A century-old Oak Park hotel is becoming permanent supportive housing, with Housing Forward breaking ground Monday, Aug. 10, in the middle of an already-disrupted Hemingway District corridor.
The Oak Inn project will transform the former Write Inn Hotel through a year-long renovation, converting the 27,000-square-foot building into 60 private rooms for people experiencing homelessness. Each room will include a bathroom, kitchenette and personal storage, with 22 of the 60 fully ADA-accessible, according to Housing Forward.
The ground-floor restaurant will stay open throughout construction.
"We recognized an opportunity to rethink the PADS shelter model by replacing rotating, temporary-style sleeping arrangements with private accommodations that promote safety, healing, and stability," Housing Forward CEO Lynda Schueler said in a statement.
Funding and timeline
Housing Forward leased the property in September 2020 during the pandemic and purchased it in November 2023 with Cook County ARPA funding. The renovation is backed by a mix of public and private sources including the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, state Senate President Don Harmon, House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, the Village of Oak Park, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs and private donors. Housing Forward has not disclosed the total project cost.
The completed facility will house two programs: Interim Housing, which provides private accommodations and support services for people working toward permanent housing, and the RISE Center Medical Respite, a short-term care program for individuals discharged from hospitals, operated with Cook County Health. Together, the programs have served more than 770 people since 2020, with 83% remaining stably housed after leaving.
During construction, current residents will relocate to the West Cook YMCA, where they will continue receiving private accommodations, meals and case management services, according to the joint announcement from Housing Forward and West Cook YMCA CEO Heather Perkins.
Corridor context
The groundbreaking adds a second major construction project to the Hemingway District, where the Village of Oak Park's Renew the Avenue project is already replacing more than 100-year-old water and sewer infrastructure along Oak Park Avenue. That project has brought street closures, parking adjustments and access changes since early 2026. Oak Park Township relocated its services from 105 S. Oak Park Ave. to temporary locations in March because of the disruption, according to township records.
The village and the Hemingway District launched a "Bike to the Biz" promotion to encourage residents to support corridor businesses during Renew the Avenue work, according to the village's weekly report.
Housing Forward describes the renovation as a one-year project but has not announced a specific completion date.
