Vanessa Torres

LUCHA

Founded in 1982, LUCHA (Latin United Community Housing Association) is both a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved housing counseling agency as well as a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO). The LUCHA acronym is the Spanish word for "struggle," which reflects the organization's history of leading the struggle against discrimination, housing displacement, systemic inequity, and patterns of injustice which impact members of Chicago's low- to moderate-income Latino and African-American communities. Anchored in Humboldt Park, LUCHA was born out of the Puerto Rican community as it organized for equitable housing. As part of its central commitment to racial equity via affordable housing creation and preservation, LUCHA has built and currently manages 198 units of affordable rental housing for over 400 tenants across four developments spanning Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and West Town: *Humboldt Park Residence (HPR) – a 68-unit SRO facility *Borinquen Bella – a 47-unit scattered-site development of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units *Madres Unidas – a 36-unit scattered-site development of two- and three-bedroom units *Tierra Linda – a 45-unit, scattered-site, affordable housing development built to green standards and enriched by a Community Health Action Plan formed in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners. Today, LUCHA serves over 3,000 low- to moderate-income clients per year (62% Latinx, 31% African-American, 3% Multiple Races/Ethnic Groups, 3% Other/Not Reporting, and 1% White) through programs and services across four main modes: 1. Advocate (LUCHA Law Project and community organizing) 2. Educate (homebuyer assistance, foreclosure prevention, and financial capability) 3. Build (affordable housing development, home repairs, property management) 4. Connect (resident services)