Supporting Local Ownership in South Shore

South Shore is deeply proud of its history and legacy as an economically diverse, predominantly Black lakefront community. The area boasts countless amenities such as beautiful housing stock, a treasured cultural center, proximity to transit, and one of the highest tree canopies in any Chicago neighborhood. Despite these assets, South Shore has suffered population loss stemming from the effects of underinvestment.

To counter that history, a spurt of resident-led development projects anchored on the 71st Street commercial corridor is increasing local ownership of community assets and shifting more control to residents. With its coordinated strategy and tenacity, South Shore is poised for its next chapter. The Trust is proud to support South Shore residents in achieving their vision.

“In South Shore, there is great momentum around local developments and locally owned businesses. Residents have become the change that the community is waiting for.”

Tonya Trice
Executive Director
South Shore Chamber of Commerce

South Shore Snapshot

Here are just a few of the organizations and projects that are moving South Shore forward:

• LADIES OF VIRTUE is an award-winning mentorship and leadership program that has empowered more than 2,000 young women and girls across Chicago, including at South Shore High School. A 2024 Trust grant helped the program lay a foundation for even greater impact by building the capacity to receive federal funding for its work. Supported by the Trust’s Policy Change funds.
• WE THE PEOPLE is a collective of South Shore residents who are pooling their financial resources to buy and control neighborhood real estate assets. The Trust provided a planning grant to design this innovative model for community ownership. Supported by the Trust’s Community Wealth funds and We Rise Together: For an Equitable & Just Recovery
• SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY is a community newspaper serving the information needs of South Shore and other South Side residents. In 2024, Trust funding supported the publication’s efforts to deepen its engagement with audiences across Chicago. Supported by the Trust’s Collective Power funds and Press Forward Chicago (a collaborative fund housed at the Trust).

Projects Supported by We Rise Together: For an Equitable & Just Recovery

• URBAN CORE: A beautifully renovated, four-unit commercial building envisioned by local owner Julia Perkins as a hub for health and wellness on 71st Street. Perkins’ yoga studio, Studio Yogi, opened at the site in February 2023. Since Studio Yogi opened, new businesses in the area have seen a 137 percent increase in the number of transactions relative to expectations, based on Mastercard data alone.
• 2309 PLACE: A historic building rehab, also on 71st Street, will be home to the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, the South Shore Community Development Corporation, a restaurant, and a spa. The project is designed to be a best practice model for multi-use restoration on an urban corridor.