In certain neighborhoods, CIC and CII coordinate and focus our full array of activities to maximize impact.
With CIC investments – including loans, condo deconversions, acquisitions, and rehabs – neighborhood physical conditions improve, and new owners bring fresh commitment to the community.
How It Works
Community Initiatives, Inc. (CII) is an affiliate of CIC, and intervenes directly on multifamily buildings that are vacant and distressed. These investments and the relationships cultivated with civic, community, and business leaders provide a strong foundation for ongoing and lasting community development.
Chatham
Historically, CIC’s primary engagement in Chatham has been as a multifamily lender. In 2011, CIC designated the northeast corner of the community (East Chatham) as a target area to focus lending and community development activities. The leading edge of CIC action was aggressive code enforcement and receivership under the Trouble Buildings Initiative. When possible, CIC pursued acquisition of distressed properties.
Between 2011 and 2017, CIC and CII invested $8.6 million in 71 properties with more than 1,100 units in the East Chatham neighborhood.
Woodlawn
Woodlawn is a vibrant community on Chicago’s South Side full of brick 2-flats and vintage multifamily buildings. CIC and CII have been active in the community for many years making multifamily loans, reclaiming troubled buildings, reassembling distressed condos, and purchasing properties for redevelopment.
In addition to CIC’s traditional work focusing on multifamily buildings, CIC has worked with Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) and Neighborhoods Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) to implement Renew Woodlawn, an innovative and award-winning program that has created over 40 first time homeowners through the rehab and sale to new homeowners of vacant single-family and 2-flat buildings.
Since 2002, CIC has invested $22.7 million in 174 properties with almost 2,000 units.
Micro Market Recovery Program (MMRP)
MMRP is an initiative of the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development that assists in rebuilding distressed communities by reducing the cost of homeownership, creating communities of choice, and attracting new owners to vacant buildings on targeted neighborhood blocks.
CIC has previously served as the lead organizing agency in East Chatham and West Woodlawn, and continues to support MMRP efforts by connecting local groups to lending, acquisition, and Troubled Buildings Initiatives resources.