TRP Celebrates Illinois Affordable Housing Month

TRP's CEO Raul Raymundo and Representative Edward Acevedo

One of the key components to TRP’s work in creating healthier communities is the creation of, preservation of, and advocacy for, affordable housing in our neighborhoods. Last November, as part of Illinois Affordable Housing Month, TRP participated in a variety of events and actions to help promote public awareness about the importance of affordable, accessible and fair housing and build momentum for future housing victories.

TRP’s dynamic Financial Services team began the month by training TRP staff on important housing statistics in our community and ways to take action to increase resources for our work. Staff heard moving testimony from two TRP tenants: Sra. Angeles, spoke about her efforts to save and purchase a new home from TRP’s newest development projects, Resurrection Homes, and Sra. Robles, who expressed gratitude for being able to live in a clean, affordable apartment like Casa Puebla.

Sra. Angeles shares her story

On Monday November 26th, TRP hosted a roundtable discussion with House Representative Acevedo. Representative Acevedo discussed with us the facts and challenges of affordable rental housing in the neighborhood, and witnessed face-to-face testimony.

Other activities during the month included:

Sending dozens of postcards to Speaker of the House Madigan asking him to support the inclusion of affordable housing in a capital budget.
Holding three ABCs of Homeownership homebuyer education classes and one Refinance Workshop, educating 40 people on topics that will help them make informed financial decisions and ultimately keep them in their homes.
Participating in a Homeowner Outreach Event sponsored by the State and IHDA to assist homeowners in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure.
Working over 5,280 total hours as a staff to promote change, educate families, garner resources, train leaders, develop homes, and sustain our organization in our joint effort to build relationships and create healthy communities.

For 17 years, TRP has been committed to fair, safe and affordable housing practices, and has been bringing positive change to Pilsen, Little Village, and Back of the Yards. By 2010 TRP will create an additional 177 affordable rental and 117 affordable for sale opportunities for our communities. It is from this continuous commitment that the organization has been able to also address the problems facing our communities, expanding into other areas with our education, safety and health initiatives. With such holistic approach to community building, TRP will continue enriching lives and building healthy communities.