Contributing to this trend is the wage gap that continues to grow. According to a 2014 National Low Incoming Housing Coalition study, “In Chicago you need to make between $18.25 and $19.25 an hour to afford a typical two-bedroom rental.” Between housing expenses and the wage gap, many families and individuals are unable to save money.
One of these people was Vincent Garcia, who works downtown and was living in Brookfield. His commute going to and from work every day would range from 45 minutes to an hour. He was also spending a lot of money on gas and that, combined with his rent, didn’t allow him to save.
He decided to move into the city and began looking for apartments in the Bridgeport and Taylor Street areas. He wanted to find a place within his budget where he could live comfortably.Vincent searched for an apartment for a while but just couldn’t find something that he could afford.“Rent is high everywhere now,” said Vincent.“They want a lot of money for a one-bedroom or small studio.”

His luck changed when he happened to drive past Casa Maravilla,The Resurrection Project’s senior housing apartment complex. He saw a sign for TRP’s Property Management department and called to see if they had vacancies.An occupancy specialist walked him through the process of applying and he ended up moving into TRP’s Casa Guerrero, a 25-unit apartment complex in Pilsen.
One of the things Vincent noticed immediately was that the apartments are comfortable and the building is well maintained. He remembers repairing things himself and shoveling the snow at his old apartment.At Casa Guerrero, he knows TRP’s property management is always there to help. He also appreciates that his whole paycheck isn’t going towards rent.“Living at Casa Guerrero is allowing me to save money for other things. I’m grateful for the work TRP does with housing in the community.”
For the past 25 years,The Resurrection Project has been working to provide more than just housing.Tenants like Vincent also have free access to TRP’s full range of services, including financial literacy, citizenship, community leadership, and home purchase workshops.The goal is to activate residents like Vincent to imagine more for themselves.

TRP understands the needs of families and individuals who need dignified and quality living spaces and is working with communities and local officials to create more community assets. Recently,TRP hosted a series of open houses in the Back of the Yards neighborhood to showcase its spacious and affordable apartments.
This comes on the heels of the latest community housing victory, Casa Querétaro, a brand new, 45- unit complex of quality, affordable apartments being developed by TRP. The building will transform the Pilsen landscape and provide safe, clean, new apartments for individuals and families.

Return to Nueva Vida March 2015 here.