'Reclaiming Chicago' campaign revitalizes Back of the Yards with new homes for families

CHICAGO - A vibrant campaign is underway in the heart of Chicago's Southwest Side, breathing new life into long-overlooked neighborhoods.

The initiative is called "Reclaiming Chicago," and it has already started "reclaiming" Back of the Yards.

"Back of the Yards is all that I know. All of my family is here. I have stayed in a couple of apartments outside of Back of the Yards, but I’ve always come back home," said new homeowner Leonardo Garcia.

Garcia gets to stay put in Back of the Yards, in a brand-new home, thanks to The Resurrection Project and its many partners, like United Power for Action and Justice.

The groups are working to replace empty, overgrown lots around Chicago with houses fit for families and professionals.

"We received 488 lots with the city of Chicago; more than 250 of them alone are going to come to Back of the Yards," said Erica Esquivel, the Managing Broker at The Resurrection Project. 

Esquivel said that in the campaign’s first phase, they helped 17 families own a modern home, and in the coming year, they will support 27 new families.

However, not just anyone can get a house; securing a spot takes long hours of collaboration and counseling.

"That’s why that counseling portion of it is very, very important, it's crucial. We will never offer one of our properties to a family that we know is going to be struggling to make ends meet," said Esquivel.

Many of the vacant lots are in neighborhoods of primarily Hispanic or Black descent.

"A lot of families don’t feel like they can acquire a home here in this country because, you know, because of their legal status or immigration status, and the truth is that everyone can benefit from what we’re doing here in the neighborhood," said Esquivel.

Esquivel gets to be one of the first people to show new homeowners their new space. 

"That’s one of the most rewarding feelings ever," said Esquivel, "I get to bring them to see the house, they fall in love with it, and they are just optimistic, and I just handhold them throughout the whole process."

Esquivel said she’s ready to see new residents, like Garcia, create lasting change.

"I just see how beautiful it could become. In the early 90s, when I was growing up here, there used to be parades; you don’t see parades anymore. This used to be a little bit cleaner, better, and everything and I just want to bring that back," said Garcia. 

The organizations working with The Resurrection Project have also done work to revitalize Roseland and North Lawndale neighborhoods.

For more information, CLICK HERE.