Holding Down the Block: Building Homeownership in Chicago’s Black Communities

When we talk about homeownership in Chicago, it’s not just about buying a house. For many Black families, it is about creating stability, building wealth, and holding on to something for the next generation.Yet too often, the dream feels out of reach.The numbers tell the story. More than 70% of white families in Chicago own their homes. For Black families, the number is closer to one-third. That gap reflects affordability, generational wealth disparities, and structural barriers that have