# La Casa Norte Groundbreaking 8.12.26

- Date: August 12, 2026
- Type: Video
- Length: 28:53
- Topic: Openings and groundbreakings
- Video: [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYZUSzH5h8o)
- Transcript: Machine transcription, 3,880 words ([text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/youtube/GYZUSzH5h8o.txt))
- Mayor: [Brandon Johnson](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor)

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=0) Project introduction
- [3:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=216) Facility and vision overview
- [5:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=331) Address by Alderperson
- [8:38](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=518) Remarks from the Mayor
- [14:04](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=844) Housing department insights
- [18:27](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1107) Support services commitment
- [24:51](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1491) Resident perspective

## Description

Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the La Casa Norte Groundbreaking.

## Transcript

[1:20](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=80) So today we break ground on La Casa Norte's North Hotel Youth Non-Congregate Shelter. To our partners at the Department of Family and Support Services and Department of Housing and the state's DCEO, thank you for believing in this project and for your commitment to reimagining how we shelter young people. To Mayor Brandon Johnson, Alderperson Jesse Fuentes, Senator Omar Aquino, thank you for showing up for using your power and for never forgetting the young people we serve

[1:53](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=113) thank you i also want to thank our funders night impact partners schreiber philanthropy and the dedicated la casa norte team who transformed this project from an idea into a reality everyone in this room has been essential at this moment and for this project when the pandemic disrupted our lives and communities, we learned that crisis can either trap us in our old ways or open our eyes up to new opportunities. We saw it firsthand as we modified our own

[2:29](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=149) model and as the city and municipalities began housing people in empty hotel rooms where everyone had their own room and access to real support without judgment, all in one centralized location. Folks had the space to heal, to plan, they found hope and were able to achieve stability much quicker. That's the model that we're building here. The North Hotel is being transformed into a 40-bed youth non-congregate shelter where every unhoused

[3:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=180) young person gets their own room, an ensuite bathroom, and an opportunity to be able to heal. Our team will work alongside them, helping them transition from crisis to stability and help them build the confidence and skills they need to thrive. And we already know this works. This spring, we moved in our first 12 young people into the non-congregate shelter. Three have already transitioned to stable housing, and the rest are on their way. Congratulations to them.

[3:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=216) Now, some of the young people are in this room today, and they'll tell you the difference between a traditional shelter and a space where you have your own room and your own chance to dream about your future. This floor is going to be the heart of this place. It would include a drop-in center where young people from this community, not just our residents, can walk in and find comprehensive case management and housing support services. They can access housing assessments, therapy, workforce development, and career support. We're building an industrial kitchen and community cafe right here where staff can cook together,

[4:12](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=252) share meals, and build life skills they need to live independently. We're also going to have two ADA-compliant units right around this wall, follow right over here. And it's great because, you know, right now in our current shelters, we don't have any ADA-compliant spaces, so this is going to be a wonderful addition to the work that we're doing. We could not have built this without the leaders who believe in the potential of the youth in our city, leaders who understand that young people and community need support. I certainly can tell you personally that I would have loved to have a space like this

[4:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=287) when I was a young person, when I was experiencing homelessness as a young man. So I'm so proud, and I'm deeply proud, to be building this beautiful space where every young person who walks through these doors knows that they are valued and recognized for their full potential. This is our blueprint, and we're hoping to bring this model to communities across Chicago to support the more than 15,000 youth in the city of Chicago who are experiencing homelessness. And I'd like to welcome now someone who champions housing and justice and creates opportunity for youth.

[5:19](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=319) So everyone, please give it up for Alderperson Jesse Fuentes. I want to thank you all for being here on such an important day. You know, I didn't spend my childhood housing secure. In fact, I spent a lot of my childhood doubled up or sometimes tripled up. And before becoming an elected, I spent 10 years in education. And I can tell you the driving factor for young people

[5:53](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=353) not being able to focus or to prioritize their learnings was because they didn't have a roof over their head the night before. They didn't have a hot meal that they can count on or their own key to open the door. And today, 40 young people have a key. They have a bed. They have a roof over their head, and for the first time, they're not worried about the rug being ripped from underneath their feet, or the roof over their head not being secured because La Casa Norte has ensured

[6:23](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=383) that this community serves our young people. I want to thank the Department of Housing for assisting us in the financing for the acquisition of this building and putting forward the dollars that was needed to get this building up to code so that young people could live here with dignity and respect. I want to thank the Department of Family and Support Services for the grant dollars that are required to make sure that we are providing the wraparound services that our young people deserve. Everything from mental health services to workforce services, all young people deserve

[6:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=416) to have the ability to dream. And often, homelessness strips that away from you. It strips away your ability to think about the day ahead, let alone the next 10 years of your future. This building is going to be the difference between young people being able to think about their career and setting forth the goals that are necessary to achieve them and just trying to find a meal. And we have a responsibility as local electeds

[7:28](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=448) to make sure that we are serving the most vulnerable, that our young people aren't put in situations in which they have to worry about their own safety because local government and communities should be showing up for them. La Casa Norte isn't just, you know, the north home. La Casa Norte has become the north star for this community. And I'm extremely proud to represent the 26th Ward where we prioritize housing folks,

[8:03](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=483) where partners like Jose Munoz show up and show out for the neighbors that need us the most. But honestly, projects like this would be extremely impossible if it were not for my partner on the fifth floor, an executive that believes that when government has the resources, that the resources need to be directed to the places that need them the most. So please help me welcome our mayor, Mayor Brandon Johnson.

[8:38](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=518) Thank you so much. Let's give it up one more time for the Order of the 26th Ward, Jesse Quintus. Thank you for that introduction. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. I am proud to be here and break ground on La Casa Norte's latest project to shelter our unhoused neighbors and particularly our young people. This investment is our city's shelter system that is especially relevant and important for a community like Humboldt Park,

[9:09](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=549) a neighborhood where gentrification and displacement have increased housing pressures for longtime residents and are most vulnerable amongst us, particularly our young people. I do want to thank La Casa Norte CEO, Jose Munoz. God bless you, brother, and thank you for staying and keeping the course. And, you know, Jose, you have such an amazing team around you.

[9:40](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=580) Every single person that I met who's a part of this organization, this operation, and this investment. demonstrate and exude the same level of love and care and compassion that you have displayed. The enduring commitment to respond to our unhoused neighbors and the extraordinary impact that you're having on our city is generational. My administration is incredibly proud and humbled to partner with you

[10:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=611) on the North Hotel Construction Project as well as other efforts to empower young people who are experiencing homelessness. La Casa Norte is leading the way on this shelter project, delivering 40 non-congregate shelter beds for individuals between the ages of 18 and 24. And out of our commitment to expanding our shelter capacity and supporting unhoused Chicagoans, My administration helped to ensure that this project will come to fruition by issuing $4.9 million in financial support

[10:45](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=645) through the Department of Housing Chicago Neighborhood Recovery Program. And born out of the 4.09, Jose was like, man, we just got some extra money there. Let me clear that up real quick. 4.09 million. We're going to save some of that for the other neighborhood. But born out of the pandemic, Chicago Neighborhood Recovery Program enables my administration to revitalize our neighborhoods

[11:18](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=678) by marshaling private and public resources into investments into home ownership and responding to the vacancy that exists in our city. This project is deeply meaningful to the young people in our city who are seeking stability, dignity, opportunity to build a future of their own. to every young person that is here today. You deserve to feel safe. You deserve to be able to plan for your future. You deserve to be able to build a life in the city of Chicago

[11:48](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=708) that's rooted in stability and opportunity. And as long as I'm mayor, you will always be seen, valued, supported, and invested in because that's how much you matter to me and to this great city that is raising you. Because young people experiencing homelessness need more than just a roof over their head. They need supportive services, trusted community partners, and a city government that is willing to meet them where they are and not judge them.

[12:20](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=740) When completed, this project will provide private accommodations as well as unsite supportive services that are designed to help residents find long-term stability. The North Hotel Project advances a shelter model rooted in privacy and dignity, healing, and long-term stability. Providing housing opportunities and building affordable housing is how we achieve a safer, more affordable Chicago that everyone can thrive in. The work must continue. There are too many unhoused Chicagoans and young people throughout our communities in need of stability, support, and opportunity.

[12:52](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=772) My administration continues our investments in housing and community revitalization through our Build Better Together program and our signature $1.25 billion housing and economic development bond, which is the largest investment in the history of Chicago. And furthermore, through my administration's five-year blueprint on homelessness, we issued a guide for the city and our partners to align on delivering services and resources to residents experiencing homelessness and measuring our progress in reducing homelessness across our beloved city.

[13:23](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=803) Today's groundbreaking is a step forward in our journey to ensure that every resident has a safe, stable, and healthy place to live. And finally, in closing, I do want to thank again La Casa Norte for their leadership and commitment to our communities. But I really want to give a special thanks and appreciation to the alder of this ward, Alder Jesse Fuentes. You're going to hear from our commissioners in just a moment, Commissioner Castaneda and Green, for their leadership and collaboration. I do look forward to the work that's ahead of us, and to all the residents of this new space, welcome home.

[13:57](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=837) Welcome home. Please welcome to the podium the Commissioner of the Department of Housing. I think you all know her quite well, Lissette Castaneda. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. As has been said, I am Lissette Castaneda, and I am the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Housing. I am so proud to stand today alongside La Casa Norte and all the partners who have made this moment possible.

[14:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=870) Today is about more than breaking the ground.

[15:09](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=909) It can mean community, and for a young person in particular, it can mean having to navigate some of the most important years of their life without the support that every young person deserves. That is what makes the work of La Casa Norte so important. This project will also add 40 non-congregate shelter beds, creating more places where people can live with privacy and dignity. And through the agreement behind this investment, this property will remain dedicated to being a shelter, permanent supportive housing, or affordable housing for at least 30 years and many more years beyond that.

[15:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=947) That matters here in Humboldt Park. This is a community that has experienced tremendous development, but also tremendous pressure from gentrification and displacement. And the development should never mean that people who have built a neighborhood no longer have a place within it. Our job is to make investments that anchor people here, investments that make neighborhoods stronger without pushing residents out, investments that tell young Chicagoans that no matter what they are experiencing today, there is still a place for them in the future of this city.

[16:22](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=982) The city has been proud to make this investment possible. I don't know if folks know this, but in order to be able to open a shelter, you have to go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. And that is a really intense process. And after we made it through the process, I went downstairs, I went to go see Jose, and I said, you know, congratulations, and it's really incredible that you turned out these young people who were so strong in defending what they knew was right in that moment.

[16:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1014) And what Jose told me is that they actually did not organize the young people to do that. They were going to do this, and everyone was aware of it, but that the young folks came out and defended themselves without anyone having to tell them that. So to the young people who stood there that day at the Zoning Board of Appeals and dared anyone to look at them and not know and not be clear that they were worthy of dignity and safety after sharing their stories, you are incredible, and thank you.

[17:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1050) There were also some incredible community members and neighbors that came out that day and talked about the importance of this work. Thank you also. I want to thank La Casa Norte for continuing to be a place for young people across Chicago. I want to thank my team at the Department of Housing for their relentless work to get us here today. I want to thank Alderperson Fuentes for also never giving up, always being on board, and always understanding how important it is to have housing at every part of the housing spectrum.

[18:01](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1081) And, of course, I want to thank Mayor Johnson for continuing to make housing dignity and opportunity central to his vision for our city. We are not simply building out a first floor. We are building somewhere to turn, somewhere to belong, and somewhere to begin again. Congratulations to La Casa Norte and all the youth, and thank you. It is my honor to introduce my great partner in this work, Commissioner Angela Green of the Department of Family and Support Services.

[18:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1114) Good morning, everyone. Good morning. And thank you, Commissioner Castaneda. She is definitely a partner in the good work with me. Thank you for that introduction. Once again, my name is Angela Green, and it is definitely an honor to serve as the Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, which includes the Homeless Services Division responsible for homeless outreach and prevention, as well as funding and overseeing the city's network of shelter programs.

[19:08](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1148) Today's groundbreaking means a great deal to all of us at DFSS because it represents more than just a construction project. It represents an investment in people, in possibility, and in the future of young Chicagoans experiencing homelessness. The City of Chicago is committed to making our shelter system more accessible while expanding high quality supportive programming for young people experiencing homelessness. Every young person deserves a safe place to stay and a sense of belonging and the opportunity

[19:46](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1186) to envision and build a future beyond homelessness. That is why I am truly honored to stand with you today as we celebrate this important milestone at La Casa Norte and officially break ground. Through this project, La Casa Norte is creating safe, welcoming, and dignified space specifically designed to meet the needs of youth experiencing homelessness. This new shelter will provide more than a roof over one's head.

[20:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1216) It will create a foundation for stability, connection, and hope. DFSS is proud to have partnered with the Chicago Department of Housing and La Casa Norte throughout the planning, site selection, and acquisition of this facility. We are excited about the renovations that will improve accessibility and bring comprehensive supportive services to the young people who will call this place home. Throughout the planning process, we have drawn on our operational experience and national best practices to help ensure this newly acquired and modernized space

[20:53](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1253) meets the needs of both sheltered residents and staff. And that is really what this project represents. What is possible when we listen to the needs of Chicagoans and come together with purpose? It is a collaboration in action. and a commitment to building a shelter system that is more accessible, responsive, and compassionate. So as we celebrate this new site, I also want to remind residents that anyone who is in need of housing services or homeless services, you're not alone.

[21:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1290) If you or somebody you know needs a shelter, support, or other resources, please call 311 so that you can be connected to available services and assistance. And I definitely want to thank Jesse Fuentes, our alder here, as well as Mayor Johnson and the Mayor's Office Director of Homelessness, Jonah Anderson, for continuing to champion people experiencing homelessness and for their steadfast support of this project at La Corsa Norte,

[22:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1320) as well as many other improvements that are underway through the city's broader shelter infrastructure initiative. The Johnson administration understands that this is an imperative, that we increase our investment in our city's shelter systems, whose facilities and staff ensure day in and day out that individuals facing homelessness receive safety, care, and compassion as they deserve and need on their journey toward permanent housing.

[22:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1350) And I want to extend a tremendous thank you to our colleagues at the Department of Housing, particularly, as I said, my partner in the good work, Commissioner Castaneda, and her team who are making these improvements to La Casa Norte a reality and truly changing lives through their dedicated attention and support to our city's shelter system. And to La Casa Norte, we are proud of our longstanding partnership and excited to celebrate this milestone with you, and most importantly, for the young people you serve.

[23:05](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1385) Thank you for your tireless commitment to meeting people where they are, responding to their needs, and creating pathways towards a brighter future. Thank you. And I have to give it up for the DFSS staff, especially our homeless services team, particularly our managing deputy commissioner, Andrea Chapman, in the audience, as well as Amy Cornell. Yep, give it up for them.

[23:37](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1417) I want to thank you for your time, your energy, your passion, your dedication, your problem-solving, and the help that you are constantly bringing to the table every day that makes a day like this important. So thank you. I also want to recognize our partners with IFF who are working with our department on many different shelter and renovation projects across the city. We truly could not do this work without your support, expertise, and guidance. We are grateful for the leadership and partnership of everyone, of each one of you, that brought together for this to be happening on today and this to bring a reality for La Casa Norte.

[24:14](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1454) So because of that, I really want to say thank you. And just know that all Chicagoans. They deserve a safe and dignified place to stay. They deserve access to resources that they need and the opportunity to move toward a more stable future. So today we are taking another important step toward making that vision a reality for young people experiencing homelessness. So thank you so much for all the support and for being a part of this work.

[24:45](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1485) Thank you. And with that, it is now my pleasure to introduce one of the residents here, Here's La Casa Norte, Ms. Roslyn. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. My name is Roslyn. I'm 22, and I'm a student and resident of the North Hotel. I've been a client of La Casa Norte for about a year,

[25:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1515) and I moved into the North Hotel at the start of this summer. When I had family issues and I found myself with nowhere to go, someone I knew connected me to resources and told me about La Casa Norte. I went to their self-site shelter in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Then I began participating in some of the programming they offered, workforce development, dance and art therapy, and traditional therapy. I then moved into one of their northwest site shelters not too far from here. I got support with college applications and felt really supported by the team at La Costa Norte.

[25:50](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1550) Some of them even helped me move into a dorm room early this year. I got a scholarship from the school I attended, but fortunately, it didn't cover housing and there weren't support services for unhoused youth. Luckily, La Casa Norte was there for me. They helped me explore other schools, and I found one that is supporting me more holistically on my path to obtaining my bachelor's degree. La Casa Norte was able to provide me shelter here at the North Hotel until I can secure housing of my own. This is a place where I have my own room.

[26:22](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1582) I feel safe and comfortable. I trust the staff and can easily communicate my needs and concerns. I've gotten to know more youth and build community. We gather for game nights and to watch movies. We even have meet and greets to get to know new residents. One of the biggest benefits is having my own microwave and refrigerator where I can store food that I choose. Another is how easily connected the North Hotel is to public transportation. That makes a big difference. I'm excited to see the transformation of this space having a drop-in center more staff and

[26:58](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1618) offering therapy here will all be incredible resources for youth living here and in the community for young adults like me it's just nice to have a space to meet and talk thank you for everyone who is supporting our North Hotel shelter I hope you will continue to support La Casa Norte and the incredible team dedicated to supporting youth all right well thank you

[27:32](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o?t=1652) everyone again for being here and for being a part of this special moment that we've all been looking forward to. I'm going to ask folks to, in the front row, if you can move over to the side because we're about to start our groundbreaking in true La Casa Norte form. We don't just talk about the work, we do the work. So the folks that are here today are going to help us break down this first wall here. So please.

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/GYZUSzH5h8o · Chicago Politics, an independent tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt