Bold Plans Spurn A Sense of Hope, Community

A suburb in Chicago enlists volunteer planners, developers and others to take control in rehabilitating a declining neighborhood.

1 minute read

September 6, 2003, 9:00 AM PDT

By Connie Chung


"Believing that home ownership gives residents an unshakable stake in their neighborhood, officials in Riverdale are endorsing a plan for the village to buy, rehab and resell hundreds of rundown rental town homes" in the Pacesetter area, a troubled community with high student turnover rates, high crime, high unemployment rates, and not many housing options for Section 8 holders. "Under the bold concept hatched by volunteer planners, developers and social service experts, the south suburban village would buy as many as 40 town homes a year in the Pacesetter neighborhood over the next decade. Besides turning tenants into homeowners, the plan would try to turn around attitudes and lifestyles in an area that has become accustomed to decline....The plan also includes the renovation of a nearly abandoned gym into a community center, extending 137th Street and adding other amenities to the area."

Thanks to Connie Chung

Thursday, September 4, 2003 in The Chicago Tribune

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

5 hours ago - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

6 hours ago - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

7 hours ago - The Sacramento Bee