Friday, December 16, 2005

* New Kid on The Block

Seems there is more than the Hell Hole who thinks Cary Steinbuck is not good for the position she has. Cary is one of those people Alderman Moore holds on to despite her poor performance.

NEW ‘LAKESIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION’ FORMED TO SERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS OF CHICAGO’S NORTH SIDE AND SURROUNDING SUBURBS

Independent CDC Launched With Experienced Staff, Board to Provide Housing Counseling, Affordable Housing Development

CHICAGO – December 7, 2005 – The former leadership and board of directors for one of Chicago’s most effective community development corporations have joined forces to create a new, independent CDC to provide the city’s most comprehensive programs for home buyer counseling, advocacy and affordable housing development for Rogers Park, Edgewater and other underserved communities throughout Chicago’s North Side and surrounding suburbs.

The newly formed Lakeside Community Development Corporation will offer an array of practical, educational services through certified housing counselors, including pre- and post-purchase counseling, foreclosure prevention programs and intervention, condo and landlord training, as well as development of properties to provide additional affordable housing in targeted Chicago markets. Lakeside CDC’s activities also will incorporate and advocacy agenda that will work to increase awareness of continuing practices that erode Chicago communities, such as predatory lending, high cost credit, stealth condo conversions and displacement, and discrimination in housing.

Lakeside CDC will operate under of the leadership of executive director Brian White, a former Rogers Park CDC board member who most recently served as director for development of the Chicago-based Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities, and director Cathy Vates, the widely acclaimed former director of the Rogers Park Community Development Corporation.

Lakeside CDC’s board of directors bring with them considerable experience in community development, including former director positions with the Rogers Park CDC. Lakeside CDC’s new board of directors are Keith Lord, a prominent Chicago real estate developer; public relations consultant Scott Phillips; North Side realtor Nancy Butzen; Molly O’Connor Hapner, a highly regarded North Side activist; and Sheila Barber, vice president of community development for Citibank.

“The opportunity to launch an entirely new community development corporation with this level of experienced leadership means that we can be of immediate service to a very large community of individuals in need of affordable housing education and practical options,” said Mr White. “We know from experience that these types of programs can effectively help stabilize the housing stock in the purchase market by helping buyers to choose homes and mortgage products that will ensure their ability to become long term successful homeowners.”

Ms. Vates added that the demand for Lakeside CDC’s services indicates the organization will achieve rapid, significant growth.

“The immediate, positive response we’ve received from prospective agency partners and funding sources suggests not only a wide reaching demand for our programs, but also a dedication to helping Lakeside CDC meet that demand,” she said.

Lakeside CDC will concentrate its services in Chicago’s Rogers Park, West Ridge, Uptown, Lincoln Square, North Center, North Park, Albany Park and Edgewater communities.

Additional information about Lakeside Community Development Corporation and its services is available at the company’s web site (www.lakesidecdc.org) or by phoning 773-381-5253.

3 comments:

Hugh said...

Most Important Underreported Story of 2005

Rogers Park Community Council (RPCC) somehow dismisses the Board of their real estate subsidiary, the Rogers Park Community Development Corporation (RPCDC), nominally a separate corporation. The Winter 2005 issue of RPCC's newsletter "Rogers Park 2000" runs 32 pages and includes RPCC's Annual Report, has just one sentence mentioning RPCDC. You'ld think the RPCDC Board would be on page 1. Talk about your journalistic standards.

Hugh said...

Where is DevCorp North's "crime is down" article? I thought it might become an annual event.

Hugh said...

Good luck Mr. White and Ms. Vates with the new organization!

Lakeside Community Development Corporation

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