Metro IAF
On February 28th, community leaders and prospective homeowners came together to commemorate the first newly built affordable homes in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson led the ribbon-cutting ceremony in the 5000 block of South Aberdeen Street.
The two newly-built houses were constructed on formerly vacant lots as part of United Power's Reclaiming Chicago campaign. Backed by the city, the state and private lenders, United Power's initiative aims to build 2,000 homes across the South and West sides on vacant city lots.
“By converting these vacant lots into new homes, we are not only making use of unused land, but we are making neighborhoods safer. We are ... expanding opportunities for affordable home ownership. But more importantly, we are giving the individuals and the families that will call this place home the opportunity to create a strong foundation” - Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
“This is a moment of momentum and hope,” [Lizette Carretero, director of Financial Wellness at The Resurrection Project] said. “We have so many community members excited. That’s the energy we need to keep going and fighting for more work and more money that we need to be able to support more families.”