CCLT logo
Chicago Community Land Trust
September 2013
Newsletter
 
2013 Board of Directors

Bruce Gottschall,
President 
 
Patricia Abrams,  
Vice-President 
 
Ofelia Navarro, 
Secretary 
 
Lawrence Grisham,
Ex-officio Director
 
Calvin Holmes,
Treasurer
 
Joy Aruguete 
Joel Bookman 
Pamela Gecan  
Edward H. Jacob
Brenda Palms-Barber 
Rosanna Marquez 
Robert McGhee 
Guacolda Reyes
William W. Towns  
Marva Williams 
 
Staff

Kara Breems, 
Executive Director 
 
Teresa Lambarry, 
Outreach Director


Dear CCLT Homeowner, Office pic
 
The first two sessions of our first-ever Homeowner University are behind us - and we are so glad that over 20 of you were able to join us over the course of two sessions to get to know each other a little better, and learn from - and with! - us. 
 
For those of you who couldn't attend, we will recap what we learned in this newsletter. 
 
I also want to invite everyone to join us for the Hands-On Homeowner University workshop(s), which have been scheduled for Wednesday October 9 at 6 pm. The "workshop" turned into three workshops, when our host, David Ocasio, the Store Manager at the Home Depot on Armitage and Cicero, offered to recruit a few colleagues and teach simultaneous workshops on your top three choices, which were (drum roll!): 
  • Installing Ceramic Tile; 
  • Paint Clinic; and 
  • Drywall Installation and Repair 

More details follow below but we certainly hope you will join us at this free event. 

 
Free giveaways at the workshop should also help encourage you! 
 
Again, thanks to all who attended - to those who could not, we hope you learn something in the newsletter. Happy reading!
  
Sincerely,

 

Teresa Lambarry
CCLT Outreach Director
Featured Article:  Homeowner University 101 and 102: The Highlights!
Insurance
To talk about insurance, we welcomed three great speakers: Douglas Jensen, President of the Illinois Fair Plan Association; and John Gatlin and Robert Rapp from the Illinois Department of Insurance. 

 

For a more detailed explanation about the dos and don't of buying homeowner's insurance please click here.

 

Here were some highlights from the presentations/discussions: 

 

Homeowners need insurance to protect your home or structure, personal property and protect yourself from personal liability (and because your lender and the CCLT deed restriction requires it!)

 

Property CoverageYour policy defines what is covered in the case of loss. The policy should also clearly state what perils are covered.

 

Common Perils include fire or lightning, windstorm, hail, smoke, vandalism, malicious mischief, civil commotion, and theft.  

Insuring the house:  
You can purchase two different coverages:
  • Replacement Cost Coverage - total rebuilt coverage and total coverage of personal property.
  • Actual Cash Value Coverage total rebuilt coverage but has depreciation cost taken from the original value of items lost, taking into consideration the age of item. 
The Deductible is the amount the policyholder agrees to pay first, before the insurance company pays the claim.  The higher your deductible the lower your premium.  You should always be careful about filing claims to your insurance, as it might cause your carrier to cancel or raise the price on your insurance. 
 
Our speakers encouraged us to pick the highest deductible we are comfortable with (ie we have savings/means to pay, in an emergency), as this reduces your monthly payments, and will likely result in long-term savings. 
 
Special Endorsements are additional coverage that you may need to purchase to insure jewelry, guns, art work.  If you have items with significant value, it might be worth checking with your agent to see if you should purchase a special endorsement to cover them. 

Things That Affect Cost and Availability of Insurance include the type of home you own, where you live, how old your property is, if you run a business from your home, bad credit history, too many claims filed and whether you have dangerous pets.
 
Avoiding ProblemsFind an agent that you feel you can trust.  Keep receipts for all your belongings, and take a photo or video inventory to record everything you own. 

Filing a Claim: The very first thing is to report any injury, burglary, fire damage, or flood damage to the police and your agent. Make repairs to protect your property from further damage. Save receipts and submit them for reimbursement from your insurance company. Insurance company will assign a claim adjuster to work with you and settle the claim.  In most cases, it is not necessary to work with a public adjuster: if a public adjuster is offering to advocate with your insurance company, beware! It may be a scam.
 
What If I Can't Get Homeowner's InsuranceIf you cannot get insurance for whatever reason do not forget that Illinois has the "FAIR PLAN" to help people in this situation.
 
For help contact:
Illinois FAIR PLAN 312.861.0385

Illinois Insurance Hotline 800.444.3338

Illinois Department of Insurance, Consumer Assistance at 866.445.5364.

Property Taxes
Once again, we welcomed an excellent speaker - Hector Dominguez, Outreach Specialist for the Cook County Assessor's Office (CCAO). One of the most important things we  learned is that you do not need to hire a lawyer to resolve or appeal your taxes.  CCAO staff are more than willing to help homeowners appeal or address property tax situations with homeowners. Another helpful piece of information is that, if you have never filed a homeowner's exemption, but were entitled to one, the CCAO will reimburse you for up to the past four years of reimbursements you were owed. You must fill out a certificate of error for each year and show closing papers to show that you have been the owner for the length of time you are filing.  Information on other exemptions is available here.

As we all know, CCLT Homeowners are special cases when it comes to property taxes: CCLT property taxes are based on the affordable price rather than the market value. This typically results in significant property tax savings to CCLT homeowners. If you are not sure if your taxes are being assessed at the affordable price, we always ask that you contact Teresa so she can reach out to the Assessor's Office on your behalf.
Home Depot Workshop Wednesday, October 9, 2013 starts at 6 p.m.
Hands-On Homeowner University, 
hosted by the Armitage/Cicero Home Depot 
Wednesday October 9, 6 - 9 pm 
  • Installation of Ceramic tile will cover installing tile on floor and subtrate as well as wall tile and grouting; 
  • Drywall Clinic, will cover installation and repair of drywall, base board and having professioal results with these projects; and 
  • Paint Clinic will cover painting tips and tricks to get professional results.  
Mark your calendars now - and look for an invitation with more details, coming soon. Home Depot will be giving away tool kit shown below to all CCLT homeowners that attend.  All workshops are free!

CCLT Homeowner Tip -  September, October, and early November Tips
September
  • If you are planning to travel this holiday season, start planning & researching your travel itinerary and book your flights and accommodations as early as possible
  • Check your vehicles and make sure that any small problems are taken care of.
October
  • While the weather is still warm - but before family arrive for the holidays - give your house a major house cleaning!
  • Toss all the spices, herbs, and yeast you bought last year and replace them. Most cooks only consider spices good for a period of 6 months, but a yearly replacement schedule is much easier to remember!
  • Are you hosting a Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's or any other special party? It is time to start planning it out, so you are not rushed
    • Check your linens, glassware, dishes and silverware - purchase or lock in a rental if you need more
    • Place an advance order for your meat and other specialty items that you may require now
  • If you're into seasonal baking, stock up and buy your baking supplies: flour, sugar, and fresh baking soda
Late October, Early November
  • Start working on your gift giving lists, holiday card lists, check up on your gift wrap, and shipping materials you have on hand / need
  • Set a realistic holiday budget and wish list 
  • Post and share a holiday calendar online (google calendar?) with all the holiday events on it, where it is visible and able to be updated by all family members (make sure you add some down time for yourself)
  • Create menus for each meal and get together you plan to host 
    • For the wine connoisseurs - select your holiday wines (including the ones that will be given as gifts) and purchase by the case to help save money
    • Inventory your pantry, refrigerator and freezer - make a comprehensive shopping list of necessities needed through the New Year. If you can buy everything upfront with the exception of perishable products (i.e. dairy, fresh meat, fruits and vegetables) you will save yourself a lot of aggravation.
    • Try out new recipes now, so you're not trying them for the first time on Thanksgiving Day!
    • Order party trays and specialty foods at least two weeks in advance.
    • Prepare as much as you can in advance, then freeze it.
  • If you are planning on eating out, or having the meals catered - make sure you lock in the reservations as early as possible, if you wait too long you might be enjoying TV dinners or scrambling like mad.
  • Time to de-clutter your house; get it ready for your guests, give you room for your decorations, etc...
From the Homeowner's & Trades Resource Center
 Learning Opportunities from our Partners

This month we are featuring events sponsored at and by our partner, the North Side Community Federal Credit Union which was founded in 1974.  The NSCFCU serves "unbanked" low- and moderate-income people by offering financial education, budgeting help, affordable loans as well as an alternative to payday loans.

 

NSCFCU is offering to help clients get their finances back on track before holiday shopping season begins. You can call 773-769-5800 x 230 for a FREE appointment with a HUD certified counselor. 

 

Every Wednesday in September

Foreclosure Prevention  

With such a foreclosure crisis today, it's important to know what do and who to contact.  Come learn about the process and avoiding it with a HUD certified agency.  These take place at our office located at 1011 W. Lawrence, Chicago, IL from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.  If you need further information please give us a call at 773-769-5800 x 230.

 

Homeowners are also reminded to apply for up to $35,000 in mortgage payment assistance under the Illinois Hardest Hit program by Sept. 30. To date, 9,000 homeowners have been helped in 96 of the 102 counties in Illinois - and there is still time for struggling homeowners to access this critical financial assistance.

 

Launched by Governor Pat Quinn in September 2011, and making significant impact in 2012 and 2013, the Illinois Hardest Hit program assists homeowners who have experienced an income reduction due to unemployment or substantial underemployment. The program makes mortgage payments on behalf of the borrower for up to 18 months, or $35,000 per household. The assistance allows eligible households to maintain their home while they work to regain employment and financial stability.  

 

Call the housing counseling department for details at 773-769-5800 x 228.

Get Involved in Your Community

We thought you might enjoy learning about some of the events listed below. Many are free! 

 

Art exposition

September 19 - 22, 2013

The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art (also Exposition Chicago, Expo Chicago, Expo Chgo) offers museum-quality curated art and design by 120 exhibitors at Navy Pier. Cost.

Musicians' conference

September 20, 2013

Music professionals can register for workshops, panels, concerts, and networking events at Chicago Music Summit at Chicago Cultural Center. Free.

Beer festival

September 20, 2013

Festiv-Ale offers fine Midwest beers, excellent food, music, and a charity auction at Carmichael's Chicago Steak House located at 1052 W Monroe  Chicago, IL 60607.  Cost.

Dance at the museum

September 20, 2013

Dance to celebrity DJs at Steppin' Under the Stars at the DuSable Museum of African American History located at740 E 56th Pl  Chicago, IL 60637. Free, except food and drink.

James Beard dining event

September 20 - 21, 2013

Downtown Chicago

Taste Chicago is a pricey cocktail reception and dinner by celebrity chefs at Union Station on Friday, and free cooking demonstrations at Sur La Table (Michigan Ave.) on Saturday.

Food truck festival

September 21, 2013

Enjoy a meal from a mobile eatery and listen to live music at the Chicago Food Social at 900 N Branch in the Kendall College parking lot. Cost.

Apple festival

September 21, 2013

Get some apple pie and cider, listen to local music, or visit the kid zone at Apple Fest on N Lincoln Avenue from Leland to Lawrence. Donation.

Logan Square beer festival

September 21, 2013

Try 40 beers from 20 breweries at Logan Square Beer Fest in Logan Square Auditorium. Cost.

Taco festival

September 21 - 22, 2013

Try tacos from 9 restaurants then vote for the best at Lakeview Taco Fest at 3500 N Southport Ave.

Locally made festival

September 21 - 22, 2013

Andersonville City Made Fest features local artists, businesses, brewers, and musicians on N Clark Street from Argyle to Carmen. Donation.

 

Move with the dogs

September 22, 2013

5K9 is a walk or run that is either 5K or 1-mile long, for people and their pets at Montrose Fields.

Chicago Gourmet

September 27 - 29, 2013

Chicago Gourmet is a premium food and wine event with 100 chefs, cooking demonstrations, beer and food pavilions, and wine tastings in Millennium Park.

St. Alphonsus Oktoberfest

September 27 - 29, 2013

Enjoy beer, bratwurst, pretzels, and live music atOktoberfest Chicago on N Lincoln Ave. at Southport. Children's "Kinderfest" on Sunday afternoon. Cost.

Dutch festival

September 28, 2013

The Elim Dutch Festival features Dutch food, dance, music, and vendors, plus a kids' carnival, petting zoo, magic show, and face painting at Elim Christian Services in Palos Heights. Free.

Design Harvest festival

September 28 - 29, 2013

Design Harvest features local furniture and accessory makers, live music and a square dance, food and beer, and family activities like hay rides and pumpkin painting on W Grand Ave. from Western to Wood. Free.

Hyde Park Jazz Festival

September 28 - 29, 2013

Hear 40 jazz performances by top artists indoors and outdoors at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival. Free.

Edgewater art fair

September 28 - 29, 2013

Edgewater Fall Art Fair features 60 local artists, live music, a beer garden, fashion show, kids' corner, and pet parade on W Granville Ave. at Broadway. Donation.

Women business owners

Monday, September 30, 2013

Network, attend seminars, and hear inspiring speakers at NAWBO Day by the National Association of Women Business Owners at Union League Club - 8:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m. - 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago.
Community and Ward Information
CCLT homeowners live in the 2nd, 3rd, 26th, 27th, 28th, 35th, 46th, and 49th Wards.  Click the links below for information regarding your Alderman, your Ward, and your Community, including links to City events in your Ward!  If you are in a different Ward or do not know what Ward you are in, please give me a call or shoot me an email and I will let you know.
Ward 2   -   Ward 3  -   Ward 26   -   Ward 27

Ward 28 -   Ward 35  -  Ward 46   -   Ward 49 
Event Calendar 
Click here to visit our calendar for information on Post Purchase CCLT homeowner classes and workshops sponsored by our partners that are available at no cost. 
CCLT Homes for Sale
1756 N. Kedzie, Unit F
CCLT RESALE UNIT LARGE TOWNHOME $181,000
4 bedroom - 2.1 baths, located in Logan Square! Open floor plan with hardwood floors, washer and dryer in main level, maple kitchen cabinets, 9' ceilings, space on 2nd level for a sitting/office room, large unfinished basement.

Your total household income 

must be equal or less than 80% AMI

1 person $41,250

2 persons $47,150

3 persons $53,050

4 persons $58,900

5 persons $63,650

6 persons $68,350

7 persons $73,050

8 persons $77,050


Must meet income requirements and have a bank pre-approval in order to view.  Please call Nadia Stewart at 773. 909.6384 to make an appointment.
CCLT Homeowner Benefit: Angie's List Discount
At the Homeowner University 101, we talked a little bit about finding reasonably priced, reliable contractors. One tool to help you with that is by using crowd-ranking services like Yelp or Angie's List. Yelp is, of course, free! Angie's List charges an annual membership fee - but if you use the discount code "EASY" when signing up, Angie's List has agreed to give CCLT homeowners and friends (who join for a full year and who are first-time members) a 40% discount on the price of a one-year membership. Enjoy! 
And remember...
You can visit us online for information on the CCLT.