Rockford, IL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: In six high-poverty neighborhoods, aging homes and isolation left older adults at risk. Rockford launched improvement events, engaging over 200 households and 32 partner agencies to connect residents with resources. YouthBuild rebuilt a porch and began installing an accessibility ramp, overcoming a major barrier by helping a homeowner secure an adjacent lot. The effort strengthened ties between city departments and residents, laying groundwork for ongoing repairs and outreach to reduce isolation and improve safety for older adults.

Chicago, IL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: As part of efforts to provide affordable housing in Chicago, Elevate Energy set out to help an older adult homeowner renovate her two-unit building. The owner would be able to safely age in place in one unit, while renting the other unit out to a family in need of affordable housing. The improvements focus on accessibility upgrades and addressing deferred maintenance -- making the building less costly to keep up in the future. Project organizers rewired the entire building and replaced the roof -- improvements that helped project organizers attract funding from other sources to complete the renovation. They hope to use this project as a case study to demonstrate the potential for two-flats to enable aging at place and provide below-market rental housing.