This Week's Chicago Deal Sheet: Johnson Appoints City's First Chief Homelessness Officer
Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Sendy Soto as Chicago's first chief homelessness officer Monday.
In her role, Soto will coordinate across the city's departments and sister agencies to develop a five-year plan to address the homelessness crisis in Chicago.
“I’m proud to welcome Sendy to my administration as we continue to work towards making housing a human right for all Chicagoans,” Johnson said in a press release. “I created this position to ensure that we are collaborating across departments and removing any and all obstacles that prevent people from securing stable housing.”
Soto's appointment coincided with the grand opening of the newly renovated Lawson House, a 406-unit affordable apartment complex in the Gold Coast. The project, which modernized and preserved affordable units in the 200K SF, 24-story apartment complex, cost $128M.
The ground floor includes retail space, apartment amenities and social services for the complex's tenants.
PEOPLE
Avison Young named Rick Jenkins as its chief financial officer. Jenkins is based in the company's Chicago office and will lead its long-term growth strategies. He recently helped lead the company through a financial recapitalization. He first joined the firm in 2016 as global controller.
SALES
Becovic Residential acquired a 27-unit apartment building at 1546 W. Jonquil Terrace for $2M. CBRE’s Justin Ross and Danny Byrne brokered the deal. Becovic is planning extensive improvements and investments to both the interior and exterior of the property.
CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
The Saint Grand opened its doors to its first residents last month. The mixed-use development in Streeterville includes 248 luxury apartments, 45K SF of office space and 8,000 SF of street-level retail. The residential portion of the building has a variety of floor plans, ranging from studios to two-bedroom units.
