How would you best promote sustainability strategies for CHA’s development efforts?
20 votes
Job training would inspire personal growth, thrive to build, strengthen, foster respect for all and sustain individual family and community integration. Through HUD’s network of agencies and programs our community will be empowered to initiate personal and social change, as well as be provided with opportunities for self-sufficiency.
16 votes
What you want to create are communities that will eventually sustain themselves. So you will need to work with Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Police/Fire Departments, Illinois Department of Human Services. More importantly some of the people who work under those auspices need to be a part of the community they serve, so they will feel more invested in a beneficial outcome. There are ways to entice government workers ...more »
What you want to create are communities that will eventually sustain themselves. So you will need to work with Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Police/Fire Departments, Illinois Department of Human Services. More importantly some of the people who work under those auspices need to be a part of the community they serve, so they will feel more invested in a beneficial outcome.
There are ways to entice government workers to be a part of the communities that they serve and so we should look into doing that, and the same can be said of healthcare.
For the impoverished people in the units, you will have to find a way to engage them in their own community as well. Perhaps cooperative industries in and near the community would be a way to go as well. Having those who live in the units, certified to make repairs (which would mean educating them in trades like carpentry, electrical workers...) would help them transition off of the subsidies, but not out of the communities themselves.
But it would be nice to integrate aspects of government subsidies first, using a "Whole Life" (Not all your life" approach to the communities, that would wean people off the subsidies, but have them stay in the communities. And this could be done in existing communities that have been devastated by poverty.
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10 votes
Could CHA secure a developer to build green, sustainable, energy efficient (solar) homes for residents that would accept the voucher instead of mortgage financing?
Perhaps some of foreclosure stock could be utilized or rehab?
8 votes
Subsidizing College Graduates thru the development of residential building specifically for business incubation. Yes, I do mean a building of all business entreprenuers. Many college students who major in business begin working in teams while still in college on new product ideas but may lack the money to launch a business. Since many graduates are initially unemployed, we could allow them to acquire section 8 certificates ...more »
Subsidizing College Graduates thru the development of residential building specifically for business incubation. Yes, I do mean a building of all business entreprenuers. Many college students who major in business begin working in teams while still in college on new product ideas but may lack the money to launch a business. Since many graduates are initially unemployed, we could allow them to acquire section 8 certificates in a building that is specifically for unemployed college graduates that intend to launch businesses. There could be enough room for a front office, meeting room and dorm style bedrooms that could accommodate maybe 2 bunk beds. The city could pay a designated bank thru our TIF’s to evaluate their business plans and the small business administration (SCORE)could assist along the way with connections in their industry, if these resources are available. The hope would be that some of these students would actually become successful business owners. CHA would be a vehicle to help cut costs with the launch of their ideas. A time window could be specified to shows results, like 3 years for example. If there are solid results over a 3 year period, then they could renew their section 8 certificate. Then larger CHA incubation space based on the success of their business could be obtained, if space is available. The CHA Incubation building of entreprenuers could have a receptionist that takes their business calls when they are out of the office and their mailboxes could be a legitimate business address. This could be a six year plan and at this point they move to non-subsizied rent within the same community. (They could share a market rate 3-bedroom within the same development area to continue to cut costs. This could be the agreement!! Part of the agreement could also be to hire any needed empoyees from the community that funded their TIF funds for business plan development, thru the designated bank.
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4 votes
Community garden in a food desert,(food & flowers) and a play lot with equipment that promotes exercise as play time, (integrated and blended). A walking track around the playlot for parental health,community convenience, and parent child interaction. All capped off with a mural, (on the existing wall of the former train tracks) painted by CPS students, (and others)CHA residents, and supervised by volunteer local artist ...more »
Community garden in a food desert,(food & flowers) and a play lot with equipment that promotes exercise as play time, (integrated and blended). A walking track around the playlot for parental health,community convenience, and parent child interaction. All capped off with a mural, (on the existing wall of the former train tracks) painted by CPS students, (and others)CHA residents, and supervised by volunteer local artist and art teachers. Highlighting the diverse contributions of Chicagoans,(and others) set in a sustainable theme of healthy food and exercise, we could connect with, "Lets Move" 1st lady Michelle Obama's community garden and exercise initiative. The CHA owns a vacant lot on the 600 block of east 40th which is directly across from the CHA'S Washington Park Homes. This unused overgrown pasture could provide many benefits such as but not limited to, jobs, high school community service requirement fulfillment, flowers to beautiful CHA cites and properties, organic food, farmers market, improved community relations, and much more. I have raised a $1000.00 to start this endeavor. A CHA Choir could be formed to promote and raise funds. I have musicians, practice space, and the spare time to make this happen by the spring of 2013. Help us help ourselves. Finally the knowledge of Learning to fish vs being given one, the lesson of eating for today or eating daily.
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1 vote
There should be a program that incorporates the entire household and not just the head of household. CHA should take the self sufficient program they have currently and make few changes. Why help others who are on the lease and transform their lives so that they can become more independent and not rely on rental assistance as well? Take high school students or adult learners ; for example who are in the household who ...more »
There should be a program that incorporates the entire household and not just the head of household. CHA should take the self sufficient program they have currently and make few changes. Why help others who are on the lease and transform their lives so that they can become more independent and not rely on rental assistance as well? Take high school students or adult learners ; for example who are in the household who are in school and help them build a savings account that will secure funding for them once they have complete their studies or have degree or high school diploma. The high school students can then take their savings and put it towards their college education rather than building up more debt with loans for schools. The adult learners can use their savings from the money in their accounts and either put it towards student loans or use it to secure housing once they have found place of employment in their field of study...I figure lets help those that are ready to be transform be independent individuals....
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