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Obama Center Opens Amid Rising Costs and Displacement
Description
The Obama Presidential Center’s grand opening masks a turbulent journey — ballooning from $300 million to $850 million, delayed by lawsuits and the pandemic, and now sparking fierce debate. While hailed as a symbol of economic hope for Chicago’s South Side, the project has fueled skyrocketing housing costs, displacing longtime residents and igniting legal battles over unpaid contractor bills — including a $40 million lawsuit alleging discrimination. New tenant protections like the Jackson Park Housing Pilot Program aim to curb displacement, but face stiff resistance from real estate interests worried about slowed transactions and lender fears. As the center rises, the neighborhood wrestles with the painful truth: progress often comes at the cost of community.
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