The Chicago Community Trust Awards $231,000 in Grants for Affordable Housing
CHICAGO, IL – October 8, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — The Chicago area’s largest regional grant maker, The Chicago Community Trust, today announced $231,000 in grants to advance affordable rental housing.
As of the 2010 Census, approximately 55% of renters in Chicago spend more than 30% of their income on housing, up from 45% of renters in 2000. This measure of housing cost burden does not include transportation costs, which can elevate the combined housing + transportation (H+T) burden to well over 50% of income for many residents. Low and moderate-income households are left struggling to meet other vital needs such as food, utilities and childcare.
Even before the rental market grew tighter as former homeowners who’ve been foreclosed upon become renters again, there was a longstanding deficit of rental units that were affordable for the lowest-income households. Scarcity of affordable rental housing is a principal cause of family homelessness and substandard housing conditions, including growing problems of overcrowding. Also competing for scarce affordable rental housing units are people with disabilities moving out of State-run institutions into community-based settings.
Fortunately, Chicago has a long-standing tradition of community development corporations, advocates, other organizations working to create and preserve sufficient, quality affordable rental housing. They are finding ways to serve more low and moderate-income people with fewer resources in response to the housing crisis. And new players are coming to the table as the specific housing needs of people with disabilities come into greater view and call for additional resources and greater coordination.
“With emphases on traditional affordable rental housing as well as permanent supportive housing for the homeless and people with disabilities,” says Senior Program Officer Juanita Irizarry, “the Trust is uniquely positioned to deploy financial assets and leadership to bring the right non-profit and government players to the table to create and preserve the right mix of affordable housing options to serve diverse needs.”
Chicago Rehabilitation Network- $25,000 (Small Grant Program)
To support the strategic promotion of housing affordability, occupancy of foreclosed homes and neighborhood reinvestment solutions.
Impact: Community development stakeholders and policy makers who are more aware of options for preservation and development of a range of affordable housing strategies.
Corporation for Supportive Housing – $15,000 (Small Grant Program)
To coordinate and support activities of the Illinois Human Services Commission Rebalancing Workgroup.
Impact: The production and presentation of recommendations for enhancing State government efficiency and providing effective services to people with disabilities.
Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services- $26,000
To support outreach materials that will inform the residents of State-run long-term care facilities of their options in transitioning to community-based housing settings.
Impact: Residents of state-run long-term care facilities and families who are aware and well-informed of their options.
Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization- $10,000 (Small Grant Program)
To support the preservation and expansion of affordable housing stock in the North Kenwood and Oakland communities through advocacy, policy development and tenant organizing.
Impact: Increased access to affordable housing for cost-burdened renters in the North Kenwood and Oakland communities, and development of additional affordable housing units, with 30 public housing units leased in year one and a total of approximately 150 units leased over three years.
Logan Square Neighborhood Association- $10,000 (Small Grant Program)
To support the preservation and expansion of affordable housing stock in Chicago’s Logan Square and Avondale communities through advocacy, policy development and tenant organizing.
Impact: A plan to preserve and upgrade 800 units of federally subsidized housing stock and stabilize buildings in foreclosure, so that hundreds of vulnerable renters can avoid displacement.
Organization of the Northeast- $10,000 (Small Grant Program)
To support the preservation and expansion of affordable housing stock in Chicago’s Northeast side communities through advocacy, policy development and tenant organizing.
Impact: Increased number of affordable housing units preserved and created in Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park and West Ridge.
Southside Together Organizing for Power- $10,000 (Small Grant Program)
Supports the preservation and expansion of affordable housing stock in Chicago’s Southside communities through advocacy, policy development and tenant organizing.
Impact: The project will preserve and expand access to 700 units of subsidized multifamily rental housing in year one and a total of more than 1,050 units of affordable rental housing in Woodlawn and surrounding Southside Chicago neighborhoods over 3 years.
Supportive Housing Providers Association- $100,000
To support the development of a statewide housing plan that includes transitioning over 39,000 persons with disabilities from State-run and other institutions to community-based settings.
Impact: A comprehensive, integrated, streamlined approach to housing for people with disabilities, people who are homeless and other consumers of the State’s affordable housing resources.
The Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc.- $25,000 (First time competitive grant) (Small Grant Program)
To support the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to add project-based rental subsidies to permanent supportive housing units for individuals with disabilities.
Impact: Between 250 and 400 high-priority applicants (i.e. those being discharged from institutions or who are chronically homeless) stably housed and living successfully in community settings.
About The Chicago Community Trust
For 97 years, The Chicago Community Trust, our region’s community foundation, has connected the generosity of donors with community needs by making grants to organizations working to improve metropolitan Chicago. In 2011, the Trust, together with its donors, granted more than $100 million to nonprofit organizations. From strengthening schools to assisting local art programs, from building health centers to helping lives affected by violence, the Trust continues to enhance our region. To learn more, please visit the Trust online at www.cct.org.
Contact:
Eva Penar
312.616.8000 ext. 161
evap (at) cct (dot) org
