Grace Street Renovation Lab at Kiser Group's Mid-Market Summit

Nick Serra joined fellow developer Gabe Horstick and Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Director of Housing Solutions, Olivia Ortega, to discuss missing middle housing. Together they highlighted the unique challenges facing these projects which are crucial to Chicago’s landscape.

The Topic for 2026: The Missing Middle

The “Missing Middle” highlights a critical gap in today’s housing landscape—where demand for attainable, mid-density housing far outpaces supply. As Illinois faces a growing shortage, the conversation is shifting toward duplexes, triplexes, and four-flats as practical solutions that bridge the divide between single-family homes and large-scale apartment developments. For multifamily investors in Chicagoland, this evolving policy and development focus signals both opportunity and uncertainty: new pathways for growth, changing regulatory dynamics, and the potential reshaping of neighborhood density. Understanding where the market and legislation intersect will be key to identifying the next wave of value in the region’s housing ecosystem.