Good day to all!  Well the Summer just passed by so quickly and now it is time to get our homes ready for winter!

Please remember that it is your responsibility as a homeowner is to take care of your property so that it does not lose its value.  Regular upkeep, cleaning, painting are a must in order to keep our "castles" from falling apart.  Restrictive Covenant reference:  

CCLT Homeowner Responsibilities - 

Maintain your Home in good, safe condition - and make any repairs or replacements necessary to keep it that way. (Article 4.2)

Ms. Aruguete has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation for the past nineteen years. In this capacity, she supervises operations for this 47-year-old award-winning nonprofit community development corporation dedicated to community controlled development, the preservation and management of affordable housing, economic development centered on job creation, comprehensive community planning and engagement, and the development of community leaders. Ms. Aruguete manages corporate, subsidiary and affiliate business operations of approximately $40 million annually and oversees the work of 75 staff members who carry out Bickerdike's mission. This work has included: the development of 1,227 housing units, including 154 single family homes, with an additional 123 units under development; resident-involved property management of 1,022 rental and cooperative housing units; management of over 60,000 square ft. of commercial space across seven sites; the performance of minor repairs in over 700 households; the development of hundreds of jobs for community residents; and the development of hundreds of community leaders. Bickerdike is also the lead agency for the Humboldt Park New Communities Program, actively engaging 70 neighborhood organizations and institutions in the successful implementation of over 100 wide ranging community development initiatives.

Ms. Aruguete also oversees the work of Humboldt Construction Company, a 33-year-old wholly-owned subsidiary of Bickerdike.  Humboldt Construction Company's central goal is job creation for local residents, with over 100 area residents having been trained and placed into skilled trade union jobs.  The company provides general contracting services and quality construction through a team of approximately 20 carpenters who are members of the Carpenters Union Local 13.

For seventeen years, Ms. Aruguete has been an active Board member of the Chicago Rehab Network where she currently serves as board President. In this role she provides citywide leadership in efforts to ensure effective policy, capacity and resources for affordable housing and community development in Chicago.

Ms. Aruguete was appointed to the national Enterprise Community Partners Leadership Council in late 2006, where she actively participates in shaping national community development priorities.  

Ms. Aruguete has served on the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago's Community Investment Advisory Council since 2009.  She was appointed by Mayor Richard Daley to the Board of Directors of the Chicago Community Land Trust in 2006 and reappointed by Mayor Rahm Emanual in 2012, where she also serves as Chair of the Projects Committee.  

In May 2009 Ms. Aruguete was presented with the 40 Who've Made A Difference Award by Business and Professional People for the Public Interest.  In December 2002 she was presented with the Tom Gobby Award for Neighborhood Leadership by LaSalle Bank.

Ms. Aruguete has been active in the nonprofit sector for over 25 years. Her work at Bickerdike builds upon her background in community organizing and economic development. Her experience is enriched by six years of teaching at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Urban Developers Program of the College of Urban Planning and Policy Administration.  Prior to this, she taught for two years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Ms. Aruguete received her Masters Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She also holds two Bachelor degrees, a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Roosevelt University, and an Illinois Real Estate Managing Broker License.

CCLT's interview with Joy Aruguete:

Q:  Since when have you been involved with the CCLT?

A: I have been involved with the CCLT since 2006.

Q:  What motivates you to continue to work with the CCLT?

A:  I believe that the CCLT is an important vehicle to ensure the long term availability of affordable homeownership opportunities, and plays an important role in helping homeowners be successful in their homes.  The CCLT offers helpful assistance and valuable information and resources to homeowners, and connects interested CCLT homeowners to one another, fostering a sense of community and connectedness.  The positive impact of this work is what keeps me actively engaged with the CCLT.

Q:  Any recommendation for our CCLT homeowners?

A: First and foremost, enjoy your home! Tell your story. Keep the faith when stuff happens!  And, don't hesitate to take advantage of the information and assistance offered by the CCLT!