DEVELOPER INFO:
Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) advances housing as a human right by empowering communities – particularly the Latino and Spanish-speaking populations, through advocacy, education and affordable development and comprehensive housing services. LUCHA aspires to build empowered, thriving communities and to further access to fair housing. Founded in 1982, LUCHA is both a HUD approved housing counseling agency, as well as a Community Housing Development Organization (CHoDO). Anchored in Humboldt Park, LUCHA was born out of the Puerto Rican community as it organized for equitable housing. As part of its central commitment to racial equity via affordable housing creation and preservation, LUCHA has built and currently manages 198 units of affordable rental housing divided across four developments spanning Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and West Town.
PROJECT INFO:
In 1995, LUCHA completed the first new-construction Single-Room Occupancy building built in Chicago in over 50 years. At that time, Humboldt Park Residence was innovative in its approach to housing homeless and extremely low-income households. This 68-unit building, which serves a vital population of previously homeless and/or extremely low-income individuals, helps fill a critical affordable housing need as the City of Chicago is experiencing the loss of many SRO buildings and as Humboldt Park is experiencing continued gentrification pressure from the east. Prior to the refinance, bathrooms were shared in all but six of the units.
The building was in need extensive rehabilitation, which will result in 65 studio units refitted with private baths, a new roof, energy efficient windows, brick repairs, masonry window sills, kitchen cabinets, appliances, bathrooms, lighting, boilers, sprinkler system, infrastructure for internet and cable TV, updates to the elevator, security, and fire alarm systems and the addition of air conditioning in the units. The ground floor community space and commercial space are reconfigured to provide upgraded and expanded common space. The building is located near many amenities and services, including Humboldt Park and ample public transportation routes.
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