CR Magazine – Winter 2017

As a society, we continue to
become more conscious of
our food sources and what’s
in it. Growing locally allows
community members to know
exactly where their food was
produced, down to the type
of seed that was planted and
who tended to it.
Impactful Education
Community gardens offer
education to residents of all
ages about food, its source,
nutrition and community
building. Gardens often pair
up with local schools or
organizations to educate kids
about fruits and vegetables,
learn new gardening skills and
take produce home to their
families. This, in turn, helps
entire families improve their
health and knowledge of food.
Increased
Property Value
Home buyers don’t just want
to purchase a house; they
want to find their community.
Communal gardens bring life
to neighborhoods by providing new and fun opportunities, like
volunteerism, neighborhood bonding, fresh food and an overall
more beautiful landscape.
Studies have found that community gardens not only improve
community members’ health, but increase the value of
surrounding properties as well. A study of gardens in New York
City found that one neighborhood with a community garden
raised their property value by 9.4 percent within five years of the
gardening opening.
As community gardens appear in more neighborhoods throughout
Chicago, buyers will likely be more drawn to them. When pointing
out key features of the neighborhood, don’t forget to mention
surrounding gardens and the opportunities they provide. And
it’s not just empty lots that provide opportunity for community
gardens – rooftop farming is becoming an increasingly popular
commodity for high-density urban neighborhoods.
Increased property value also allows city taxes to be better
allocated in low-income areas, as well as provide more funding
for green spaces like community gardens.
How Can a REALTOR ® Get Involved?
As a REALTOR ® , you have a unique advantage in that you see tons
of properties in a variety of neighborhoods around the city. Every
community has a variety of public spaces, mostly recognized
as parks, streets and plazas.
But, public spaces such as
alleys, neglected courtyards,
stairways and land awaiting
redevelopment could be the
city’s most underutilized and
potentially valuable assets.
Improving deteriorated or
underutilized spaces will
increase their usage and
usefulness — which in turn,
can strengthen and enrich a
community. You can help by
identifying spaces and their
potential for the benefit of
entire communities.
Community gardens have
the potential to beautify
vacant lots, augment local
food supplies and enhance
the urban environment. They
increase the availability of
fresh, healthy produce in
neighborhoods, in addition to
providing space for recreation
and socializing for citizens.
Next time you’re in between
showings, check out the green
space. Identify empty lots, or
sites ripe for development.
You can also work with developers to see if there’s space for
community gardens in their planned developments. Many tenants
and buyers see community gardens as a plus — the addition of
green space plus the ability to grow one’s food aligns naturally with
rooftop decks and grills, as well as communal kitchens.
But it’s not just rooftop and backyards; community gardens
can work into the landscape of a variety of neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods that have experienced blight or are in the midst of
food deserts are excellent examples of how a community garden
can transform a community. Blighted lots, cleaned up and given
the structure of a community garden, can lead to rejuvenation of
the neighborhood, as well as increased development interest and
property values.
Neglected or vacant spaces in your community have the potential
to be transformed – permanently or even temporarily — into
a community garden, which is a benefit to your clients, your
community and your brokerage’s service efforts.
PETERSON GARDEN PROJECT
Peterson Garden Project was founded by Lamanda Joy based on
the conviction that learning together in the garden and kitchen puts
fresh, nutritious food on the table, builds stronger communities,
strengthens cultural heritage, improves public health and creates a
more sustainable, resilient city.
Continued on page 31
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