FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2025

CONTACT:
Mayor’s Press Office
312.744.3334
press@cityofchicago.org

Linsey Maughan
DFSS Director of Public Affairs
312.743.2031
linsey.maughan@cityofchicago.org

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES LARGEST-EVER INVESTMENT TO IMPROVE AND MODERNIZE SHELTER INFRASTRUCTURE CITYWIDE

The Department of Family and Support Services is allocating $40 million in grants to seven shelters, funding high impact capital improvement projects to create healthier,
safer, less congregate, and more accessible facilities that will serve a wide range of populations, including families with children, unaccompanied youth, adult single women and men, and returning citizens.

CHICAGO, IL — Mayor Brandon Johnson and Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) Acting Commissioner Maura McCauley today announced the provisional award of $40 million in capital improvement funding to modernize homeless shelter facilities throughout the city. The funding, part of the DFSS Shelter Infrastructure Initiative, supports the largest local shelter capital investment in Chicago’s history, building on $30 million in related investments by the Department of Housing, and reflects a citywide commitment to creating non-congregate, accessible, dignified, and trauma-informed shelter environments for people experiencing homelessness.

“This investment is the most significant step forward in the history of Chicago in our mission to make housing a human right in our city,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “When it comes to building a safe and affordable city, housing and shelter must be prioritized to stabilize our residents who are housing insecure or experiencing homelessness. With this historic investment, we are making our shelters more accessible, more dignified, and ultimately, more effective at helping Chicagoans in need.”

This funding will support major improvements to more than 750 permanent shelter beds in Chicago, increasing ADA accessibility, modernizing aging infrastructure and other major systems, and developing 350+ non-congregate beds so individuals and families have a private sleeping room and bathroom with secure storage space for their belongings. Research shows non-congregate shelters in Chicago and elsewhere improve health and housing outcomes for residents compared with congregate shelter settings.

“It is a proud day for the City of Chicago as we reinforce our commitment to serving our City’s most vulnerable and doing all we can to ensure all individuals and families are able to access the support and care they need,” said DFSS Acting Commissioner Maura McCauley. “This investment is a significant step toward meeting the broad range of unique circumstances and experiences faced by those entering the shelter system and doing so with utmost compassion, dignity, and intentionality.”

The Shelter Infrastructure Initiative is backed by $20 million in federal HOME-ARP funding and $20 million in locally issued bond funds and builds upon two years of project readiness assessments, site planning, and environmental reviews to achieve system-wide improvements. DFSS is partnering with IFF as the Program Administrator for the initiative.

“The Shelter Infrastructure Initiative is a powerful example of how Mayor Johnson's administration is investing in solutions that honor the lives of our unhoused neighbors,” said Sendy Soto, chief homelessness officer for the City of Chicago. “With renewed funding and a focus on best practices, we’re building a city where everyone has the support they need, no matter where they are on their housing journey.”

Beyond this funding opportunity for improvements to existing shelter facilities, DFSS is also working in partnership with the Department of Housing (DOH) to implement its Non-Congregate Shelter Acquisition Program. DOH has allocated $30 million in bond funding to acquire and rehabilitate new non-congregate shelter facilities. The program is transitioning 300+ congregate shelter beds operated by five competitively selected shelters into non-congregate, prioritizing those shelters in greatest need of improved conditions.

The capital improvements DFSS is announcing today span seven neighborhoods across the North, South, and West sides, and serve a wide range of populations, including families with children, unaccompanied youth, adult single women and men, and returning citizens. The following shelters received provisional grant awards through a competitive RFP process:

• St. Leonard’s Ministries – St. Leonard’s House (Near West Side)
• St. Leonard’s Ministries – Grace House (Near West Side)
• Franciscan Outreach – House of Mary and Joseph (East Garfield Park)
• The Inner Voice – Pioneer House (West Garfield Park)
• Covenant House Illinois (East Garfield Park)
• Cornerstone Community Outreach – Sylvia Center (Uptown)
• Olive Branch Mission – Lamplight (West Englewood)

Each of the funded projects aligns with national best practices, offering improved privacy, safety, accessibility. and supportive services. The majority of projects will undergo significant ADA upgrades, fire and life safety improvements, and energy efficiency enhancements. Most projects are leveraging public and philanthropic funding, including TIF support and federal earmarks, to achieve capital improvement goals.

For more information about the Shelter Infrastructure Initiative or to access shelter services, residents can visit www.chicago.gov/dfss or email dfss@cityofchicago.org.

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