United Power for Action and Justice (UPAJ), Illinois
Rebuilding a community: Initiative builds affordable homes on empty lots on South and West sides.
On Saturday, September 2nd, the Hope Center Foundation Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives - two United Power members in Roseland held a groundbreaking ceremony for the first homes of Reclaiming Chicago in Roseland. Reclaiming Roseland will begin with 11 homes completed by the end of the year on lots owned by Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. This will be the first 11 of 100 homes to be built on vacant land in a targeted, concentrated area of Roseland. Rev. Meeks and Shenita Muse lead the effort in Roseland with the Hope Center Foundation of Chicago and David Doig at Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives. Alderman Beale, State Senator Sims, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle were present to recognize the start of the effort and offer their support for the strategy. Overall, these 100 homes are part of United Power's Reclaiming Chicago campaign, which aims to create 2,000 affordable homes on the south and west sides of Chicago in long-disinvested communities, generating opportunities for building wealth and equity for working families, especially families of color.