“Three pillars of focus that direct Claretian Associates’ work are housing, convening around critical issues and violence prevention. “
Housing insecurity is a tragic and heartbreaking reality which has spread beyond urban neighborhoods to include suburban and rural communities. It is a difficult and complex issue that requires smart and intentional problem solving and considerable resources.
SJLCD is proud to support Claretian Associates (CA), an innovator and leader in offering solutions to solve systemic issues in housing insecurity and its challenging causes and symptoms.
Located in South Chicago, CA’s mission is focused primarily on creating housing security and secondarily, addressing related needs including health, income, and education. CA offers measurable impact in a high need community by focusing their work on proven successes in 1) Housing; 2) Convening around critical issues and 3) Violence prevention.
Claretian Associates provides affordable homes and apartments to more than 250 families and seniors. All properties serve very low to moderate income families.
– Angela Hurlock, CEO
CA’s solutions are centered on key principles that guide community building and investment. Programs offer safe, quality, affordable housing, but also to provide high-impact related services which support families as they work to achieve their goals to be self-sustaining and build on their quality of life. These include:
• Affordable Housing for Families & Seniors;
• Access to Social and Health Services for Seniors & Families;
• Youth and Leadership Development through Workforce Development Skill Building and Training;
• Safety through Violence Prevention Programs;
• Housing and Financial Counseling; Environmental Awareness;
• Food Security.
We’re grateful to recognize the generosity of an anonymous couple whose $50,000 contribution to Claretian Associations provides 1) vital resources to help guide people living in dire housing insecurity to safe emergency and transitional housing and 2) create a subsidy fund to be able to assist the most vulnerable at-risk families with access needed housing and services.
Organizations like Claretian Associates are the “behind the scenes” miracle workers changing the world we live in for the better. They are the “hope generators” whose ministry’s success depends on the support and collaboration you and the community of St. Jude. Make Claretian Associates the organization you watch, follow and support in this year’s Hope Challenge!
More about Claretian Associates
Adequate, affordable housing is an essential component in maintaining healthy households, strengthening communities, establishing bonds among neighbors, creating the expectation for effective schools, and building healthy business districts. The needs in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods are often greater than what the federal, state, and local governments are able to provide.
Claretian Associates is a singular resource for affordable housing in the South Chicago region. It aspires to create a community that is affordable, safe, and equitable, and it fosters a sense of safety and community. It has created over 250 affordable homes and apartments in a 12-block area and has simultaneously worked with other community advocates to undertake housing development projects and services that have enriched the lives of Southeast Chicago residents. It has also developed and sold over 40 single-family homes through the city’s New Homes for Chicago program and plans to develop an additional 89 units in the coming years. Claretian Associates has transformed a geographic area into a community.
Other notable impacts:
SAFETY
- Since 2010, over 600 Chicago residents employed in youth and safety programs
- The Safe Passages program lead a 99% decrease in school fights at participating schools from 2017-2019.
Community Building
- Each year, we have an average of 100 volunteers that work on food security, gardening and community clean-up events
- Claretian Associates works with over 15 local & regional organizations in our south Chicago neighborhood network
Claretian Associates owns and/or manages:
An apartment complex offering affordable living for seniors aged 55 and older. Villa Guadalupe’s mission is to enhance the quality of life of local seniors by providing affordable housing and support services within a secure environment. The Villa has been in operation for more than 20 years and has helped stabilize a changing community. It provides access to health services, social programs, and case management at no cost to the residents, in the hopes of providing life-enhancing services to seniors in South Chicago. Seniors can also participate in recreational programs such as dance and exercise classes, holiday events, jewelry-making classes, daytrips, and connecting with nearby schools for programs involving multiple generations.
Villa Guadalupe also runs the Senior Center within the Victory Centre of South Chicago. Located two blocks away, the Center offers affordable meals, activities, and classes for seniors on every weekday.
Casa Kirk consists of 29 apartments ranging in size from 2 to 4 bedrooms. Monthly rents range from $900 to $1100 with subsidies available for some units. Casa Kirk Apartments features large apartments with ample storage space, gated parking, laundry facilities, outdoor playground, cable ready units and building management
Rehab South Chicago Apartments consists of eight apartments ranging in size from 2-4 bedrooms. Amenities include onsite laundry facilities, a large backyard and roomy back porches.
9100 South Burley Apartments is an affordable multi-family housing development and part of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. It has 7 units with 2 and/or 3 bedrooms and is a drug-free, smoke-free, pet-free living environment. Appliances include an in-unit washer and dryer. It is a newly renovated building with the latest sustainable and environmentally friendly features.
Claretian Associates established a collaboration with the Preservation of Affordable Housing to acquire 101 affordable senior rental apartments at the former South Chicago YMCA. After some redevelopment, the South Chicago Senior Homes and SALUD Center opened to the public in 2021. The SALUD Center consists of 100+ units of affordable senior housing and promotes resident health, including prevention of illnesses and injuries, coordination of health/behavioral care and other critical social services (e.g. case management), and delivery of nutritious food.
Be part of a building a promising future for the South Chicago community!