Seeking to educate local residents about Bronzeville’s greatest resource for affordable home ownership—the vacant lot—Housing Bronzeville volunteers posted 2,000 dramatic red and white signs on vacant lots in the community.  In the early morning of July 24th, the City of Chicago sent garbage trucks and sanitation workers to remove the signs.  The City threatened Housing Bronzeville with fines ranging from $25-$500 per sign.

Nevertheless, residents heard Housing Bronzeville’s message.  Its office was inundated with telephone calls from residents inquiring about the signs and how they could help with the affordable home ownership campaign.

One telephone caller to Housing Bronzeville exclaimed, “When I woke up this morning, your signs were everywhere!  I never knew the City owned so much land in my area.”