EAD MORE about the establishment of a “Dovie Thurman Affordable Housing Trust” that locks in affordability for Voice and other housing development sponsors.
Property & Asset Management (PAM)
Voice provides property management, asset management, development and/or community partner liaison services for residents of Voice-owned properties and partnership-owned developments (total of 14 buildings with 214 units of decent, affordable housing). PAM staff marshal input into planning for building upgrades with resident services team members, as with the pending “Heart of UPtown Apartments” (HUPA) Project, a 5-building 103 unit project. It also collaborates with other affordable housing owners on issues of community and city-wide importance. SEE MORE about how program and collaborative services are delivered at Voice.
Voice connects individual residents and family members with social, cultural, educational, recreational and economic opportunities. Residents work with ROS staff to complete a household assessment which is used to identify and work towards individual goals.
This year, ROS staff is focusing on the health and wellness of our community. These services include workshops on healthy cooking, shopping, resources, and food security; senior healthcare access; and financial wellness services targeted via the Economic Stability & Financial Empowerment Program. Additionally, staying true to its community organizing roots, Voice’s Speakers Bureau focuses on leadership development, community engagement, and other empowerment activities.
To create and sustain affordable housing in a socially just, economically and racially diverse Uptown Community, Voice intends not only to support residents to stay and improve in place, but owners who need assistance in maximizing income, managing expenses and building property management capacity for the long haul. As the first major initiative of this program in 2021, VOICE ANNOUNCED the formation of a blue ribbon panel to advise its board on the formation of a Diversity Land Trust, and is drawing on expertise in Chicago and lessons of community land trusts nationwide. Voice’s Dovie Thurman Affordable Housing Trust was incorporated in January 2023 and is named after one of Voice’s founders, Dovie Thurman, a black activist for civil and welfare rights, who leveraged her access to affordable housing to become a legendary and spiritual leader of the community. See our COMMUNITY LAND TRUST OVERVIEW or ENDORSE our innovative community land trust efforts. Read more about Voice’s designation in 2022 as a city-supported Technical Assistance Center (TACOM) and review our property tax initiatives that can help to make affordable housing more sustainable.
