Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Housing Authority celebrate the grand opening of the transformative Edith Spurlock Sampson and Sheffield Residences

Mayor Brandon Johnson today joined Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) leadership, 43rd Ward Ald. Timothy Knudsen, Co-Developer PIRHL and the Illinois Housing Development Authority to celebrate the completion of extensive renovations at the Edith Spurlock Sampson senior apartments and the grand opening of the new Sheffield Residences. Together, Edith Spurlock Sampson and the Sheffield Residences are a mixed-income, affordable, multi-generational, transit-oriented development providing 485 apartments in the heart of Lincoln Park. 

“The redevelopment of the Edith Spurlock Sampson senior apartments and the completion of the new Sheffield Residences represent a major step forward in our collective commitment to fostering multi-generational and mixed-income housing," said City of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “With this $168 million investment, we are preserving affordable housing for seniors, expanding opportunities for families and making significant steps to ensure Chicago remains a city where affordable housing broadens opportunities.”

Edith Spurlock Sampson Apartments is composed of two senior buildings that have been a vital part of the Lincoln Park community since the late 1960s. The 394 existing apartments were extensively renovated and an additional 11 new senior apartments were added on an under-utilized parking lot at the site. All apartments received new kitchens and baths, as well as new plumbing and air conditioning, elevator improvements, modern lighting and more. 

The Sheffield Residences is a new six-story building featuring 80 family apartments. It is positioned parallel to the Edith Spurlock Sampson apartments with a connecting pedestrian bridge linking all three structures. In addition to the apartments, it includes a community hub with a large activity/dining room for the Golden Diner senior meal program as well as gathering areas for residents. 

The entire property is a designated Transit-Oriented-Development site, offering residents convenient walkable access to medical offices, grocery stores, retail shops and parks. 

"Having leadership from the City of Chicago and CHA, come together with developer partners, residents and the community to celebrate this achievement underscores the power of collaboration," said Angela Hurlock, CHA Interim CEO. 

"These mixed-income, multi-generational apartments will serve as an anchor for the community, allowing seniors, families, and professionals of all kinds – all of whom are part of the fabric of our city – to find affordable homes near jobs, schools, and civic resources,” said Kristin Faust, Illinois Housing Development Authority Executive Director. “We are proud to have supported this transformative development and are committed to continuing this work in Chicago and across the entire state.”

“The development is truly unique - a first of its kind. We hope it can serve as a flagship model for senior and family housing throughout the city,” said Johana Casanova, Senior Vice President of Development, PIRHL, co-developer on the project. “With each floor completed, residents were eagerly waiting to move back into their new homes. There is genuine excitement from the residents because the space was redeveloped with their needs at the forefront.” 

The opening of the Edith Spurlock Sampson/Sheffield Residences marks the final of three ribbon-cuttings for CHA housing this month, following Encuentro Square on Feb. 15 and the Canvas at Leland Plaza on Feb. 26. These events highlight the agency’s ongoing commitment to creating new housing opportunities in communities across Chicago. 

Mayor and CHA Announce Key Updates on Agency Progress

During the event, Mayor Johnson, CHA Interim CEO Angela Hurlock, and CHA Interim Board Chairman Matthew Brewer also announced timely CHA-related updates. The agency is at a moment of transition and undertaking key steps to reprioritize resident and community engagement and collaboration as it renews itself for the future. 

“Under my administration, the Chicago Housing Authority is beginning to address its past challenges around lack of transparency and accountability head-on. In this moment, CHA must ensure that its residents—and the entire city—have renewed confidence in the agency,” said City of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “A shift like this does not happen overnight, but I am encouraged by the spirit of collaboration and energy that are happening in this moment.” 

As Chicago’s largest rental landlord and third-largest public housing authority in the U.S., CHA plays a critical role in expanding access to affordable housing. With an estimated shortage of nearly 120,000 affordable rental units in Chicago as of 2023, according to DePaul University's Institute of Housing Studies, the demand continues to grow. Amid escalating housing pressures, sweeping national political changes, post-pandemic economic shifts and a pivotal moment of organizational change, CHA faces both an urgent need and a powerful opportunity to define its future. 

“We are considering 2025 to be CHA’s ‘Year of Renewal,’” said Angela Hurlock, CHA Interim CEO. “This year is all about being intentional and inclusive as we amplify key stakeholder voices and begin to rebuild trust through openness, collaboration and long-term strategic planning.”

Key 2025 initiatives include: 

• Inclusive CEO Search Committee: CHA has formed a diverse and inclusive Search Committee to guide the selection of its next Chief Executive Officer. The committee includes CHA resident leaders, government partners, and Board members. The job will be publicly listed shortly, with the new CEO is expected to be named in mid-2025.
• Enhancing Resident Engagement: CHA is launching a survey of all residents and program participants to assess satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. The feedback will be used to shape policies and programs and to foster operational excellence. The resident survey will launch this spring and builds on a comprehensive CHA employee survey conducted at the end of 2024.
• Greater Collaboration with the City of Chicago: CHA is expanding its collaboration with the City of Chicago, playing a critical role in the development of the Department of Housing’s 5-year Housing Plan and other strategic partnerships.
• Establishing a Strategic Vision: CHA will initiate a comprehensive long-term strategic planning process, aligning the launch of the process with the arrival of its new CEO. The process will begin by the end of 2025.
• Reorganizing for Accountability: CHA is implementing organizational changes to its Property and Asset Management team to foster increased accountability, including adding a new division of Healthy Homes to proactively address environmental issues related to it housing. CHA also issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for new Private Property Management firms this month. This new RFP includes smaller packages of units, allowing CHA to work with more local and community-based organizations and exercise greater oversight of its contractors.

Together, these actions reflect CHA’s renewed commitment to reducing barriers, enhancing responsiveness and ensuring the needs of the 135,000 people it serves across all 77 Chicago neighborhoods are effectively and equitably met. 

“CHA is entering a new phase of renewed energy and purpose. Over the last year, we’ve delivered hundreds of new homes for residents, created a customer experience team, and launched a revamped website and waitlist portal to improve services. With these achievements as our foundation, we are committing building a stronger, more transparent future” said Matthew Brewer, CHA’s Interim Board Chairman. “In 2025, leadership, staff and the Board of Commissioners will deepen our partnerships with residents, property managers, advocates, and policymakers to advance our mission of providing safe, affordable housing and empowering residents to thrive.” 

CHA committed to providing quarterly updates on these efforts – and more – throughout the year. “Providing regular, accurate updates to our partners and residents reflects CHA’s commitment to transparency, accountability and our mission,” said Hurlock.

For more information on CHA projects and initiatives, visit CHA’s newly redesigned website, which includes a new centralized Data and Impact Hub to make more critical information publicly accessible on an ongoing basis.  

About the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA): CHA is the third largest public housing authority in the nation and the largest single owner of rental housing in Chicago. Through its public housing and voucher programs, CHA serves 135,000 people in 65,000 households across all 77 of Chicago’s community areas. CHA’s mission is to create and sustain strong communities where seniors thrive and everyone can unlock their economic power, ensuring that every neighborhood in Chicago has quality affordable housing and everyone feels welcome. For more information, visit www.thecha.org.