Chicago's first Native American affordable housing complex breaks ground
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Rendering: Courtesy of Canopy / architecture + design
Chicago has moved closer to the city's first affordable housing complex designed for Native Americans.
Why it matters: Chicago's metro area has the third-largest urban Native American population in the United States, about 65,000, WBEZ reported last year.
Driving the news: Mayor Brandon Johnson joined developers last week for a land blessing at Jigzibik, an apartment building in Irving Park that will have 45 affordable units designed for Native American residents.
- Jigzibik is a Potawatomi word for "at the river's edge."
Zoom in: Each unit will have a balcony so residents can burn sage, Shelly Tucciarelli of Visionary Ventures, a Native American housing advocate, tells Axios, and they are working on getting native plants for a rooftop garden.
- Apartments range from studios to 3-bedrooms amenable to multi-generational households.
- Prices will be based on the low-income tax credit rate at the time when the building is completed next fall.
Follow the money: The Department of Housing contributed more than $6 million to the project, Chicago Housing Commissioner Lissette Castañeda said.
- $950,000 came from permanent supportive housing funds and close to $2.5 million from low income housing tax credits.