The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) has been awarded a $310,000 planning grant to determine, with resident input, the comprehensive commercial, retail and basic infrastructure needs of CHA's Lathrop, LeClaire and Altgeld Gardens communities.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which has played a crucial role in the CHA's Plan for Transformation, has provided this funding to allow the CHA to conduct the research and planning necessary to determine the approach for rehabilitating or redeveloping the Lathrop Homes on the north, LeClaire Courts to the southwest and Altgeld Gardens on the far south side. The planning process will explore how best to serve the developments, the residents and the surrounding neighborhoods.
The grant covers land use planning, a physical assessment and a review of each community's resources and potential needs, including employment, education and health care. As LeClaire, Lathrop and Altgeld are all between 50 and 60 years old, attention will be given to much-needed infrastructure upgrades, such as plumbing, electricity and sewers. Since resident participation is vital to this process, meetings and surveys will be conducted so residents can have their say about ways each neighborhood can change for the better.
Planning activities will involve resident leadership and will take into account other economic and community development efforts that are planned or are already underway.
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