On the evening of May 8th, 2025, the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) gathered with over 50 community members for a powerful public meeting at Evening Star M.B. Church — SWOP’s newest member institution . The meeting provided a space for residents and partners to come together, build new relationships, discuss an important new affordable housing project, and engage in important conversations about bridging the divide between Chicago Lawn and West Englewood.
Like every SWOP gathering, the evening began with one-to-one relational meetings, giving neighbors, organizers, and first-time attendees the chance to connect with people they may have never met. The spirit of relationship-building set the tone for a meeting centered on community voice and vision.
After one to ones, the meeting focused on introducing a significant new development: an apartment building to be constructed at 6301 S. Western Ave. This building will offer 44 affordable housing units, creating new opportunities for families in the community to find quality, stable, and affordable homes. The project is slated to break ground later this year.
This project is the result of a collaborative effort between several partners committed to community-led development. Alongside SWOP, who is serving as sponsor and co-developer, the team includes Brinshore Development as co-developer, K2 Studio as the architect, Toro Construction as the general contractor, and BCM Construction as the owner representative. Each organization plays a vital role in bringing this vision to life, ensuring the project reflects both quality construction and the needs of the Chicago Lawn and West Englewood communities.
Co-chaired by Joel Rodriguez, a Community Organizer with SWOP, and Darrion Johnson, a Youth Organizer with GoodKids MadCity-Englewood (GKMC-E), the meeting served as an unveiling of the project and as a call for feedback and ideas from community residents .
“We don’t want to just build on this land — we want to build with this community. Our community.” said Joel, emphasizing SWOP’s commitment to grassroots leadership and participatory development.
Adding to the evening’s highlights, Dantay Williams, a Diverse Developer Fellow with SWOP, shared updates on the organization’s ongoing Reclaiming Southwest Chicago Campaign. He spoke about four newly available homes in the area, encouraging families to explore pathways to homeownership and to be part of revitalizing the neighborhood from within. Dantay reflected on the community’s progress since the foreclosure crisis and the positive impact of rehabilitating once-vacant homes.
“The transformation isn’t just about buildings,” Dantay remarked. “It’s about the people who fill them, the families who raise their kids here, and the neighbors who look out for each other.”
The gathering marked a hopeful chapter for Chicago Lawn and West Englewood, as residents voiced excitement about new housing options and opportunities to shape their neighborhood’s future.
