Affordable Housing Development

CannonPlaceAs one of the largest and most experienced nonprofit affordable housing developers in the Great Lakes Region, Mercy Housing Lakefront has the ability to handle every aspect of affordable real estate development including project financing, community outreach and planning, construction management, property management, service delivery, and asset management.

We know we can have a greater impact working with other stakeholders in the community. Our development staff regularly seek new development opportunities that align with our expertise, conform with local community needs, and further our mission. We value partners who share our commitment to developing affordable, program-enriched housing. Regardless of the scale and population served, we create each Mercy Housing Lakefront community with an unwavering commitment to dynamic partnerships, creative vision, and extensive community planning.

Mercy Housing Lakefront seeks to develop affordable housing that fits into local community development plans by collaborating with leaders from local organizations and governments, as well as individuals from the communities we serve.

Our properties are designed to be energy efficient and are located near transportation, jobs, and services to reduce the environmental impact on the region. In addition, each development creates jobs and contributes to the economic viability of the community. Mercy Housing Lakefront’s programs are also designed to make a physical and economic impact on the community and a positive social impact for years to come.

Our developments address the critical gap in the supply of affordable housing through preservation and new construction. Thousands of multifamily rental properties are at risk of being lost from the pool of available affordable housing because of expiring public funding. By buying, refinancing, and upgrading those facilities, Mercy Housing can supply more affordable housing opportunities for the long-term while also adding to the stock of affordable housing through new construction.

In 2019, we have a variety of projects in early predevelopment across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Preserving Permanent Supporting Housing in Chicago

Mercy Housing Lakefront has taken on a multi-year initiative to update and preserve its oldest Permanent Supportive Housing in Chicago, serving extremely low-income individuals who have struggled with homelessness, many of whom also have a disability. Many of these buildings were converted from 1920s Single Room Occupancy hotels in the 1990s, and today we’re modernizing these buildings again to ensure the properties will continue to serve Chicago’s most vulnerable residents for decades to come.

Integrated Supportive Housing in Indianapolis

Our first new construction affordable housing communities in Indiana, located in Indianapolis, are now in predevelopment. We’ve partnered with the City of Indianapolis, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, the Indianapolis Housing Authority, as well as other service providers to integrate Permanent Supportive Housing with family affordable housing and ensure this model meets local needs and contributes to state and city plans to increase affordable housing and reduce chronic homelessness.

Featured Property

Greenwich Park Apartments

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mercy Housing Lakefront’s Greenwich Park Apartments in Milwaukee feature a mix of Permanent Supportive Housing, family affordable housing, and market-rate apartments in one of the city’s most amenity-rich neighborhoods. Built in proximity to Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital, the building allows residents of Permanent Supportive Housing to live in a more independent setting with access to nearby healthcare, green spaces, stores, and other amenities, while also receiving on-site services. Family affordable apartments and market-rate apartments offer renters, including employees at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital, the opportunity to live close to work, saving time and money previously spent commuting. Completed in 2016, Greenwich Park Apartments has since become a model for Mercy Housing Lakefront’s integrated supportive housing developments in Indianapolis.