Benjamin Van Horne, owner of the company Greenline Development, has focused his home-building efforts in the Chicago South Side neighborhood of Woodlawn. His company has built more than 60 environmentally friendly homes in the neighborhood since 2000, and now DNAInfo reports more are on the way.

This week, Chicago City Council approved selling Van Horne seven city lots to build seven 2,100-square-foot green homes that are expected to list at $389,900. He's hoping to get 19 new homes in the neighborhood built by the end of the year.

The developer is known for his LEED-certified single-family homes featuring solar panels, efficient appliances, and that are insulated with triple-pane windows to keep in heat the winter and block sound from the nearby trains. Van Horne says the average utility bill for owners is $17 a month.

Those interested in making the move to Woodlawn might want to get in soon: with Obama's presidential library coming to nearby Jackson Park, the neighborhood is poised to get a big boost.

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Developer Upping 15-Year Bet On Woodlawn With Plans for $8.8M In New Homes [DNAInfo Chicago]