Near North Side

Chicago's Near North side, bounded by North Avenue to Chicago Avenue and Wells Street to Halsted, has witnessed dramatic change in recent years as the Chicago Housing Authority's Cabrini-Green project was demolished and replaced with mixed income housing.

The neighborhood, in the shadow of the Gold Coast, has long been home to people of modest means who now are fighting for real estate turf at a time of rapidly changing economic conditions.

The Near North Unity Program (NNUP) was formed in November 2010 to promote and strengthen community cohesion in Chicago’s Near North community and to connect existing sub-communities into a resilient neighborhood by building upon local strengths through planning, organizing and human development.

Learn more about the neighborhood, and NNUP, on the Near North portal.

Population

Population (2010)	86,204	up 18% from 2000
Racial/ethnic makeup (2010)	73% white, 10% African American, 8% Asian, 4% Latino

Housing

Total occupied units (2010)	52,670	up 15% from 2000
Owner occupied units (2010)	24,047	up 27% from 2000

Income

Median household income (2010)	$72,471	up 18% from 2000
Percentage above $50,000 (2010)	63%	46% above $75,000

LISC’s Quality-of-Life Planning Bettering Neighborhoods throughout Chicago: Justin Breen, Jan 8, 2018; In its third decade, LISC’s Quality-of-Life Planning (QLP) is bringing equitable change to neighborhoods throughout Chicago.
Data Processing: Know Your Neighborhood: Carl Vogel, Oct 29, 2015; LISC is helping community organizations get a grip on municipal data to make the case for what their neighborhoods need.
Near North Has a Plan of Its Own, Thank You: John McCarron, Mar 26, 2015; Plans issued from on-high have shaped, and mis-shaped, Chicago’s Near North neighborhood for over a half century. But now there’s a new plan, one guided by folks who actually live there.
Neighborhoods Beckon with Summer Activities: Maria Hernandez, Jun 25, 2014; Basketball, jazz and family play bring people together and build community in safe, healthy environments
Near North Unity Soars … For Now: John McCarron, Nov 7, 2013; Public housing tenants and condo owners are finding common ground at NNUP.
Moving Closer to Unity in Near North: John McCarron, Nov 6, 2012; It's still sometimes edgy, but disparate voices in the former Cabrini Green neighborhood are gradually finding common ground
Near North Portal Aims to coNNect: John McCarron, May 29, 2012; "Common space in cyberspace" went live in mid-April
Closing a Condo-Cabrini Chasm: John McCarron, Nov 29, 2011; Near North condo owners and CHA tenants get real about building a viable mixed-income community--and that means putting some underlying tensions on the table.
What They're Saying: John McCarron, Nov 29, 2011; Owners, tenants and stakeholders talk about how best to pull together their Near North neighborhood
From Learn-and-Earn to Slam-and-Jam: John McCarron, Aug 31, 2011; Summer program keeps Near North youths busy, happy, willing and able to cross old boundaries
Near North Residents Groove to Seward Park Jazz Festival: Brent Michel, Jul 26, 2011; More than 400 residents gathered at the Near North Side park on Elm Street for the second of five outdoor concerts in a free, summer-long Jazz Fest.
Bridge-Building on Division Street: John McCarron, Jul 14, 2011; For as long as anyone can remember, East has not met West on Chicago’s Near North Side. Now comes the Near North Unity Program.
Hundreds Hit the Courts for Hoops in the Hood: Sep 15, 2010; The 2010 Hoops in the Hood Cross-City Tournament winners for the Major Division from East Garfield also won a victory for their neighborhood, for the spirit of teamwork, and for safe streets.