With the New Year in 2025, we mourn the passing and celebrate the contributions of one of our most beloved leaders, Maurice Hamp, a community rep on the board of directors for a decade — five years as President of the organization. 

Eric Butler, the successor to Maurice in the top leadership positon, says that “Maurice was a mentor to me and many other leaders”.  He spent countless hours supporting volunteers, providing counsel to the Executive Director and staff. Though he shunned the spotlight, Maurice typically worked behind the scenes to help the organization navigate difficult times. 

Services and Repass were held Saturday January 4^th 1:00 pm. Visit InclusiveFuneralCare.com for more details and how you can offer tributes and donations in Maurice’s memory.

Maurice retired from Jewish Vocational Services and the related EZRA Multi-Service Center after 27 years as an employment counselor – with people who were very low income, disabled, long-term unemployed or returning to community life after incarceration. 

His experience in social services benefitted staffers in Voice’s Resident Opportunity Services Program and his guidance and experience in recruitment and the travails of non-profit life was a reassurance to those of us who needed it.

Learn more about Maurice Hamp’s story on Voice’s website and celebrate our greatest victory, the rehab of five buildings, with over a 100 units of service-enriched affordable housing – the Heart of Uptown Apartment project — which Maurice’s leadership made possible.  

July 24th, 4-5:30 pm, Voice with co-hosts Sen Mike Simmons, Ald Angela Clay and Rep Hoan Huynh, welcome affordable housing providers to a “Social Cost Appeals” Training Session and Reception. This is meant to equip owners, asset managers, property management and tenant service providers with the tools/information to support their tax professionals in achieving lower taxes.

The event, being held at the Truman College in the McKeon Admin/Parking building, will feature speakers from the Cook County Board of Review, Commissioner Samantha Steele of the north district 2, and the law firm of Finkel, Martwick & Colson, in the person of Craig Donnewald, Esq. RSVP today for limited seating at Events@UptownVoice.org.

DJ Shurn is returning to Voice!  After a successful Back to School Bash last year, DJ Shurn will be returning to entertain at this year’s Juneteenth Jubilee & Resource Fair. Read all about it and Join Us June 15th at 11:30 am at Truman College, 1145 West Wilson Avenue. Enjoy the food, games and fun with neighbors, community, and business sponsors. Visit our “Culture Cafe” to learn Black History in Uptown and how to trace your family roots.

Check out his link tree for a sneak peak at some amazing music coming up this June.

Also see our list of upcoming Events!

Wow! The Sweet Home Uptown 2024 celebration of history and fundraiser is coming up April 18^th.  There are amazing honorees we’ll celebrate: Angela Clay, Ed Jacob and Peter Levavi. 

There is an incredible band, the Sweet Home Allstars, who grew up with the blues, played with the greats, and hold sway at Chicago’s best blues venues. Register Today.

There are hosts and salty dogs from a bygone era showing up and young bloods of community development, social services, government and politics present. 

Whether you’re a supporter, vendor, property manager, developer, advocate or most important, resident of affordable housing, this will be THE place to be.  SEE WHO IS COMING.

In many countries, people in most need of food, shelter and services are provided for by direct government support. In the USA, where we heavily rely on non-profit organizations to provide these basic needs, funding and technical/programmatic challenges are significant and perpetual. The story in the Tribune of the Heartland Alliance saga provides context for this with painful details.

Amid crises, however, comes opportunities for other organizations to step up, and in the case of service-enriched affordable housing, preserving properties that are home to residents who represent the cornerstone of racial, economic, and needs diversity in communities like Uptown. Voice is seeking to save one of many buildings at risk of sale to the marketplace — the San Miguel Apartments — by partnering with the National Housing Partnership Foundation. We are also pressing for solutions with our advocate partners and legislative leaders to save even more. Read Article.

Voice of the People in Uptown with its partner, Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), is proud to announce plans for the upgrade of five residential properties with 103 leased homes beginning as early as the Fall 2024. Residents who live in these buildings are providing their input into the process with meetings kicking off a year in advance ! Read the full project description here.

If you live in buildings at 847 W Sunnyside, 4130 N. Kenmore, 927 W. Wilson, 4431-41 N. Clifton, 900-02 W. Windsor/Hazel, the first meeting will be at Wilson Abbey, 939 W. Wilson Avenue, Thursday, May 25th at 6:00 pm. Dinner will be served at the accessible third-floor location next to Everybody’s Coffee.

Residents of these properties can fill out a survey of improvements they recommend for their apartment and building — on flyers or with the Survey Online.   Learn more or check for updates on the proposed redevelopment called the Heart of Uptown Apartments or HUPA.  Follow the link to the HUPA Home Page, where information will be updated on planned improvements and resident services.

Both Voice and POAH have policies of Development Without Displacement and believe affordable housing is the key to achieving sustainable economic, racial, and needs diversity in the Uptown Community of Chicago.

Angela Clay is a long-time former tenant, board leader and president of four years, and now the winning candidate for 46^th Ward Alderperson. The election has brought attention to the importance and challenges in creating and maintaining affordable housing, which is critical to sustaining economic and racial diversity in Uptown.  Read Our Statement.

Following board action in the fall of 2022, Voice of the People has authorized the formation of an Affordable Housing Trust named after a legendary tenant and community leader, Dovie Thurman. Incorporated in January 2023, the Trust will be dedicated to assuring permanent affordability of housing that is adequately supported by advantaged access to economic and resident services benefits. The initiative will start-up over two years, include three Voice owned properties, and be opened up to include other eligible affordable housing owners and developments thereafter. Read Announcement. If you believe in a vision of sustainably diverse Chicago communities and want to learn about, or endorse, the governing principles of the Dovie Thurman Affordable Housing Trust, visit our web page for Trust Allies and Supporters.