On February 21, the Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium (COZC) hosted an Investment Showcase to spotlight the work of early-stage business entrepreneurs advancing original and impactful ventures on the south and west sides of Chicago. The COZC partnered with Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP who fully supported the event including the use of their state-of-the-art conference… Read more »

By DeMario Greene, Director of Policy and Government Relations For over the thirty-three-years, CCLF has been able to distinguish itself as an agent of community revitalization – not only through its innovative lending products but also through its work to support positive public policy proposals on the local, state, and federal levels. CCLF is currently… Read more »

Home ownership is a dream of countless Americans, but for so many, the dream is out of reach.According to the National Association of Realtors, “While the U.S. homeownership rate increased to 65.5% in 2021, the rate among Black Americans lags significantly (44%) and has only increased 0.4% in the last 10 years and is nearly… Read more »

CCLF had an incredibly fast start to 2024, originating and closing millions of dollars in loans in the first quarter and advancing important new developments in the communities we serve. Although the work is fast paced, constantly evolving, and always exciting, pausing for a moment and reflecting on CCLF’s past year of work is important…. Read more »

To learn more download The COLT Federation deck by clicking here.

Chicago is known worldwide for its exceptional cuisine. According to Travel and Leisure, Chicago has 50 James Beard Award winning restaurants and more than 20 Michelin-star-award winners.Because of the city’s diverse population, the cuisine varies from ethnicities around the world. Many immigrants who desire the food from their homeland start cooking for family and friends…. Read more »

Living in a big city can be expensive. Apartments in Chicago are at a premium, especially in neighborhoods like Lincoln Park on Chicago’s North Side. The average studio apartment in Lincoln Park goes for approximately $1,189.00 to $1,378/month for around 398 Sq. Ft. according to various rental property websites. However, a new apartment building has… Read more »

2023 was a banner year for CCLF! When the books were closed, our numbers showed that it was our best year, ever! At the start of the year, we set high goals, and the hard work of our entire team allowed us to end the year with a total of 31 loans for over $42.6… Read more »

Recently, CCLF was honored with a financial award from the ShoreBank Alumni Planning Committee after the 50th Anniversary Celebration of ShoreBank’s founding. In conjunction with ShoreBank’s donation, Faith-Walk Church International and Senior Pastor, Dwayne D. Brown, bestowed upon CCLF an additional contribution. According to ShoreBank Alumni Planning Committee member, Kim Jones, Vice President Director of… Read more »

In 2013, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) made the unprecedented decision to close 50 schools at once throughout the city in an effort to balance the budget. It was the largest mass closing of schools in one city in our nation’s history. No other city had ever attempted such an undertaking. This decision left 50 abandoned… Read more »

CCLF provides flexible and affordable financing for real estate transactions that benefit low- to moderate-income households throughout metropolitan Chicago. CCLF is able to keep interest rates low for borrowers because of its many social impact investors but also because of pro-bono attorneys. In 2022, pro-bono attorneys provided CCLF with $783,628 worth of free legal services…. Read more »

According to a 2015 groundbreaking study conducted by Technomic for the National Coffee Association, 76% of American adults drank coffee either at home or at one of the one million foodservice venues in the United States. The study revealed that the coffee industry has a $225.2 billion economic impact in the U.S., generated $28 billion… Read more »

Senator Dick Durbin has served in government since 1983 and in the U.S. Senate since 1997. He is currently the Democratic Whip, which is the second highest office in the U.S. Senate. Issues of equity and fairness for all Americans have always been the focus of his public service. The largest city in Senator Durbin’s… Read more »

Throughout our lives, we all are faced with challenges, some mental, some physical and some emotional. In fact, roughly 26% of adult Americans suffer from some form of diagnosable mental disorder each year. Understanding how common mental disorders are is important so that we can measure and understand their impact (i.e., physical, financial and social)… Read more »

After three years of virtual meetings, CCLF had its first in-person Annual Stakeholders meeting on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at the DePaul Center in downtown Chicago. Prior to the meeting, the 77 attendees were treated to a delectable breakfast enthusiastically networking after the long hiatus. Once the meeting was underway, Erik Hall, CCLF Board Chair,… Read more »