Revitalized Englewood homes create ownership opportunities for first-time buyers

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The revitalization of a vacant 100-year-old home in Englewood is providing a pathway to homeownership for first-time buyers and creating opportunities for long-term wealth building.

Abria Williams, a first-time homebuyer, recently received the keys to her newly renovated home after purchasing the property before renovations were completed.

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"Just showing that you can have luxury no matter what part of Chicago you live in," Williams said.

Williams said the process required patience and trust.

"It took a lot of trust. Like, I had to just trust the developer, trust my realtor, and just see it through," she said.

The home was one of two properties renovated by developer Alejandro Sotello. According to Sotello, the work required extensive reconstruction.

"There's nothing in here that stayed. Both buildings were gutted to the brand, so there's nothing that stayed except the shell of it," Sotello said.

Williams is among a growing number of homeowners supported through the City of Chicago's Rebuild program. The initiative, working alongside the Chicago Community Loan Fund, focuses on redeveloping vacant properties in neighborhoods that have experienced disinvestment.

More than 70 homes throughout Chicago have already been developed through the program. The effort aims to preserve housing stock, reduce blight, return properties to productive use, and create pathways to homeownership.

"The program brings together the resources and expertise needed to preserve existing housing, to turn vacant properties to productive use," said Wendell Harris of the Chicago Community Loan Fund.

For Sotello, the rehabilitation of the two Englewood homes carries personal significance.

"It's a feeling of fulfillment, right? To be able to do something else for somebody else, not just the people who can afford it," Sotello said.

The renovated homes feature hardwood floors, balconies, fireplaces, and fresh paint. During the event, Mayor Brandon Johnson joked about a future visit to Williams' home.

"You are hosting Thanksgiving in your new career. I've been working on my mac and cheese. I got you," Johnson said.

The City of Chicago's Rebuild program said it currently has 45 additional homes under development as it continues its effort to expand homeownership opportunities across the city.