ABLA Brooks Homes flooding fix: up to $12 million in TIF for new sewers and water lines

ABLA Brooks Homes, the public housing site on the Near West Side where residents' parking lots still flood, is getting up to $12 million in City TIF money for new sewers, water lines and pavement. The Chicago City Council voted 50 to 0 on Sept. 23 to approve an intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Housing Authority, SO2026-0027235, for the work at 1300–1400 W. 13th St., 1300–1400 W. 14th St. and 1300–1400 W. Hastings St. The Committee on Finance had recommended it the day before.

What is being fixed?

Jeffrey Cohen, managing deputy commissioner in the Department of Planning and Development, presented the agreement to the Finance Committee on Sept. 22.

"to provide tax increment financing for sewer and water infrastructure improvements to mitigate flooding, and streetscape and roadway improvements to enhance accessibility and deteriorated conditions"

Cohen said ABLA is a historic CHA site named for the four developments that made it up: the Grace Abbott Homes, the Robert Brooks Homes, Loomis Courts and the Jane Addams Homes. The full rehabilitation of the site is broken into eight phases, covering 44 buildings with 330 apartments, a community plaza, 11 parking lots and a community center. This piece pays for the infrastructure needed to finish the parking lots and the plaza before the next rounds of apartment rehab begin.

"The general scope is to replace the aging site's sewer and water infrastructure, which includes storm sanitary sewers and water supply lines, and meet COC stormwater requirements."

The parking lots would get permeable pavers, walkways would be upgraded and ADA access improved. Cohen said the new water supply lines would also remove any risk of lead from the old pipes. The work was expected to start in September 2026 and take 12 months.

Where does the $12 million come from?

The money comes from the Roosevelt/Racine TIF district, which Cohen said is 98 percent in the 28th Ward. According to our summary of the ordinance, the City may pay or reimburse CHA up to $12 million for part of the project's eligible costs. Cohen described the request as $6 million on top of a previously approved $6 million, for a total of $12 million funded through the TIF district, with CHA paying the related soft costs. CHA is named the developer, and the Commissioner of Planning and Development may negotiate and sign the agreement.

TIF money is the growth in property tax revenue inside a district's boundaries, set aside for projects there, so this does not come from the City's general budget.

Who decided the costs, and who does the work?

Ald. Raymond A. Lopez (15th Ward) asked about the line-item cost estimates in the agreement's exhibit.

"How is that determined, and who's doing that work?"

Leonard Langston, CHA's chief property officer, answered.

"Alderman, we've hired Millhouse Consulting. They have been the architect on this job. They've assessed and identified and provided cost estimates for all the work that needs to be completed."

Langston said CHA is in the final stages of procurement and would name the contractor after its board acts in November.

What did the alderperson say?

Ald. Jason C. Ervin (28th Ward), whose ward holds the site and who supports the project, said the infrastructure is a critical part of a larger Brooks Homes redevelopment he put at about $45 million, partly funded from other sources.

"if you've been to Brooks Homes and seen the conditions in Brooks Homes, this is long overdue and much needed. The parking lots over there are still flooded."

Ervin said the money covers not only the streets but also the green space on the site, and asked the committee for a favorable vote.

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How did the vote go?

The committee accepted a substitute ordinance and then recommended it on a voice vote with no opposition, on a motion by Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward). At the Council on Sept. 23, it passed 50 to 0 without debate as part of the Finance Committee's report.

Yea Nay

1Daniel La Spata: Yea2Brian Hopkins: Yea3Pat Dowell: Yea4Lamont J. Robinson: Yea5Desmon C. Yancy: Yea6William E. Hall: Yea7Gregory I. Mitchell: Yea8Michelle A. Harris: Yea9Anthony Beale: Yea10Peter Chico: Yea11Nicole T. Lee: Yea12Julia M. Ramirez: Yea13Marty Quinn: Yea14Jeylú B. Gutiérrez: Yea15Raymond A. Lopez: Yea16Stephanie D. Coleman: Yea17David H. Moore: Yea18Derrick G. Curtis: Yea19Matthew J. O'Shea: Yea20Jeanette B. Taylor: Yea21Ronnie L. Mosley: Yea22Michael D. Rodriguez: Yea23Silvana Tabares: Yea24Monique L. Scott: Yea25Byron Sigcho-López: Yea26Jessica L. Fuentes: Yea27Walter R. Burnett: Yea28Jason C. Ervin: Yea29Chris Taliaferro: Yea30Ruth Cruz: Yea31Felix Cardona Jr.: Yea32Scott Waguespack: Yea33Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez: Yea34William Conway: Yea35Anthony J. Quezada: Yea36Gilbert Villegas: Yea37Emma Mitts: Yea38Nicholas Sposato: Yea39Samantha Nugent: Yea40Andre Vasquez Jr.: Yea41Anthony V. Napolitano: Yea42Brendan Reilly: Yea43Timothy R. Knudsen: Yea44Bennett R. Lawson: Yea45James M. Gardiner: Yea46Angela Clay: Yea47Matthew J. Martin: Yea48Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth: Yea49Maria E. Hadden: Yea50Debra L. Silverstein: Yea

SO2026-0027235: the roll call, the timeline and the documents

What it means on your block

For the residents of Brooks Homes and their neighbors on 13th, 14th and Hastings, the change is a year of construction, starting as soon as fall 2026, that replaces the storm and sanitary sewers and water supply lines under the site, repaves the parking lots with pavers that let rain soak through, and rebuilds the walkways to ADA standards. Cohen said the result would eliminate flooding in the housing and parking complex. The work comes before the next phases of apartment rehab, so it is the groundwork for the rest of the 44-building plan. Residents will not see the contractor named until CHA's board meets in November.