currently residing in Uptown, the couple is looking for an affordable home closer to Melissa’s workplace, as she is employed as a welder in Garfield Park. They expressed that the prospect of owning a home nearby and receiving financial assistance feels almost surreal.
“All the collaboration between the different agencies is amazing, but it’s also anxiety-inducing. But it seems like it’s gonna happen, so we’re really excited,” Sarah added.
Each three-bedroom home is priced at approximately $350,000 and includes $20,000 in down payment assistance through the Land Bank Authority. This financial aid makes the homes more affordable, especially in an area where nearby properties are listed between $525,000 and $800,000.
The newly constructed homes feature modern smart appliances, two bathrooms, two living rooms, and amenities such as in-unit washers and dryers, parking spaces, and yards. Tim Swanson, the founder of Inherent, emphasized that everyone deserves access to quality housing, regardless of their income level.
“If we take all our civic land and make it available for just our everyday Chicagoan, we can move the needle,” Swanson stated. “If we replace vacant lands with housing, we have families that are going to schools, and we have a tax basis that supports more things. A lot of this has been leveraging our banking partners, nonprofits like the Chicago Community Trust, and government officials.”
During last week’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, Cook County officials celebrated the new homes as significant victories for Humboldt Park. The factory construction process notably shortens the build time to eight weeks, which is often half the time required compared to traditional market-rate housing solutions.
As a point of contrast, Swanson noted that another nearby home, which is being built through conventional methods, currently only has its foundation laid even after being under construction since last year.
Inherent Homes is also planning to construct a two-flat building and a bungalow on vacant lots as part of the broader initiative to offer affordable home ownership options. Swanson pointed out that his company aims not only to create attainable housing but also to generate necessary jobs in the trades for community members, thereby fostering positive local impact.
“Where our factory is in North Lawndale, we’re like eight blocks away from where the Sears factory was 100 years ago, where they were building the Sears catalog, so there’s something dope about the West Side [building] — remember, we used to do this? Let’s do it again,” he said.
Swanson and his team are actively engaging with more families from the area who are interested in purchasing one of the Inherent homes. The Cook County Modular Home Program builds upon Inherent’s previous success of delivering ten homes to Humboldt Park under the city’s Building Neighborhoods and Affordable Homes Program, of which some are still underway in construction and sale.
Inherent is set to build six single-family homes and one two-flat on vacant lots in Humboldt Park, also collaborating with Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) to facilitate further housing developments in the area.
In a separate effort, Fuentes is working alongside another small development company to convert four city-owned vacant lots into affordable housing, in addition to two lots that will be utilized by the Here To Stay Community Land Trust, another initiative aimed at helping low-income Chicagoans retain residency on the Northwest Side.
KMW Communities, another firm focused on affordable development, is also working on concept homes within the vacant West Humboldt Park area, selling for prices ranging from $400,000 to $700,000, as officials have shared with Block Club.
image source from：blockclubchicago
