In 1988 the Chicago Temple, with the help of the Interfaith Council for the Homeless, hosted an all-day conference to explore the issue of homelessness in Chicago. From that conference grew a consortium of Chicago-area faith congregations, incorporated as Central City Housing Ventures, whose mission was to alleviate homelessness by preserving and expanding the availability of affordable housing, especially housing with on-site access to social services.

In 1993, CCHV entered into a joint venture with the Chicago Christian Industrial League, eventually building a new Single Room Occupancy facility on vacant land purchased from one of CCHV’s member congregations. The Studios at 1801 S. Wabash was the first new SRO built in Chicago in more than 50 years.