Setting a New Standard for Sustainable Affordable Housing
In Maywood, Illinois, years of resistance to affordable housing had left many families without options for safe, dignified residences. The Fifth Avenue Apartments broke that cycle, bringing 72 units of high-quality, affordable housing to a historically underserved neighborhood just outside Chicago. Designed by HED, the project responds to the needs of lower-income working families and individuals, while also reserving units for special populations, including homeless veterans.
The five-story building offers a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for households earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), with some units available for those as low as 30 percent AMI. Nineteen apartments are reserved for special needs residents, including eight specifically for veterans and 11 offered through the Illinois State Referral Network. In addition to living spaces, the development provides interior and exterior community amenities that foster social connection and stability.
The ground floor extends the building’s mission of community impact by including 4,000 square feet of retail space. Planned as a grocery store, this addition will address a long-standing lack of food access in the neighborhood, underscoring the project’s role as a community anchor.
Sustainability was equally central to the project. Fifth Avenue Apartments participated as a national pilot for the Living Building Challenge (LBC) Affordable Housing Program, testing strategies for creating healthier and more resilient affordable housing while maintaining financial feasibility. As part of this effort, HED developed an internal methodology for vetting materials against the LBC Red List, reducing reliance on vinyl and advocating for safer, more recyclable products.
On the energy side, the project reflects a shift from fossil fuel–based systems toward resilient, all-electric infrastructure. The apartments are 95 percent electric, supported by high-efficiency mechanical systems integrated with the building envelope. A 24-kilowatt photovoltaic array offsets energy use, further reducing the building’s environmental footprint and lowering utility costs for residents.
The response from the community underscored the profound demand for affordable, sustainable housing. When leasing began, the development received more than 3,000 letters of interest and 1,700 applications for just 72 units. Within months, the building was fully occupied, providing stable, dignified homes in a community that had long lacked such opportunities.
“Interfaith and HED have done an incredible job of bringing this building to life quickly, and we are grateful to have them as our partner helping to fulfill this critical community need.”
Widely recognized for its impact, Fifth Avenue Apartments received the 2022 Chicago Building Congress Merit Award in the Residential/Hospitality category and the 2022 Illinois Real Estate Journal Project Award in Affordable Housing.
By uniting affordability, sustainability, and community benefit, Fifth Avenue Apartments demonstrates how design can play a pivotal role in addressing the national housing shortage. It provides not just shelter, but healthier living conditions, stronger neighborhood connections, and a model for the future of affordable housing.
