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Abundance Agenda ​

81 Missing Middle Homes Greenlit for South Side ​

Wednesday's City Council meeting wasn't all hemp bans and pension drama. Tucked into the proceedings were ordinances approving 27 Missing Middle projects that will bring 81 new medium-density homes to Morgan Park, South Chicago, and Chatham—representing $31 million in total investment.

The initiative, funded through Mayor Johnson's $1.25 billion Housing and Economic Development bond, sells city-owned vacant lots for $1 and provides up to $150,000 per unit in bond funding. Five minority-led development teams will transform empty lots into multi-unit buildings: the kind of two-flats and three-flats that once defined Chicago neighborhoods but became "missing" after decades of disinvestment.

Highlights from the approved projects:

  • Simeon Manor (West Chatham): Four three-flats at 504-514 W. 81st St., creating 12 units ($3.8M project, $1.8M in HED bond assistance)
  • South Chicago: Six two-flats at E. 80th St. and E. 80th Pl., adding 12 units by NHS Redevelopment Corp. and Milhouse Development ($1.8M in HED funds)
  • Morgan Park: Six three-flats at W. 109th Pl. and W. 109th St., bringing 18 units by Superior Source Capital LLC ($6.8M project, $2.7M in HED funds)

This follows the groundbreaking earlier this month on the program's first project in North Lawndale. With the citywide ADU ordinance taking effect April 1, Chicago is making meaningful strides toward housing abundance—even as debates over the budget and other matters dominate headlines.

Vegan Food ​

Bloom Plant Based Kitchen to Close February 21 ​

Another loss for Chicago's plant-based dining scene: Bloom Plant Based Kitchen will close permanently on February 21. The 100% vegan and gluten-free restaurant on North Milwaukee Avenue, known for its creative presentations and Instagram-worthy dishes, joins the wave of closures we reported on earlier this week.

A silver lining: the restaurant announced plans to return "soon" with a new vegan concept.

Meanwhile, the surviving stalwarts carry on. The Chicago Diner's Lakeview location remains open as it has since 1983, and Yelp's January 2026 rankings show a healthy roster of vegan spots still operating: Penelope's Vegan Taqueria, Handlebar, The Black Vegan, and Kale My Name among them.

A reminder that the Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy typically meets in early February—we'll keep watch for any lead, sustainability, or wildlife items on the agenda. And the rat contraceptive pilot in Lincoln Park continues its data collection through summer.