The first phase of Chicago Housing Authority's plan to redevelop the landmark Lathrop Homes public housing project received a green light from the Chicago Plan Commission. The approval was granted despite continued questions about developers' commitment to providing affordable housing to former residents displaced by CHA.

The Plan Commission approved the first phase of the project, which would occur north of Diversey Parkway. CHA, with partners Related Midwest, Heartland Housing and Bickerdike Redevelopment, propose to build 1,208 residential units and 50k SF of commercial space. The commercial space is double what was originally planned, according to Curbed.

Opponents of the plan and Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) still want CHA and its partners to answer what will be done about affordable housing allotments with the redevelopment, particularly 500 missing public housing units. Waguespack and affordable housing proponents have called on CHA to enact a one-for-one public housing replacement on the North Side. (Ald. Joe Moreno (1st), who previously promised to block the development without a public housing guarantee, is now on board with the proposal.) There are also concerns about high-rises that are part of the redevelopment, but the Plan Commission determined the density was proper for the area. [Curbed]