CHATHAM — A weekend housing and apartment fair will aim to recruit younger families to a black, middle-class community whose population has declined over the last decade.
The Chatham Homeownership & Renters Resource Fair, which was organized by the nonprofit Community Investment Corporation, will run from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the South Central Community Services Inc., 8316 S. Ellis Ave. Among the vendors at the free fair will be Urban Partnership and Standard banks, Neighborhood Housing Services and the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association, said Travis Kluska, program officer for the nonprofit.
"This [fair] is an effort to bring a resources to homeowners and renters under one roof in order to bring people back to the Chatham community," he said. "Chatham lost roughly one-third of its population between 2000 and 2010, so we are working to bring young people back to the aging community."
According to census data, in 2000 Chatham's population was 37,148. It dropped to 34,035 in 2010, a steep decline from 1970 when it was 47,287. The number of renter households has not changed much between 2000 when there were 9,223 and 2011 when there were 9,245, census data showed.
The average Chatham resident is 36 years old, according to census data, and Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th), whose ward includes Chatham, the neighborhood would benefit from younger families with more disposable income.
"While I think we have a solid senior population in Chatham, which I am thankful for, it does not hurt to also have younger families too. Retailers will follow a strong, middle-class population," Sawyer said. "I am trying to I get more amenities to the community like restaurants and an athletic field because younger families want to live in a neighborhood that reflects their lifestyles."
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