A program spearheaded by the City of Chicago and LISC helps residents of the low-income Englewood neighborhood purchase vacant lots that blight the area—for just one dollar. The requirements? That buyers already be anchored on the block as homeowners, and that they draw up plans to revitalize the formerly abandoned parcels.
Vacant lots—shrouded by weeds and wild flowers, blanketed with garbage and abandoned—are a troublesome feature of the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. They flank family homes and businesses, foreclosed properties or other vacant lots, in an area that has struggled for decades with underinvestment.
But with a single dollar, some of that may soon change, thanks to an initiative called the Large Lots Program. Spearheaded by the City of Chicago and LISC, Large Lots gives Englewood residents the opportunity to revitalize their blocks by purchasing vacant spaces for $1—with just two requirements: they must already own property on the block and submit an outline of their plans to repurpose the space.
Together with Teamwork Englewood, a neighborhood CDC, LISC enlists community partners to do outreach and helps launch residents in the program. The initiative, already undertaken in a number of Chicago neighborhoods, has multiple goals that are critical to communities: it gives local residents greater control over vacant lots in their neighborhoods, returns city-owned land to the tax rolls, and boosts safety, home values and a sense of community cohesion. And since participants may sell the land after five years, the program has the potential to generate wealth for local Englewood property owners.
Over the past two years, the City has sold 276 lots to Englewood residents. With funds made available by the Kresge Foundation, LISC and Teamwork Englewood have awarded grants ranging from $1,600-$2,500 to 16 lot owners. Sammiria Malcone, a grant recipient, is one long-time resident who was eager to create something beautiful and useful for her community.
Malcone envisioned a garden, called “Back to Eden,” which would serve many functions, including as play space for the daycare she and her mother run together. Above, she shares some ideas with Chicago-based artist Amanda Williams, who is advising on the project.
“The Large Lots Program really motivated me to push forward with what I'd wanted to do anyway,” said Malcone. “I want to make changes to the neighborhood. The garden will show how to grow your own food and cook. Maybe it will change the eating habits of the neighborhood.”
Throughout the planning stages, Malcone, her mother and Amanda Williams surveyed the lot and talked strategy. “I don't have any experience doing anything like this,” Malcone said. “The whole experience, the learning, is exciting.”
The job of leveling the lot ended up being more than Williams had budgeted for, but contractor Romulous Bradley volunteered some of his time and experience to make sure it continued forward. “I'm just happy someone is doing something with these space,” he said.
The lot had been vacant for as long as Malcone can remember. She moved next door in 2002. Her mother lives on the other side of the lot.
“I don't know my neighbors very well, even though I've lived here a long time,” she said. “I think it will bring the community together a little bit more. We'll get to know each other a little more.”
One of the works of art incorporated into the space is a “Back to Eden” entrance sign. “This art piece was important to me,” she said, pointing at the sign. “I want the children to understand the whole concept of Eden and relate it to their health.”
Learn more about the program and read about the other residents in Englewood's Large Lots Program at LISC Chicago.