Community Plan To "Reoccupy Buildings In 2015!"

GAGDC Staff
Published: November 3, 2014

On a brisk and snowy Halloween Day, representatives from the city of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development (DPD) convened community-based organizations from the thirteen (13)participating communities for a Micro-Market Recovery Program (MMRP) community partner workshop.

Photo credit: Carlos A. Nelson

Held at Greater Southwest Development Corporation's Churchview Manor Apartments on West 63rd Street and hosted by Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) and Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) Chicago Lawn office, DPD and its lead consultant Jack Swenson, provided a concise program overview and very good data from the 13 MMRP communities and the program goals for 2015 including "Reoccupy at a minimum 160 buildings for 2015!"

Joining the Micro-Market Recovery Program (MMRP) community partners at this meeting were representatives from local real estate industry including Brokers, Lenders and Investors. Together they discussed collaborative roles and responsibilities, target areas and block assessments, and controlling and marketing the vacant assets in the communities.

Photo credit: Carlos Nelson

The workshop was to conclude with a walking tour of Chicago Lawn, but with the early onset of cold, blustery and snowy weather, SWOP and NHS-Chicago Lawn delivered a warm, thorough and enlightening "virtual" tour to those in attendance.

Micro Market target area maps:

Auburn Gresham Map, Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corp., Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago

Austin Map, Austin Coming Together

Belmont Cragin - North Map, Northwest Side Housing Center

Belmont Cragin - South Map, Spanish Coalition for Housing

Chatham Map, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Community Investment Corp.

Chicago Lawn Map ,Southwest Organizing Project, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago

East Garfield Park Map, Garfield Park Community Council, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago

Englewood Map, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago

Grand Boulevard Map, Partners in Community Building

North Pullman Map, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago

West Humboldt Park Map, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago , W. Humboldt Park Family & Dev. Council, Bickerdike Redevelopment Corp.