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Preserving Sweet Homes 2025

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Voice of the People’s annual celebration of history and fundraiser, Sweet Home Uptown, was held Thursday, April 3rd at the Palmhouse in Evanston.  The event, dubbed the “Preservation Celebration”, proved to be an informative and sentimental coming together of people with “lived experience” in the fight for social justice and creating affordable housing opportunities. But the event also came off as a pep talk of sorts for team members preparing for their big game — now with a star player, the federal government, potentially sidelined.

In a time when larger foundations, non-profits and corporations are wracked with “uncertainty”, and simultaneously fielding an upsurge in donation requests, Voice is thankful to sponsors, as well as individuals and family funds — who stepped up in a big way, including with record attendance at Sweet Home Uptown 2025. (Donation commitments are still coming in and your support is wanted and needed: https://bit.ly/SweetHome2025 or vophousing.com/donate.)

Pictured (L to R): Eric Butler, Kari Moe, Jane Ramsey, Angela Clay, Mike Rohrbeck, Aurie Pennick, Kristin Faust, Mark Angelini, Hoan Huynh and Fritz Kaegi.

In no small measure, the great success of the Preservation Celebration was due to an amazing array of guests and speakers who made real their connection to Voice and their personal/professional journeys in social justice and affordable housing. Sen. Mike Simmons, in legislative session in Springfield, shared his message remotely. The crowd broke into applause at different times as he told his personal story about growing up in a diverse community and the importance of affordable housing. See Sen Simmons Video here.

Pedro Morales Jr., Voice’s very own, emceed the event with warmth and energy. President Eric Butler joined staff members Charles Jordan, Anna Miller, and Mike Rohrbeck in highlighting Resident Services programming and preservation victories, including progress on the 5-building Heart of Uptown Apartments (HUPA) project, now under construction.

But focus also was brought to the challenges of saving affordable housing, including at the 137-unit Leland Hotel. Starting in 2024, ONE Northside has been mobilizing a task force, powered by public officials, service agencies and Voice, to save and enlist support for a new potential buyer for the building, now Mercy Housing Lakefront. Even with this platform of support, the crowd learned of the additional difficulty in lining up services, funding and subsidies needed — The Special Alchemy that is affordable housing preservation. You can see the video of the same now on our YouTube Page: https://bit.ly/VoiceVideos.

Special Guest, Cook County Assessor, Fritz Kaegi addressed the crowd. He reiterated his commitment to reform, and strive for accuracy and equity in the property tax system, including supporting permanently affordable housing with tax relief – as one important member of the “Preservation Team”. He also shared his personal connection to Jane Ramsey, Legacy Leader Honoree. She was introduced by non-profit professional and executive coach, Kari Moe, a top aide to Mayor Harold Washington, Sen. Paul Wellstone and others, and member of the “sisterhood” including Jane Ramsey and Helen Shiller.

Jane’s story of family, of engagement with the civil rights movement, and her personal commitment to community development moved the crowd, including associations with Voice stretching out over decades. Kristin Faust, the Executive Director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority, was central to the evening’s program, not as a housing official, but as a long-time friend to History Maker Honoree, Aurie Pennick – an iconic figure in racial justice and a ceiling-shattering role model in philanthropy. Aurie’s memories of work with Martin Luther King, fair housing and pioneering initiatives at the Chicago Community Trust, the MacArthur and Field Foundations moved the crowd.

Pictured (L to R): Zoe, Abbie and Huy from IL State Rep Hoan Huynh’s office get ready for their picture at the Selfie Wall.

Illinois Rep Hoan Huynh, now Vice Chair of the Housing Committee of the General Assembly, stirred the crowd with his introduction of Mark Angelini, Mover & Shaker Honoree. His personal perspective hit home on the need for affordable housing – as a refugee from a war torn country, like many housed by Voice of the People, and as the first Vietnamese American to be represented in the legislature. 

Mark Angelini, the penultimate community development professional, responsible for preservation of affordable housing for thousands of individuals and families, made his remarks a closing call-to-action. We cannot afford to lose any of our affordable housing! We need to shake up the system so our most disadvantaged among us have access to services, economic opportunities and healthcare — made possible by the affordable housing they have; with neighbors and in the community they know best.

Pictured (L to R): Angelo Perez, Voice Secretary & HUPA Project Resident, with Mark Angelini of Mercy Housing Lakefront, prospective owner of the Leland Hotel, both featured in film The Special Alchemy: Affordable Housing Preservation

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Thanks go out to all the Sweet Home Uptown 2025 Hosts, Sponsors and supporters, event consultants Hoopla Communications, Host/Sponsor Coordinator, Rita McLennon and Executive/Events Administrator, Shirley Watson. Kudos to Voice’s housing partner, Preservation of Affordable Housing, and advocacy partners, ONE Northside and Northside Action for Justice.

Special Recognition goes out to our video production team for the film The Special Alchemy: Affordable Housing Preservation, especially hosts at two locations, including POAH, Skender Construction, Preservation Compact and ONE Northside. The videographer was Lorenzo Leyva, supported by Voice Manager, Anna Miller, and film producer, Christopher Rohrbeck, who lent his time to the project. 

Food vendors made the evening special. Thanks to Fat Cat Chicago, Everybody’s Coffee, Greenspoon Catering and especially Assad’s Mediterranean Bites, housed at Shop & Save (next to Voice Offices @ Sheridan/Wilson).

A Leader Passes the Torch – Maurice Hamp

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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 4th 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.  

Keys to Affordable Housing & Preservation

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Image Caption: Eric Butler, Voice President, dons T-Shirt of advocacy partner, ONE Northside, to protest in support of preserving the Leland Hotel and San Miguel Apartments.

2025 will be the year for Voice of the People Chicago’s “Preservation Celebration”, the theme of Sweet Home Uptown 2025 and the direction for programming going forward, including owner networking, services and technical assistance. The priority is to “hold on to what we got” including the many properties developed in the past decades in Uptown and up and down the lakefront.

Read Voice’s Keys to Affordable Housing which are consistent with our mission. They provide essential context for our organizing and engagement activities with community and affordable housing residents, and marketing citywide for new initiatives, like the Dovie Thurman Affordable Housing Trust.

With a new federal administration soon to take control, housing organizations of all stripes will be challenged to demonstrate that planned developments are sensible, cost efficient and market effective (addressing needs where market demand is highest). Owners, managers and their key staff will need to creatively find savings for operations and opportunities for collaborations benefitting affordable housing residents.

Watch this space for more.

Housing Providers Seek Relief from Tax Heat

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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.

Join us for our Juneteenth Celebration!

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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!

Sweet Home 2024: See Who’s Coming

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Wow! The Sweet Home Uptown 2024 celebration of history and fundraiser is coming up April 18th.  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.

Voice & Partners “In the News”

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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.

Tax Relief for Affordable Housing Owners

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Senator Mike Simmons and Voice of the People in Uptown is inviting representatives of affordable housing owners to “Meet the Commissioner” — Samantha Steele of the Cook County Board of Review at a short presentation and reception Wednesday, July 19th, 4 pm at Truman College.

You’ll want to meet Ms. Steele, District 2 Commissioner, who has been elected by citizens of northern Chicagoland and charged with helping to make our property tax system more fair and equitable through property tax appeals.

She’ll be joined by other recently elected public officials, including 13th District State Representative Hoan Huynh and Alderwoman Angela Clay of the 46th Ward, who are committed to advancing support to affordable housing owners who are key to maintaining the economic, racial and needs diversity we have in Chicago communities. SEE OUR ANNOUNCEMENT FLYER.

Sen. Mike Simmons, session host, along with Voice of the People, a non-profit and tenant-led housing organization, are bringing affordable housing owners together on issues of common concern, beginning with property taxes.

Property taxes that are too high can threaten cash flows and long term viability of affordable housing developments — even as owners absorb hidden “social costs” not always reflected in the property financial statements, nor submitted as background for assessment and appeals. This will be the subject of a short presentation by our resource person, Craig Donnewald, Esq. of Finkel Martwick & Colson.

The information is not legal advice, but guidance to non-profit and affordable housing owners or partner representatives, asset managers and property management professionals who work closely with legal counsel or consultants seeking relief with property tax appeals.

If you’d like to attend, please rsvp to events@vophousing.com or call 773.769.2442 for more information.

Heart of Uptown Apartments Announced

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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.

The Dovie Thurman Affordable Housing Trust

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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.