2025 Chicago Prize Recipient
Reclaiming Chicago
In 2025, Reclaiming Chicago was awarded the Chicago Prize, a $10 million investment to accelerate a bold strategy for transforming vacant properties into affordable homeownership across four South and West Side neighborhoods—North Lawndale, Back of the Yards, Chicago Lawn, and Roseland. This community-led coalition of six development organizations is creating pathways for working families to achieve homeownership, build generational wealth, and strengthen their communities from within.
The Chicago Prize investment supports two critical strategies: providing patient capital for large-tract developments that enable residential enclaves to create homeownership opportunities to build wealth. The Prize also expands the revolving construction loan fund supporting ongoing home construction across all four neighborhoods. Because the fund revolves as homes are sold, this investment will build homes in perpetuity, creating lasting impact far beyond the initial award.
Together, this positions Reclaiming Chicago to achieve its ambitious five-year goal of 2,000 homes, helping working families build generational wealth while revitalizing historically disinvested communities.