On October 31st, 2025, the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) was awarded the Community First Developer Program grant by FHLBank Chicago to continue advancing their Reclaiming Southwest Chicago Campaign — a long-term effort to rebuild, stabilize, and reimagine the southwest side through equitable development and affordable housing.. The grant pushes the growth of developers from the community to help sustain the Reclaiming effort. The FHLBank Chicago made the grant to its member institution Marquette Bank which in turn, will grant the funds to SWOP.

Blanca Casillas and Dantay Williams, SWOP’s current Reclaiming Campaign Fellows, will continue their fellowship for another year under this grant. The goal of the grant is to expand Blanca and Dantay’s capacity to undertake community development projects and build their leadership skills in the area of affordable housing development. In the coming year, they will continue to take leading roles in implementing the Reclaiming Southwest Chicago Campaign.

The Reclaiming Southwest Chicago Campaign focuses on transforming vacant and deteriorating properties into quality homes that meet the needs of working families, ensuring that longtime residents can remain and thrive in their communities. Over the years, SWOP has made significant strides in creating pathways to homeownership, preserving affordability, and collaborating with residents and partners to strengthen neighborhood investment. Through this work, SWOP continues to demonstrate the power of community-driven development that prioritizes people over profit.

Now, SWOP is preparing to break ground next month at 63rd and Western on its largest housing projects to date — a collaboration with Brinshore Development, K2 Studio, Toro Construction, and BCM Construction — which will bring 44 new affordable housing units to the southwest side of Chicago. This milestone marks another major step forward in the collective effort to reclaim and revitalize southwest Chicago for generations to come.

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