Helping create communities where people thrive.
In the summer of 2015, the Chicago Community Loan Fund received its first New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Allocation from the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund. CCLF was awarded a $15 million allocation which it deployed in three diverse, transformative and exciting projects in three different Chicago neighborhoods. CCLF provided $5 million of NMTC… Read more »
Don Duszynski and Sean Connolly are founders of Strata Investments, a real estate development company that rehabilitates vacant properties and creates affordable housing for families in Chicago Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher Program. The company also offers properties to first time homeowners and renters. Their mission is to provide excellent affordable housing options in thriving,… Read more »
The Outstanding For-Profit Neighborhood Real Estate Project Award went to DL3 Realty for Englewood Square center at 63rd and Halsted that includes a Whole Foods Market, Starbucks and Chipotle among other retailers. Click Image to see video.
25 years ago, a group of investors gathered to talk about a problem in Chicagoland that had long been overlooked in the banking world: underserved communities. This group decided that a community fund focused on investing in grassroots organizations and leaders who were addressing the direct needs of individuals, families, and communities based on locally… Read more »
Traffic was unusually heavy along 63rd Street in Englewood the morning of September 28, 2016. Students were trying to get to school and residents were trying to get to work, but a large number of the community was going to the grand opening of the Whole Foods Market on 63rd Street and Halsted. The light… Read more »
In late July, an excited crowd gathered in Woodlawn to celebrate the groundbreaking of Trianon Lofts. The project will include 24 two-bedroom apartments and provide 7,000 square feet of commercial space. Over half of the apartments will be reserved for families earning 80-120% of the area median income, the others will be market rate, and… Read more »
On August 25, XS Tennis invited community members and partners to celebrate the groundbreaking of its new facility. The New XS Tennis Village, located in Washington Park, will include two dozen full-size indoor and outdoor tennis courts, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a 150-meter track and 7 class / multipurpose rooms. The new multi-million dollar… Read more »
On July 9th, the Bronzeville community gathered with Chicagoans from all over to celebrate the grand opening of The Arts and Recreation Center at Ellis Park. The new state of the art center includes a gym with a shock absorbing floor, a handicap accessible pool, a fitness center, a community room and a rooftop terrace… Read more »
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The intersection of Clark and Division and surrounding blocks are packed with construction crews hard at work. The Near North Side neighborhood is just blocks away from downtown and is expanding rapidly with luxury apartments. In the midst of all this change stands the historic Mark Twain Hotel. Built over 80 years ago, the hotel… Read more »
On June 9th, CCLF welcomed funders, investors, and community partners to its Annual Stakeholders Meeting held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The meeting reviewed CCLF’s portfolio performance in 2015 and first quarter 2016; informed partners about the direction of the upcoming strategic plan; highlighted notable borrowers; and offered investors and partners the opportunity… Read more »
CCLF staff visit Greenline Development, Inc.’s new net zero energy home in Woodlawn for a mid-construction tour Almost 20 years ago, Benjamin Van Horne started Greenline Development, Inc. While some Chicagoans may hear the company’s name and immediately think of the ‘L’ train, the name actually responds to redlining, the practice of denying services and… Read more »
Founder of Sugar Beet Cheryl Muñoz, Senator Don Harmen, Mayor of Oak Park Anan Abu-Taleb, CCLF’s COO and VP of Programs Robert Tucker and Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin at the ribbon cutting for Sugar Beet on August 14th Sugar Beet Food Co-op opened its doors this summer, making it one of the first food… Read more »
Randy Crompton, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Alderman Leslie Hairston, CCLF President Calvin L. Holmes, Frederick Dunston and Director of Lending Operations at CCLF Wendell Harris celebrate the opening of the Stony Island Arts Bank For the past 30 years, a nearly century-old bank in Chicago’s South Shore community has been abandoned and vacant. The 19,065 square… Read more »
Betty Shabazz International Charter School principal Sundiata Mason, 8th Ward Alderman Michelle Harris, CCLF’s Director of Portfolio Management Lycrecia Parks and Great Lakes ADA Center’s Technical Assistance Specialist Ancel Montenelli Betty Shabazz International Charter School (BSICS) opened its doors in November to celebrate its compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with a ribbon… Read more »