>> COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE FAR SOUTH SIDE HOPE THEY'RE LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW APPROACH TO HOME OWNERSHIP USING MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION, LARGE SEGMENTS OF THE HOUSE ARE BUILT ELSEWHERE, THEN ASSEMBLED AT THE SITE IN JUST A DAY.

THE HOPE CENTER FOUNDATION SAYS GETTING HOUSE KEYS TO NEW HOMEOWNERS IS CRUCIAL TO REVITALIZING THIS COMMUNITY.

JOINING US TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE INITIATIVE AND ITS IMPACTS ARE SHE NEEDED?

A NEWS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOPE CENTER FOUNDATION OF CHICAGO, JEFF SMITH FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR HOUSING STUDIES AT DEPAUL UNIVERSITY AND LINDA BROWN WILSON, A RESIDENT OF ROSELYN AND QUALIFIED HOME BUYERS OF MODULAR HOME.

THANKS TO THE 3 OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

SHOULD GOOD NEWS, OF COURSE, STARTING WITH YOU FIRST, PLEASE.

HOW DID THIS RECLAIMING COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE BEGAN AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOALS?

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO THE HOPE CENTER FOUNDATION IS A MEMBER OF UNITED POWER FOR ACTION AND JUSTICE.

>> WHICH IS A NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION WHOSE INITIATIVE RECLAIMING COMMUNITIES.

IT'S CENTERED AROUND BUILDING AT 1000 HOMES ON THE SOUTH SIDE, 1000 HOMES ON THE WEST SIDE.

AND THAT INITIATIVE IS AROUND RECLAIMING REPOPULATING AND REVITALIZING THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

AND THIS WORK IS DONE THROUGH OUR ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

THERE IS LAWNDALE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN NORTH LAWNDALE SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT IN THE CHICAGO LAWN.

THERE IS THE REZA REST RESURRECTION PROJECT IN THE BACK OF THE YARDS AND THEIR CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES AND THE HOPE CENTER FOUNDATION WHO WAS DOING THIS WORK IN ROSELAND.

AND I KNOW THAT THE FIRST MODULAR HOME IT WENT UP LAST WEEK.

YOU'VE GOT A FEW MORE COMING OVER THE COMING WEEKS.

20 TO 25 STARTING NEXT YEAR.

YOU SAID THE GOAL OF 1000 WHY 1000?

IT'S REALLY ABOUT THEIR 10,000 VACANT.

LOTS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

AND AS I INDICATED, IT IS REALLY ABOUT RECLAIMING COMMUNITIES.

REVITALIZING THE CITY OF CHICAGO REPOPULATING.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST OVER 60,000.

RESIDENTS HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE FAR SOUTH SIDE.

AND SO IF WE ARE TO RECLAIM OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEN WE NEED TO BUILD HOMES.

STARTING WITH 1000 HOUSE ON THE WEBSITE.

>> JEFF SMITH HOME MODEL TO DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN ONE THAT WE TYPICALLY THINK OF.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BUILDING HOMES AND HOMEOWNERSHIP.

DOES THIS APPROACH LOOK LIKE THE KIND OF THING THAT COULD OPEN MORE DOORS FOR A HOMEOWNER OWNERSHIP, PARTICULARLY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME.

>> DEFINITELY.

THINK ONE OF THE KEY CHALLENGES MANY STARTED THIS MESS UP.

THESE LIMITED SUPPLY, HOUSING THAT'S ALSO AFFORDABLE FOR MODEST INCOME RESIDENTS IN HISTORY OF THIS INVESTMENT MEANS THAT THOUSANDS HAD HAD A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND IN SOME CASES BEEN DEMOLISHED.

AND AND ONE OF THE KEY BARRIERS CREATING NEW HOMEOWNERS IN MANY NEIGHBORHOODS IS THAT'S JUST THE ABILITY TO GET A MORTGAGE.

BUT THE ABILITY FIND A HOME AND MAKE SURE THAT I WAS AFFORDABLE SAYS SOME MODULAR HOUSING.

TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THIS SORT AND IT'S A AND ALSO CREATES A HOME THAT THEY MAY BE MORE AFFORDABLE.

AND ANOTHER TEXAN, NEW CONSTRUCTION.

>> LINDA BROWN WILSON, YOU'RE GOING TO BE PURCHASING ONE OF THESE HOME SOON.

SO CONGRATS TO YOU ON YOU'VE LOST YOUR LOST HER PREVIOUS HOME IN A FIRE.

UNFORTUNATELY.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND WHY THIS IS THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR YOU TO PURCHASE YOUR NEXT HOME.

>> YES, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

YES, I'M SO EXCITED.

I'M I'M ONE OF THE BARS I'M ONE OF THE HOMES.

WE HAVE A HOUSE FIRE LOST EVERYTHING.

MY HUSBAND IS THIS APRIL, ALSO JUST RISEN OF AWESOME.

AWESOME.

IF IT WAS NOT FOR THIS PROGRAM, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEW UP FOR A NEW HOME AND I'M SO EXCITED GRATEFUL TO THE HOPE FOUNDATION.

AND MISS SUNDAY'S NIELSEN REVENUE MAKES I'M SO EXCITED BE GOING BACK.

ROLLS MAN THAT'S MY THERE'S A LOT OF NICE PEOPLE ROLLS AND THEN AND I'M GLAD I'M GONNA BE.

WANT HELP BE ON MY COMMUNITY.

AND AS READING MAKES A INVITE, WAS FAMILY MOVES AND, YOU GROCERY STORES, STUFF.

COM, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.

AND IT'S ALL IT'S ALL A >> OH, WELL, JUST WANT TO SAY WE'RE OF COURSE, STARTED HERE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE LOSS OF YOUR JEFF, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HURDLES THAT RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO BUY A HOME IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN TYPICALLY DISINVESTED IN.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES AVAILABLE READY, HOUSING, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY DISINVESTMENT JUST MEANS THAT HOUSING SCOTT STAFF MIGHT THAT YEAR AND A NEED TO CANCEL INVESTMENT TO WHERE THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF VACANT LAND.

SO THE AVAILABILITY OF HOUSING IS THE CHALLENGE.

AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING IS A ESPECIALLY IN THE CURRENT MARKET WHERE MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES ARE REALLY, REALLY HIGH.

PRICES ARE ARE CONTINUING TO TO BE PRETTY STRONG GOING UP.

SO I THINK BOTH OF THOSE CHALLENGES AFFECT ALL COMMUNITIES, BUT REALLY SORT THROUGH THIS MESS TO HAVE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY MY COME HOME BUYERS.

>> SHE NEED A HOUSE HOPES AN URBAN CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY TO TO FIND POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS LIKE LINDA BROWN WILSON AND WHAT ARE WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER SORT OF WRAP AROUND SERVICES THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE READY TO BUY HOME.

>> ON THE GROUND OR DID OR FACE-TO-FACE ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND JUST BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.

ACTUALLY, THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER NIGHT, WE WILL HAVE OUR FIRST ANNUAL HOUSING FROM 10:00AM TO 04:00PM AT THE HOUSE OF HOPE.

AND REALLY GIVES OUR RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE HOMEBUYING PROCESS SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE WHETHER IT'S 6 MONTHS FROM NOW OR 6 YEARS FROM NOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HOME BUYING PROCESS, LEADING TO GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES THAT THEY MIGHT EXPERIENCE WHEN WHEN THEY COME TO YOU WITH QUESTIONS?

>> THINK JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO QUALIFY.

>> FOR A IS A CHALLENGE.

FINANCIAL LITERACY IS A BIG COMPONENT OF WORK THAT WE DO.

YOU KNOW, SUCCESS FOR US IS NOT SELLING HOMES, BUT THE ABILITY TO KEEP PEOPLE IN HOMES.

AND SO JUST HOMEBUYER EDUCATION AND SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS.

SO WE'RE ON THE GROUND OFFERING THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO THEM, WHETHER IT'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH MENTORSHIP FOR ARE YOU FOOD AND SECURITY IS A PROBLEM ROSELAND THAT WE WORK WITH COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS ON MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE FRESH HEALTHY FOOD TO EAT.

AND SO WE ARE WE'RE HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL IN THE ROSELAND COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS AND WHATEVER THEIR THE TAR AT THIS TIME IN THE FUTURE.

WHEN THAT WE'VE GOT ABOUT 20 SECONDS LEFT, I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD.

WHAT WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR YOU?

WHEN DO YOU GET TO SIGN PAPERS AND MOVE IN?

>> WELL, I'M ALREADY ON THE CONTRACT.

SO I'M EXCITED.

AND AS I WAS SAYING BEFORE WE AND EXCITED THAT I'LL BE EVEN MY GRANDDAUGHTER TO THAT.

THE HOUSE IS LIKE GENERATIONAL WEALTH IT SAID THAT MY BE WITNESS SO IS FOOTHOLD IN FROM MAINE TO STEP UP AND SOMETHING SO HARD BECAUSE HE'S NO LONGER HERE.

VERY EXCITED OVERWHELMED IN THE CONGRATS AGAIN, I'M SURE I AND I SEE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE WEARING A PICTURE OF YOUR SON CLOSE TO YOUR HEART.

YOU SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

LINDA BROWN WAS AND SHE NEEDED NEWS