In 1983, Maurine Woodson, a resident of the housing project founded The Henry Horner Mother's Guild.

In October 1969, 20–year old resident Michael Soto was shot to death by a Chicago police officer after being targeted, due to his protesting for a traffic light.

[5] Aside from gangs, the housing projects experienced issues with sexual assaults in high numbers; most notably the June 1985 rape and murder of a child resident.

The assailant, Johnny Freeman, lured McCann to a vacant apartment on the 13th floor of the 2111 W. Lake Street building.

They argued that the CHA had let the buildings deteriorate, with rodent infestations, numerous plumbing, lighting, and other city code violations.

A redevelopment project, referred to as the Plan for Transformation, is currently in progress to rehabilitate the existing buildings and create new mixed-income housing.

[13] The housing project was the setting for the documentary film Legacy as well as the non–fiction book There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America by Alex Kotlowitz.