2014 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 Cornelius Griggs Timothy Hughes Edward H. Jacob Brenda Palms-Barber Rosanna Marquez Robert McGhee Guacolda Reyes William W. Towns Marva Williams Jeffrey Wright Staff
Kara Breems, Executive Director Teresa Lambarry, Outreach Director |
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CCLT Homeowners and Friends, 
Every year it seems that this time of year comes along just too quickly.
Hopefully you will enjoy this issue which gives you shopping ideas, self-made presents and other useful tips that you can use during this time.
May you all have wonderful holidays no matter how you choose to celebrate them. Also don't get too hung up on New Year's resolutions and take one day at the time. Life is too short - enjoy it!
Best wishes! Teresa Lambarry |
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Feature Article: Great Gift Ideas for the Home!
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Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List!
Looking for the perfect gift for family and friends? Try one of these gadgets and gifts for the home:
Matching Mornings - for the couples on your list gift a set of matching or personalized mugs.
Tune Tech - Help your one of your friends out by gifting a music docking station or wireless speakers, making them the life of the party.
Wine Accessories - For your friends that love wine give them a gift for their wine cellar, like this red wine decanter and aerating funnel .
Endless Entertaining - Help your friends who love cheese to entertain with a cheese board and knife set
Breakfast Basics - One of your friends loves pancakes and bacon: make cooking up a batch of pancakes and bacon easier with a set of pancake rings and a cast-iron bacon press.
Coffee Caddy - Coffee lovers would surely appreciate you giving them a Coffee Pod to help them keep organized and Flatware Caddy or a K-Cup Carousel.
Vintage Charm - Give a piece of Americana with the iconic Fiesta Ware. Now back in vogue, this colorful dinnerware takes you back to Thanksgiving dinner at grandma's house.
Coffee To Go - Make rushing out the door with a java in hand easier with a single cup coffeemaker that brews coffee directly into a reusable go cup.
Bathtub Bliss - Make relaxing in a bathtub more enjoyable by gifting reading caddy, like this one with a reading rack to hold your book.
Hand Knitting a scarf video: This is something that I want to definitely try before the end of the year. Hope it helps you to come up with some fun way of making gifts for your family.
Article edited from an article supplied by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
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Programs to help you out and save money
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Learn how you can save money on your ComEd bill.
Did you know that everybody must have their ComEd meter changed to a smart meter? If you don't you will incur charges over and above your regular bill.
Changing your meter is free of charge. Please click here to learn more about the Smart Meter. To find out about workshops in your area regarding the Smart Meter please click here.
Do you know someone that is low income that needs help with filling out their income taxes. Don't pay money for someone to do your taxes when there are free services through the Center for Economic Progress. |
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Again we want to thank Citi - and Robert McGhee,
 | | Rob McGhee - Chair of HR&M Committee/ |
chair of the HR&M Committee for sponsoring 2014 Holiday Party! We also take this opportunity to thank all others who attended our 2014 Holiday Party. We had a total of 39 people who attended, including homeowners, staff and board members, funders, and workshop presenters. .
We ate delicious hors d'oeuvre
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Hiwot Michael, Daniel Kassa, CCLT Board President Bruce Gottschall and City of Chicago Homeownership Center Director Irma Morales
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such as stuffed mushrooms, mini vegetable egg rolls, mini cheese burgers, and chicken skewers. We toasted with new and old friends and enjoyed sharing our experiences as homeowners amongst each other.
 | CCLT Outreach Director Teresa Lambarry, Nu Van, CCLT Executive Director Kara Breems, Dave Koppel
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We had a total of 10 door prizes which were raffled every 15 minutes: 15 people left with home-themed prizes in hand!
This was our best turnout and we hope next year even more homeowners can join us!
 | | Kara Breems with door prize winners Jose M. and Natalia Garcia, Eva Brown, Ed Shepard and Anita Henry |
We got a chance to rub elbows with our very talented homeowners and saw some old friends, including Extreme Room
 | Guacolda Reyes and Ofelia Navarro
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Makeover judges Ed Shepard and Eva Brown. We were also joined by Lawrence Grisham, the Managing Deputy Commissioner for Housing at the Department of Planning and Development
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CCLT Homeowner Tip of the Month
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Give your house a Holiday present too. Give it a new coat of paint. It will make your house look nice and bright and help you retain the value of your home.
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Get Involved in Your Community
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Looking for ways to volunteer in your community? Check out the following:
Lakeview Pantry gives you the opportunity for you to donate your time and effort and help people less fortunate by volunteering.
Chicago Cares gives you many other opportunities for you to be able to help others.
Center for Economic Progress also gives you the opportunity of helping out with volunteering your time to help people fill out their 2014 Income Taxes.
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Monthly Calendar of Events
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Holiday Market
Dec. 13 - 14, 2014 (also Nov. 22 - 23)
December 20 - 21, 2014
Taiko Legacy features Japanese drumming, dance, and street theater at Museum of Contemporary Art.
Austrian Music & Dance
December 28, 2014 (2:30 p.m.)
Costumed dancers and singers bring the waltzes of Strauss to life, as a full orchestra plays at Salute to Vienna at the Symphony Center. Sells out.
New Year's Eve - a Day Early
December 30, 2014
Enjoy an open bar, appetizers, live music, dancing, and a silent auction at the black-tie-optional charity benefit EVE of the EVE, Chicago Union Station. Cost.
New Year's Eve - Fireworks
New Year's Eve - Navy Pier #1
December 31, 2014
Crystal Gardens New Year's Eve Party has dancing to mainstream music, party favors, an open bar, hors d'oeuvres, champagne toast at midnight, and a terrace to watch the fireworks, at Navy Pier. Cost.
New Year's Eve - Navy Pier #2
December 31, 2014
Resolution Gala is a formal affair in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier with an open bar, buffet stations, live DJ, champagne toast at midnight, and views of fireworks over the lake. Cost.
Northerly Island Adventure
December 2014 (undated)
See birds of prey and coyotes, hear folk music, watch dog sledding, walk on snowshoes (if there's snow), make a craft, and have cocoa (while it lasts) at Polar Adventure Days. Free except parking.
Winter WonderFest
December 2014 (undated)
Festival Hall at Navy Pier becomes an indoor Winter WonderFest for the holidays, with music, carnival rides, and entertainment. Expect crowds. Free entry.
Handel's Messiah
December 2014 (undated)
It's a holiday tradition to hear the joyful Handel's Messiah sung by the Apollo Chorus of Chicago. Cost.
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CCLT Spotlight: Board Member
Calvin 
Holmes
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Calvin L. Holmes has served as the President of the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF) since 1998. CCLF is a nonprofit, certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides flexible, affordable and responsible financing and technical assistance for community stabilization and development efforts and initiatives that benefit low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, families and individuals throughout metropolitan Chicago.
Holmes' community development career spans 26 years, including work as a budget planner for a $140 million rapid-transit project and as property manager of a 200-unit assisted housing portfolio. He currently serves as an advisor to the Community Development Advisory Board (appointed by President Obama), Bank of America National Community Advisory Council, Kroger Community Development Entity, LLC, PNC Bank Advisory Board (Illinois) and the Great Lakes Region Sustainability Funds LLC. He serves on the boards of the Cook County Land Bank Authority (Treasurer), Chicago Community Land Trust (Treasurer), Community Reinvestment Fund & NMTC CDE, South Suburban Land Bank and Development Authority and the Interfaith Housing Development Corporation of Chicago (Secretary). He also serves on the awards selection committee of the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. He is a recognized expert in community development finance, the Community Reinvestment Act and community issues involving housing and access to capital, and regularly presents at conferences and events on these topics.
Holmes has been honored individually with many community leadership awards, including from the Chicago CRA Coalition and Bank of America. In 2001, Holmes was distinguished as one of Crain's Chicago's 40 Under 40 young leaders, and was a 2002-2003 Leadership Greater Chicago fellow. He holds a master's degree in urban and regional planning, with a concentration in real estate development, from Cornell University and a bachelor's degree in African American Studies from Northwestern University. Holmes received further leadership and skills development from Stanford University and the National Development Council.
Mr. Holmes was appointed to the Board of Directors of the CCLT on February 1, 2012.
CCLT interview with Mr. Holmes:
Q. What motivates you to continue to work with the CCLT?
A. Being a part of a program that is essential to expanding opportunities for affordable and sustainable homeownership across the city.
Q. Any recommendation for our CCLT homeowners?
A. Don't listen to peer pressure to live above one's means. Check your household budget daily and "tune out" friends and family members who encourage you to buy things on impulse. There are no "Jones's" worth keeping up with at the expense of your fiscal peace-of-mind.
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Community and Ward Information |
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CCLT homeowners live in the 2nd, 3rd, 26th, 28th, 35th, 46th, 47th, 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.
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Event Calendar
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Partners In Community Building, Inc. (PICB)
Thursday, December 11th
Credit Repair vs Credit Education
7 - 8 p.m. (1690am)
Tune in to the "Credit Hour of Power" on WVON where Catherine Okoroh, Director of Financial Literacy is a regular weekly guest.
Saturday, December 13th
3241 S. Michigan, Anderson Center
Chicago, IL
Budget Creation Wokshop 10 a.m. - Noon
Credit Improvement Workshop 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
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Visit the CCLT's google calendar for the latest information on Post Purchase CCLT homeowner classes and workshops sponsored by us and our partners, all of which are offered at no cost. |
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Let your family and friends know!
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CCLT RESALE UNIT LARGE TOWNHOME LOCATED AT 1756 N. Kedzie (Logan Square) $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.
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Your total household income
must be equal or less than 80% AMI
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1 person $40,550
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2 persons $46,350
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3 persons $52,150
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4 persons $57,900
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5 persons $62,550
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6 persons $67,200
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7 persons $71,800
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8 persons $76,450
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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.
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Single Family Home - Humboldt Park
1632 North Sawyer
$165,000 - Area Median Income must be at or below 80% to purchase (income chart above.
3 bedrooms, 11/2 bath, unfinished basement
Energy efficient constructions.
Please call Raul Echevarria if interested in property at 708.522.4873.
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And remember...
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You can visit us online for information on the CCLT.
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