Happy Friday Neighbors,
This morning, I attended the service for Officer John Bartholomew at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church along with 20th District Councilor Deirdre O’Connor and CCPSA Youth Commissioner Nominee Angelique Guzman. We ask that our 40th Ward neighbors keep his family in their hearts. John was a father, a husband, a son, and a Chicagoan whose life was taken too soon while in service of the city. We hope for swift justice for Officer Bartholomew as we mourn our city’s loss.
Rest in Peace, John. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.
Haven on Lincoln : Chicago’s First Bridge Housing, here in the 40th Ward!
Yesterday, I got to celebrate one of the highlights of my public service career so far: the ribbon cutting of the Haven on Lincoln!
The Haven on Lincoln is the culmination of the collective vision, passion, diligence, and adaptability of our office, city departments, and partner organizations. Together, we have created a first in Chicago: 37-unit, non-congregate shelter with onsite services for our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness.
This project has been many years in the making. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic—and less than a year into my first term as Alderperson of the 40th Ward—the Chicago Departments of Public Health and Housing launched a pilot program using vacant downtown hotels as non-congregate housing for unhoused residents at the highest risk during COVID.
By providing individual units—instead of shared sleeping spaces and bathrooms—alongside wraparound health and social services, we not only helped prevent the spread of COVID, but also connected more people to permanent housing, medical and behavioral health care, and better long-term health outcomes. The results of that project reaffirmed what many of us already instinctively knew––that when we invest in people and center the experiences of those most impacted, we achieve better outcomes for everyone.
Unhoused Chicagoans are our neighbors, and it is their humanity that we need to center when we embark on public projects like this one. As homelessness continues to affect more and more people in our city, I believe it is the responsibility of municipal government to not only provide shelter and resources, but to support people on their journey with the same dignity each of us would want if we found ourselves in similar circumstances. The Haven on Lincoln is a first step in delivering on that responsibility.
The journey from that initial vision to the opening of The Haven on Lincoln has been a long one, filled with its own challenges and hurdles. Thankfully, we in Chicago know how to overcome challenges––with the spirit, creativity, and determination that make this the greatest city in the nation. Through two mayoral administrations—beginning with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and continuing under Mayor Brandon Johnson—our office partnered with dedicated public servants from the Departments of Housing, Public Health, and Family and Support Services, to build a sustainable and compassionate model—one that has the potential to change how our city supports people experiencing homelessness.
When we first endeavored to create the Haven, we partnered with Volunteers of America, who worked tirelessly alongside our office to transition residents of the Diplomat Motel from temporary housing into permanent homes. Their initial work helped us get to this point, and I am deeply grateful for their partnership.
When substantial funding challenges threatened that progress, we were forced to adapt, as not continuing was never an option. Our office worked to fund the Haven through TIF funds, and we issued a new Request for Proposal to preserve this vision and continue this work in search of a new partner. I am deeply grateful that Cornerstone Community Outreach stepped forward to become that new partner. They have demonstrated consistent care and thoughtfulness in their approach, and I am grateful for their dedication and commitment to carrying out this vision.
Architect Sean McGuire and the entire team at Gensler poured so much thought, intention, and care into the creation of a trauma-informed design where every square foot serves and centers its residents––a space now brought to further life by the beautiful mural painted by Ryan Tova Katz. When we first embarked on this project, I envisioned the Haven on Lincoln as the centerpiece of the Lincoln Avenue Arts District, and the result has more than delivered on that vision.
Finally, and most importantly, I want to shout out our neighbors in the 40th Ward community who showed up to meetings, talked with their neighbors, and helped build support for this project. It is rare for a shelter to receive the kind of public support that this one has from so many in our community. Your support and enthusiasm makes me even more grateful to represent the neighbors of this ward.
As public servants, we are provided the opportunity through this work to improve the quality of life of Chicagoans delivering and improving services––from filling potholes to improving policy–– but it is rare that we get to be a part of a project that so clearly delivers on that promise. It is truly a remarkable gift to be able to build this beautiful haven that will not only transform and stabilize lives, but save them.
I look forward to the day we invite our first neighbors to their new home, and I am eternally grateful that we were able to make it happen, in partnership with community.
Yours in Service and Community,
Andre Vasquez
