IHDC 2004 Update
Annual Holiday Breakfast
Mark your Calendars. IHDCC’s annual holiday breakfast will be held the morning of Tuesday, December 7th
2004 at the Chicago Cultural Center
Letter from the President
I have been enjoying the best part of my job for the past several months, giving tours of IHDCC's most recently completed developments. With the opening of Sanctuary Place AND Independence House during the past year IHDCC has had an exciting and busy 2004.
Hearing the comments of the women moving into Sanctuary Place was an incredible feeling. A few of the ladies showed me their apartments and talked about their decorating plans. One young girl told me how she wanted to work in the yard and create a tenant garden. For many this is their first permanent living situation.
Independence House just finished leasing up and tenants started moving in over Labor Day weekend. Every time I take someone to the building I get energized, talking about the program and the people who have applied to live there.
We had over 600 applications for the six town-homes and 63 SRO units at Sanctuary Place. Applications for Independence House numbered over 300. Many times people ask me if it isn't discouraging having only 25 apartments and over 300 applicants. I always say no.
As of September, when school started, the 75 children living at Sanctuary Place and Independence House are no longer homeless. They are living in beautiful new, bright, spacious apartments, where they can be with their families, have privacy and be safe. Some of them may even have a room of their own for the first time and that is anything but discouraging.
The new projects we are working on are just as rewarding and with the growing population of homeless families there is a great deal of work to be done. We are developing projects that target grandparents raising grandchildren, housing for young adults aging out of the Illinois foster care system and homeless veterans. All have unique needs.
Two of our developments were acknowledged with awards this year. The day care center at Vision House won the Richard H. Driehaus Award for Architecture and Sanctuary Place recieved the Mayor's Green Works Award. We are pleased to share these awards with our supporters, the foundations, corporations, and individuals who provide financial support and the numerous professional and government staff that help us fulfill our mission turning visions into realities.
I hope this program update is informative and interesting. I would be glad to hear from you if you have questions or comments. If you want to take a tour of an IHDCC facility, please call me. I can't think of a nicer way to spend the afternoon.
Gladys Jordan
President IHDCC
Construction Begins on Casa Kirk Apartments
Construction has begun on the Casa Kirk development in South Chicago. Conveniently located two blocks east of the Metra South Chicago Line on a large 70,000 square foot parcel at 92nd street between Burley and Buffalo, this site allows for a tremendous amount of green space.
The project will be comprised of Five six-flat buildings with a total of 29 large two, three, and four-bedroom units. Casa Kirk targets large families at or below 50% area median income currently living in substandard conditions or who are paying more than 35% of their income towards rent.
IHDCC, along with the neighborhood partner for the project, Claretian Associates, have been diligent in working through numerous issues that challenged the feasibility of the project. Architect Dennis Langley of Weese Langley Weese designed the development to fit the scale and context of the neighborhood while addressing the geological challenges of the site.
During the 1970's and 1980's the diverse South Chicago neighborhood was hit hard with the closing of the USX South Works Steel Mill. The area, which has long suffered from high unemployment, crime and substandard housing, is now experiencing some revitalization. The city of Chicago and State of Illinois are investing $84 million in the housing and infrastructure of South Chicago - Solo Cup Company is building a new factory, new roads are being built and a 17 acre public park is planned. Casa Kirk will ensure that those families who have weathered the economic decline of their community will be able to reap the benefits of its revival.
The total cost of the project is $6.8 million. Sources of capital include the Chicago Department of Housing, Illinois Housing Development Authority Trust Fund, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago's Affordable Housing Program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Supportive Housing Program, and a grant from Allstate Insurance.
With the completion of Casa Kirk, IHDCC will have placed three buildings in service in three short years. Occupancy is expected in Spring 2005.
Green Award
In May 2004 Interfaith Housing Development Corp. received Mayor Daley's GreenWorks Award for "Outstanding Residential Project" for its innovative development in West Humboldt - Sanctuary Place. Sponsored by the Chicago Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, the award recognized IHDCC and partner/architect Farr Associates for "utilizing green strategies, energy efficiency, and natural light to create a high performance building at low cost."
Sanctuary Place is a 69-unit, studio and family residential complex dedicated to homeless women with special needs. Approximately sixty percent of the tenants are women recently released from prison. Some of the residents will be working toward reuniting with children in DCFS custody. IHDCC took these special needs into consideration by including three family counseling units on the first floor. These community units offer a private, comfortable space for mothers to meet with their children and families as they strive toward reunification.
IHDCC Focuses on local hiring
During the Spring of 2004, IHDCC continued to exercise its commitment to supporting the communities where we develop properties by hiring locally for positions required at the development.
The Skills Discovery Program is a service of Interfaith Housing Development Corporation that allows local residents to apply for and acquire any of the entry-level positions by attending a part-time, paid, training program. The program is specifically designed to help unemployed local residents with minimal professional experience to gain employment at IHDCC developments.
With the help of the 24th ward Alderman Michael Chandler and Block Club Captain Betty Swan, IHDCC canvassed the neighborhood and gave a presentation to over 60 residents on available positions at Independence House.
Through IHDCC's efforts all seven entry-level positions at Independence, including the building maintenance man and six Community Resource Aides (CRA's), were filled by local community residents. IHDCC's Skills Discovery Program provided 25 hours of paid training for the applicants who were offered positions at Independence. Training included in depth analysis of the history of the development, safety regulations, fair housing, building features, and client sensitivity.
Looking Forward: Youth Housing
IHDCC has been working with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) to develop housing for youth 18 to 21 who are aging out of the foster care system. IDCFS data shows that about 6,000 young adults are currently in their system that meet that definition. Of that number, about 5,000 of these young people live in Cook County, and of that number, about 4,200 live in Chicago. IDCFS recognizes that this population needs permanent supportive housing, and that is why they have approached IHDCC. IHDCC has made a commitment to IDCFS to include some youth units in the developments in its pipeline.
Independence House Tenant Profile
Chandra Libby, Independence House Director
The lease up process for Independence House, was physically exhausting but mostly mentally and emotionally challenging.
The volume of calls from individuals seeking housing was overwhelming, but it was important for me to make contact with each one to inquire about their need and try to be amenable. It was the mailing of approval letters to prospective tenants that made the entire process worthwhile. The gratitude expressed by the prospective tenants who were finally able to house themselves and their children was most rewarding.
"Tina," for example, is a 31-year-old single mother of three children. She travels between many relatives seeking a place to sleep. During the week her children stay with her mother so that they can be near school and on weekends they stay with Tina, wherever she has made arrangements. Tina has been living in this manner for over four years. She was not able to obtain an apartment on her own because she has very few marketable skills and her only source of income is Public Assistance.
Tina only receives assistance for her two youngest children. Her oldest child is 16 and his benefits ran out several years ago. Tina has to stretch what little income she receives between 4 people. This makes it hard to pay market rent in the private sector. She has very little knowledge of what resources may be available to her and just happened to find the number to apply for Independence House through the initiative of her sister. Tina's family have tried to assist her and her children with meeting their day to day needs, but it has placed a major toll on their patience as well as their own limited resources.
The tenant selection committee found Tina eligible. She was very excited about the prospect of finally being able to obtain housing that is affordable, however, when she came to Independence House to sign a lease and view the apartment she and her family will be living in Tina could not hold back her emotions any longer. Her reaction had a domino effect because the Independence House staff also began to tear up. This is the ultimate end result to the lease up process, helping to house a family who are so desperately in need.
Interfaith Housing Development Corp. of Chicago
1111 N. Wells
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 274-8200
Fax: (312) 274-0292
Email