Accelerating Community Renewal - In Woodlawn and Beyond

While ensuring a continuous supply of market
rate and affordable rental housing has been and
continues to be a top priority for POAH, increasing
opportunities for affordable home ownership is
also a top goal. To accomplish this, POAH has
partnered with the Neighborhood Housing
Services (NHS) and the Community Investment
Corporation (CIC) to create Renew Woodlawn.
Through this partnership CIC acquires and NHS
renovates formerly vacant or foreclosed properties
in the area and sells them at prices made affordable
through subsidies of up to $75,000. By the end of
2016, Renew Woodlawn had a pipeline of 20 more
homeowners and properties under contract.
Community development would not be “complete”
without also improving the lives of its residents, so
POAH moved to strengthen its service component.
POAH hired its first full-time director of the
Woodlawn Resource Center (WRC) which in the
last year helped more than 125 people in the
community find jobs. And there’s a good reason to
believe more opportunities are on the way, thanks
to the approximately $1.5 million the WRC and
POAH raised in 2016 to expand its employment
network.
Inspiring Others
POAH’s developments are not only bringing about
much needed change, they’ve also attracted other
investors whose projects are proof of Woodlawn’s
ongoing revitalization. Those inspired by
Woodlawn’s renewal include:
• KMW Communities: Obtained approval
from the City Council for its plans for 25
new single-family homes, townhouses and
condominiums between the 6100 and
6200 blocks of Greenwood Avenue
• Greenline Development: Moving ahead
with plans for building seven new
single-family homes on Marquette Road
and Dorchester Avenue, and nine
single-family homes at 61 st and South
Ellis Avenue
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