by Thelma Sardin
On April 23, The Chesterfield Community Council (CCC) will host their annual “Home Expo” at Tuley Park Fieldhouse located 90th and King Drive. The event is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am.
CCC chairman, Eli Washington, says the organization has held the expo for nearly eight years. Due to the housing crisis in recent years, the CCC decided to host the expo consistently since 2005. “After the housing stock deteriorated, [we decided] to pick the [program] back up,” he said.
Washington says the expo is beneficial to the community because many key agencies are available for residents in one location.
Among agencies that will be present on April 23 include: CEDA, Chicago Department of Housing, Neighborhood Housing Services and Cook County Assessor’s Office.
“Some homes can be saved [from foreclosure] if [owners] knew about services and programs available to them,” Washington said. He continued that if the Black community does not take advantage of programs such as these, other communities will.
At this year’s expo, the CCC hopes to accomplish several things: to stabilize and improve the housing stock in the community, foreclosure prevention and expose the community to Black contractors/lawn care services. Washington says he is tired of seeing other ethnicities in the Black community doing labor when Black owned businesses are available for work.
CCC expects about 300 attendees at this year’s event.
In the past, Washington says community reaction to expo has been positive. “[People] are appreciative that so many agencies and services are available in one location,” he said.
A foreclosure prevention seminar will be held at 11:00 a.m. featuring Judge Lewis Nixon, Supervising Judge, and Mortgage Foreclosure/Mechanics Lien Section for Cook County. According to Washington, Judge Nixon is responsible for the foreclosure process for all of Cook County. He says that is important for people facing foreclosure or those who are in the midst of one to attend the seminar.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 773-651-3958 or visit chesterfieldcommunitycouncil.org.