CHICAGO ~ Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with local officials and members of the Englewood community, gathered earlier today to celebrate the opening of two newly rehabilitated homes through the Chicago Department of Housing's Rebuild 2.0 program. The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a significant step in the city's efforts to provide safe, affordable, and accessible housing for all its residents.

Joined by representatives from the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF), the Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA), and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), Mayor Johnson expressed his commitment to creating pathways for affordable homeownership and generational wealth building in Chicago.

"Safe, affordable, and accessible housing is a basic human right, and every Chicagoan deserves the opportunity to live in a community where they can thrive," said Mayor Johnson. "By bringing these homes back to life, we are making long-overdue investments while creating pathways to affordable homeownership and generational wealth building."

The Rebuild 2.0 program is an initiative of Mayor Johnson's administration that aims to preserve existing housing sites, eliminate blight, and assist local developers. With a $20 million grant from IHDA, the program acquires vacant or abandoned single-family homes and two-flats, finances their rehabilitation through local developers, and sells them to owner-occupants on the South and West Sides.

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"This is not just about building homes; it's about progress in reviving this block and Englewood as a whole," said DOH Commissioner Lissette Castañeda. "In this moment of an affordability crisis, a housing crisis, and a hostile federal government ripping away pieces of our housing social safety net, it is more important than ever that we invest in strategies that work – building more housing and housing more people."

The two homes on Green St., which were previously vacant and deteriorating properties, have been revitalized with approximately $415,000 in public funds through Rebuild 2.0. The CCLF acquired the properties from the CCLBA and worked with the project developer, ANM Mechanical HVAC & Plumbing / ANM Developments, to complete the rehabilitation.

"We are proud to support developers who deliver quality work, and we are proud to partner with public agencies who understand the importance of investing in overlooked neighborhoods," said Wendell Harris, Executive Vice President of Lending and Equity at CCLF.

Darlene Dugo, Associate Director of CCLBA, also highlighted the impact of these rehabilitated homes on the community. "Before today, these properties were liabilities to the community – vacant, not generating any tax revenue, and deteriorating more each year," she said. "Properties like these pull value out of the blocks around them. That's why the Cook County Land Bank exists – to solve this problem in Englewood and across Cook County."

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IHDA Executive Director Kristin L. Faust emphasized the program's focus on equity and its role in addressing long-term impacts of unfair lending practices and systemic racism. "This ribbon cutting is a result of our shared belief that your zip code should not determine your life's path," she said. "It's a result of our vision that people should never be forced to choose between staying connected to their community and moving forward."

The Rebuild 2.0 program has already revitalized and sold over 70 homes, with another 45 currently in development. Through partnerships with organizations like CCLF and IHDA, Mayor Johnson's administration is working towards creating a more equitable housing landscape for all Chicagoans.

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