Crews to Officially Break Ground on Boystown's New LGBT Senior Home

The funding has been secured, the land has been acquired, and now its time to officially break ground on one of the nation’s first affordable housing facilities focused on LGBT seniors.

The Center on Halsted and Heartland Housing announced Wednesday they plan to hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the new $27 million project on Monday at 8:30 a.m. Sitting at 3600 N. Halsted St. at the intersection with Addison Street, the 79-unit housing complex will maintain the historic facade of the former police station.

Organizers say the groundbreaking is kicking off “Pride Month,” a symbolic recognition Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has given to the month of June, as did his predecessors. “Safe, decent, affordable housing is a critical issue for seniors in the city,” said Michael Goldberg, Executive Director of Heartland Housing, a division of Heartland Alliance.

“Many seniors, including many within the LGBT community, live on fixed incomes and cannot afford high rents," Goldberg continued. "This building will allow seniors to continue to live and thrive in the community they helped create.”

Using the Mayor Emanuel’s proposal, $14.5 million will be generated to help fund the development through a $5 million city loan and $1.5 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits.

“This is an excellent example of how the city, local residents and non-profit groups can work together to create something special,” said 44th ward Alderman Tom Tunney. “On behalf of everyone in the 44th ward, I thank my colleagues for their support of this much needed project.” 

Tunney plans to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, along with longtime LGBT-rights ally State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz and Center on Halsted CEO Modesto “Tico” Valle.