Job Creation
What We Do
At our core, we are a neighborhood-centered, resident-inspired organization that recognizes and works to improve the challenges faced in our area that profoundly affect residents’ quality of life. These challenges, or social determinants of health, can be broken down into these categories: housing stability, financial stability, education access, community support and improving the neighborhood environment.
Learn about how we reduce these barriers to:
Learn more about how LCDC can get you in touch with employers & partners.
Do you dream of owning a business in North Lawndale?
Thinking of living in North Lawndale?
People Power/ Community Organizing
LCDC engages residents and community organizations primarily through three initiatives: the North Lawndale Home Owner Association (NLHOA), the North Lawndale Coordinating Council (NLCCC)and the United Power For Action and Justice. We learn of community needs through these initiatives and follow residents’ lead in defining opportunities and designing solutions.
Financial Empowerment/ Homeownership Counseling
LCDC is committed to making homeownership a reality for North Lawndale residents. Working with partners in other Chicago communities, we secured the Advancing Cities grant from JPMorgan Chase Foundation. This provides three years of support for homeownership counseling.
By increasing residents’ understanding of down payment assistance, other ownership support programs, and assisting with their personal financial plans, working families will be fully prepared to secure fair and affordable homeownership.
Homeownership
"Real estate exploitation in Chicago has historically been a critical factor in Black poverty and the nation’s largest lenders have neglected Black communities. LCDC is on a mission to change that.
We are currently working on our 1,000 homes initiative, a journey to build 1,000 affordable single-family, modular, and 2-flat homes.
To date, LCDC has completed $100 million in residential and commercial development.
Rental Housing
LCDC works to stabilize low-income families by developing, owning, and managing housing for residents who earn between 30% and 80% of the Chicago Area Median Income (AMI).
We own 267 affordable rental units and manage 123 of those units. We shift power to the people who are most impacted by our work by organizing institutions and residents.
1,000 Homes Initiative
Born out of the need to address the racial wealth gap within Black and Latino communities, LCDC formed the 1000 homes initiative. With homeownership being a crucial factor in obtaining and sustaining generational wealth and the history of Black communities being prevented from achieving homeownership, LCDC is on a quest to remedy the systemic obstacles. We are prepared to build 1000 new single-family homes ensuring that working Black and Latino families have affordable homes available to purchase and helping to revitalize the community. We also provide essential homeownership counseling to combat predatory and discriminatory housing practices.
LCDC *CO-OP
LCDC’s co-op strengthens the North Lawndale community by building from within. By promoting entrepreneurship and presenting a path to small business ownership, the co-op expands economic access -- facilitating community stabilization in low-income areas.
Maintaining our vision of harnessing the power of people, we work in unison with residents and local businesses to provide a co-op that focuses on elevating the arts and offering governance training, technical support, tax preparation, and other services.
Through the expanded access and economic inclusivity of a cooperative structure, our partnerships will formalize entrepreneurism in North Lawndale as a path for employment and community stabilization that can be grown or adapted into other communities through the work of the Co-op Ed Center. Contact us to learn more about how we’re rebuilding the wealth of North Lawndale by increasing the community’s economic power!
Maintaining our vision of harnessing the power of people, we work in unison with residents and local businesses to provide a co-op that focuses on elevating the arts and offering governance training, technical support, tax preparation, and other services.
Through the expanded access and economic inclusivity of a cooperative structure, our partnerships will formalize entrepreneurism in North Lawndale as a path for employment and community stabilization that can be grown or adapted into other communities through the work of the Co-op Ed Center. Contact us to learn more about how we’re rebuilding the wealth of North Lawndale by increasing the community’s economic power!
Trade School
Residents in the West Side of Chicago face higher than average unemployment due to limited opportunities to join the labor force. This results in higher crime rates and violence and an overall decrease in the quality of life of North Lawndale community members, but this doesn’t have to be the case. With the boom in commercial and residential development, there is a considerable need for skilled construction workers.
Capitalizing on this need, LCDC aims to target the unemployment rate and neighborhood violence with a state-of-the art educational institution, which will focus on the construction trades and logistics. It will provide resources, structured skill development, hands-on training, academic support, and career opportunities for young adults aged 16-30.
By working in tandem with key partners like the City Colleges of Chicago, the Chicago Federation of Labor, and Hire 360, the school will implement specialty program curriculums that prepare job seekers to compete and excel in construction, logistics and other blue collar careers that pay living wages.
Backed by the support and extensive skill development acquired from the school, residents will have the ability to obtain financial security and reduce the impact of community-wide poverty and violence.
Capitalizing on this need, LCDC aims to target the unemployment rate and neighborhood violence with a state-of-the art educational institution, which will focus on the construction trades and logistics. It will provide resources, structured skill development, hands-on training, academic support, and career opportunities for young adults aged 16-30.
By working in tandem with key partners like the City Colleges of Chicago, the Chicago Federation of Labor, and Hire 360, the school will implement specialty program curriculums that prepare job seekers to compete and excel in construction, logistics and other blue collar careers that pay living wages.
Backed by the support and extensive skill development acquired from the school, residents will have the ability to obtain financial security and reduce the impact of community-wide poverty and violence.