NEW & EXPANDED BUSINESSES IN THE 24TH WARD

Alderman Dixon was sworn into office on May 21, 2007.  By June 30, the Lawndale Plaza's Inner City Entertainment (ICE) theatre had closed.  The Alderman has been told by the owners, Donzell and Alisa Starks, that the theatre will be refurbished and reopened this year.

Shortly after assuming office Alderman Dixon was also told that Dominick's was losing $35,000 per week and would soon be closing as well.  She immediately got to work to find a replacement.  Dominck's finally did close in late summer of 2008 but she had found someone to take their place.  In two-and-one-half months, Ken Casaccio the owner of Leamington Foods, located at 3240 West Roosevelt Road in the Lawndale Plaza (773.533.4900), totally refurbished the store  with all new equipment and reopened before Thanksgiving.  If you haven't been there yet, visit the store and give Mr. Casaccio your feedback and business.

Alderman Dixon also helped to facilitate a brand new facility for Geokat, a granite and marble company.  Visit owner George Pantelic at 4535 West Lexington Street or call him at 773.927.0444 to see if he makes anything you can use in your home or business.

Likewise, in less than two years - with the national economy moving toward the current crisis - Alderman Dixon was able to attract and facilitate the new Cermak Car Auction located at 2135 South Kilbourn (Kilbourn & Cermak). Call Amir Nikpouri the owner at 773.521.1212 to learn more about his business.

Plans are also underway for three other new or expanded businesses in the 24th Ward.  Sean Harvey, Tall City Stage & Cinema, is expecting to build a new facility this summer.  Gary Birnbaum of CharterSteel, 4401 West Roosevelt Road (the corner of Roosevelt & Kostner), has plans to build a new and expanded facility near his current plant, and Michael Saltijeral, President of IFI Fencing, Inc., 1300 South Kilbourn, plans to expand his facility on South Kilbourn.  All of these companies have agreed to hire qualified workers from the 24th Ward as they create new jobs or increase their employment. A project started under the previous Alderman, Sankofa (which is a Ghanian West African word meaning to "go back and get what was lost") had it's ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, February 18.  The new and beautiful facility at 4041 West Roosevelt Road will house 58 grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.

Finally, the City has plans and promised to build a new firehouse and a new library along 2300 S. Kedzie in 2010.  Please go to www.pbcchicago

Coming soon!  Vision Driving Development in the 24th Ward

"NSP" NEIGHBORHOOD STABLIZATION PROGRAM

"NEIGHBORHOOD STABLIZATION PROGRAM" (NSP1)
 In 2008 Congress passed and the President signed into law the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 ("HERA").  A provision of the law, known as the Neighborhood Stabilization Program ("NSP"), provides states and local governments with funds to address the impact of vacant and foreclosed homes.  On September 26, 2008, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") announced that it had allocated $55,238,017 to the City; and on November 26, 2008 the City submitted a plan for how it will utilize its NSP1 funds.  The plan, known as the "NSP Substantial Amendment," is available for public review at:  www.cityofchicago.org/housing
 
"NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM" (NSP2)
In September of 2008, the city was given 55 Million dollars to spend in what officials determined were the 26 top communities hardest hit by foreclosure to help stabilize the neighborhoods.  North Lawndale and other west side communities are  on that list of eligible communities.  But one year later many are asking, where is the money?
 
There is deep skepticism about the arrangements with Mercy Homes Portfolio Services, the City's delegate agency that handles the administration of NSP fund.  Compounding the mistrust is the City's application for round two of funding referred to as NSP2. The city proposed a budget of an additional $98 million dollars and determined only 12 neighborhoods eligible for the funds, missing 14 communities from NSP1. Which are missing? The  west side.  
 
"We have been cut out on the west side, I'm stunned" said a community activist.  The west side communities which were on the first list have been cut off the request for NSP2.  In place of the original 26 communities hardest hit , the city retained 10 from that list and added two not seen before: Logan Square and Albany Park
 
To voice your opinion and ask "When will the west side gets it's share of funds?",  there is an online petition sponsored by a west side  Pastor's Alliance and supported by west side Alderman.   The petition can be found at: 
 
www.thepetitionsite.com/1/WEST-SIDE-MUST-GET-NSP2 
 
The ambitious goal is to get 3000 signatures before end of October, 2009.  The petition is going to not only to the City but also directly to HUD officials . At the date of writing this article not one dollar has hit the west side of Chicago .  As a matter fact there is not one street anywhere that has seen a foreclosure purchased through the NSP program, or at least that they are willing to publish.   In backroom deals without transparency, the program administrated by the City's delegate agency Mercy Homes Portfolio Services has yet to show where their funds went on the street. Yet the city insists they are on track to purchase 300 homes before December 30th of this year. 
 
PUBLIC NOTICE: CITY OF CHICAGO   "NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM" 2 APPLICATION
 The City of Chicago proposes to utilize NSP2 funds to build on its NSP1 efforts, which are centered on the acquisition and rehabilitation of vacant, foreclosed residential properties in targeted community areas.  The City will achieve economies of scale by utilizing the same management and monitoring infrastructure that is in place of NSP1 for its NSP2  activities.  There are 25 community areas of greatest need for NSP1.  In an effort to bring as many resources to address vacant foreclosed homes to Chicago as possible, for NSP2, the City proposes to target funds in portions of 12 community areas that score the highest in regard to the criteria laid out in the NSP2 Notice of Funding Availability.  Eight of these community areas  are NSP1 areas of greatest need, and four of them are additions, totaling 29 community areas identified as targets for either NSP1 or NSP2 funding.   Please note that North Lawndale, unlike Logan Square and Englewood, was not selected by the City as one of the "areas of greatest need" under NSP2.  See below the communities selected by the City. 
 
PROPOSED NSP2 USES OF FUNDS:
NSP-Eligible Use A: Establish financing mechanisms for purchase and redevelopment of vacant, foreclosed upon homes and residential properties, including such mechanisms as soft-seconds, loan loss reserves, and shared-equity loans for low-and moderate-income homebuyers.
NSP-Eligible Use B:  Purchase and rehabilitate vacant homes and residential properties that have been abandoned or foreclosed upon, in order to sell, rent, redevelop such homes and properties.
NSP-Eligible Use D: Demolish vacant, blighted structures
NSP-Eligible Use E: Redevelop demolished or vacant properties as housing General program administration

PROPOSED NSP2 TARGET GEOGRAPHY:  In determining the community areas for its proposes target geography, the City of Chicago utilized the following criteria, which are based on the priorities outlined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the NSP2 Notice of Funding Availability, to ensure that its proposal is as competitive as possible:
Need for Public Sector Intervention/Lack of Private Investment Activity.  NSP2 resources will be targeted to areas that need government intervention for real estate recovery, rather than areas where the private marketplace is likely to absorb vacant units as the economy recovers from the current recession and real estate activity increases.
 
Comprehensive Approach Based on Established Plan.  Selected  communities must have an established, comprehensive plan which was developed via a structured planning effort with formal community involvement and which NSP2 activities can build upon to strengthen and stabilize the community.
Capacity.  Community partners and developers must be actively engaged in efforts to implement the community plan through a range of community development and neighborhood stabilization initiatives.
Protecting Capital Investments.  Foreclosures are threatening public and private neighborhood investments that have been made over the past decade.  Communities that had experienced years of disinvestment began to enjoy a rebirth as thriving communities.  In selected communities, NSP2 will build upon recent and planned investments and community anchors to protect them and continue this momentum.

Based on these criteria, the City of Chicago proposes to invest NSP2 funds in portions of the following community areas:
Albany Park
Chicago Lawn
Englewood
Grand Boulevard
Greater Grand Crossing
Hermosa
Humboldt Park
Logan Square
South Chicago
South Lawndale
Washington Park
Woodlawn
NSP Areas Of Greatest Need Map pdf

If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Community and Development at (312)744-0268.