In Chicago's South Shore, long-plagued by disinvestment, 2 new big projects nearby bring hope and fear

Stevie Early has always wanted to live in South Shore.

"I love this neighborhood. We're so close to the beach. We have the Cultural Center where there's all these wonderful events," she said. 

Early's family had found the perfect place, but then in late 2023 things started to change. The property changed hands and fell into disrepair.  And then their rent rose.

"You're gonna add on top of that another $300. To people, that may not sound like a lot, but multiply $300 by 12. That adds up. That adds up a lot," Early said.

She recently moved by herself into a new apartment back in South Shore, paying less than $1,400 per month – a rent she can afford. So she locked in a two year lease.

"I like it here. Other people like it here. They deserve to stay," she said.

But she's afraid the Obama Presidential Center, which opened this year in neighboring Woodlawn, and the Quantum Computing Center, slated to begin a phased-in opening later this year in South Chicago, will bring not only new investments but also new rent increases in her community.

"It's important for us to be deserving of investment. It's important for us to be deserving of community, of places where community can be community. But that should never come at the expense of getting rid of our community," Early said.

"The fear of displacement is legitimate," said Geoff Smith, executive director for the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University.

His group is out with a new Mapping Displacement Pressure in Chicago analysis.

The study shows South Shore has among the most affordable rents in the Chicago area: 66% of units are priced at $1,250 per month or below. In some parts, as many as 82%.

"There is existing low-income rents there, lower affordable rents there that you can access, so that makes it attractive," he said.

Smith's research found that the combination of low rents and bigger investments are creating pressures for more affordable communities like South Shore.

"When you introduce an employment center like the Quantum Computing Facility that might attract folks and investment, that— so it's a legitimate concern, I think, that this combination of factors can lead to displacement pressures or affordability pressure," he said.

 Dixon Romeo, community activist and executive director of Southside Together, said some tenants are already feeling the pressure.

"We know folks are starting to get those emails, texts, calls and letters from landlords, 'Hey in six months we're gonna have to raise your rent,'" he said.

Southside Together helped pressure the city to put policies in place to protect renters. Last year his work resulted in the Chicago City Council passing the Jackson Park Housing Pilot ordinance.

It calls for 25 city-owned lots to be set aside to build new affordable rental housing, gives tenants an opportunity to buy properties when their landlords want to sell, and mandates that landlords give tenants more notice before evictions.

"You should be able to know what's going on so you can adjust and plan," Romeo said.

His group is also pushing for tax breaks for homeowners, which the South Shore Chamber of Commerce supports.

"We've been here, African Americans, struggling through the disinvestment. It's only fair that they have an opportunity to enjoy this community with all its grandeur," said Tonya Trice, executive director of the chamber.

Not only is the chamber renovating its own headquarters, but it's also leading efforts to renovate the community's business district.

"What we've done is put together a targeted list of properties that have been vacant or underutilized for many, many years. If the property owners are interested in selling, the CDC would like to talk to them. If property owners are in staying in place, we are working with those property owners to identify resources to help them renovate the properties and recruit tenants to go into them," she said.

Ghian Foreman, president of the Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative, agrees South Shore needs more investment from small retailers, major chains and capital investors. His job is to support the chamber's efforts.

"Publicly traded companies have one objective and that's to return shareholders' value. The people in these communities are their customers, right? Ensuring their investment happens in this community does not shrink your profit, it absolutely grows your profit," he said.

"We deserve to stay. We deserve to reap the benefits," said Early.

She wants to stay in South Shore and see what the future brings. She doesn't want to think about possibly being priced out.

"I think I would be devastated. I might cry," she said. "It'd be pretty sad."