HABITAT CHICAGO AT WORK IN GREATER GRAND CROSSING
Habitat Chicago has started working in Greater Grand Crossing, where we hope to build on the existing strengths of the community to help make it a more prosperous area for its current and future residents. Our current work in Greater Grand Crossing includes:
Design Charrette and Community Survey: As part of community planning efforts in Greater Grand Crossing, Habitat Chicago hosted a design charrette to initiate a better understanding of opportunities in the neighborhood. We brought together approximately 50 residents, organization leaders and planning experts to evaluate ideas for building a stronger neighborhood and improving design performance. This event resulted in collaborative groups exploring investment options for Greater Grand Crossing as well as community-led surveys aimed at capturing resident perceptions and ideas for their neighborhood.
Neighborhood Grants Initiative: This initiative, developed from our experience with our Block Build program, provides support for small-scale projects to neighbors who want to do something together in order to show pride in their block. It is a chance for neighbors to reconnect with each other and their community while simultaneously improving the visual appeal of their environment. Learn more about the program here.
Home Care Workshops: Owning a home is a big investment that requires long-term maintenance and repair interventions to keep living spaces healthy, safe and comfortable. These educational and hands-on classes focus on topics related to common housing needs in Chicago, with the goal of equipping homeowners with the knowledge and resources needed to start their next home improvement project. Learn more about the program here.
Affordable Homeownership: We are currently building new, energy efficient homes in Greater Grand Crossing, while continuing to acquire new land in the neighborhood. These homes are purchased by families in need of affordable housing who qualify for our Affordable Homeownership Program and commit to taking homeownership courses and completing volunteer hours building their own homes. Learn more about the program here.
