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Villa
Guadalupe Senior Services, Inc.
In
1991, Claretian Associates developed Villa Guadalupe, a 53-unit
apartment building for
those
over age fifty-five. Villa Guadalupe was
the first new residential construction in South Chicago in over
10 years and continues to be
the catalyst for the development of single-family homes, rehabbed
apartments and neighborhood improvement projects.
To
ensure the rents would remain affordable over
the life of the building, Claretian Associates raised $1.5 million
for an endowment fund. Through interest income from the endowment
and subsidies from Chicago Family Housing vouchers and the Chicago
Low-Income Housing Trust Fund, rents continue to be modest for
those with limited financial resources. For more information about
Villa Guadalupe, please call 773-933-0344.
South Chicago People’s Park
During
1997-2000, the Clean and Green Committee developed South Chicago
People's Park, located at three previously blighted lots at a
highly visible intersection of 91 st Street and Buffalo Avenue.
In 1970 People's Park was the site of a fatal accident that claimed
the lives of three South Chicago residents and the site was abandoned
and avoided. Over the following years, the site was used as a
dumping ground and became overgrown. A leaking water line kept
the corner a virtual swamp. In 2000, after three years, 3,000
resident volunteer hours, and 200 cubic yards of garbage removed
the lots were successfully transformed into South Chicago People's
Park. It is now a community gathering place with flowers, trees,
a stage, decorative park benches and a mosaic mural created by
community youth. South Chicago People's Park won the 1999 Chicago
Botanic Garden's “Garden of the Year Award” for community gardens
and in 2001 it was one of eight nationwide parks to win the John
Deere "Seeds of Hope Award." For more information
about the park or for permission to use it for an event, please
contact Kathy at 773-734-9181.
 Rehab
South Chicago
In
1997, Claretian Associates completed renovation of an eight-unit
building on east 91st Street, creating affordable apartments for
low-income families. The project was made possible through a combination
of grants and permanent low-interest loans including the Amoco
Leader Award which covered the cost of the building and other
predevelopment work. Claretian Associates' general contractor,
South Chicago Workforce, used the rehabilitation project to train
and employ fifteen local residents in the construction trades.
In 1998, the development received the Federal Home Loan Bank's
“Community Partnership Award.” Claretian Associates now manages
the building.
 New
Homes for South Chicago
Claretian
Associates, in conjunction with the City of Chicago Department
of Housing's New Homes for Chicago program, built and sold twenty
new single-family homes from 1993-1999. Claretian Associates provided
pre- and post-purchase counseling-insuring the long-term success
for the first-time homeowners. The Department of Housing and the
Federal Home Loan Bank provided subsidies to insure that the homes
were affordable to low-income families. The majority of the new
homeowners are life-long South Chicago residents and have emerged
as leaders in the effort to revitalize South Chicago.
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