Jesse Jackson Jr. Senior Housing

Jesse Jackson Jr Senior Housing, acquired by POAH from the YMCA of Metro Chicago in 2019, provide  a vital source of quality affordable senior housing in a community that has seen more than its share of disinvestment over the past decades. The properties are located on the former Dixie Square Mall Site – made famous by the Blues Brothers movie in 1980 – in Chicago’s south suburbs and just off two major expressways

Originally developed as separate side-by-side communities, POAH recently combined them to create a single 120-unit senior campus and recently broke ground on an extensive modernization effort.

Property amenities include a community room, exercise room, laundry facilities, library and generous outdoor spaces. A Community Impact coordinator connects residents with social services and health resources and organizes programming for the community. All the buildings are near grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals and other city amenities.

Financing for the recapitalization that will support substantial renovations closed in early 2024 and will leverage $100,000 per unit in much-needed renovations, including:

• new appliances
• in-unit upgrades to bathrooms 
• new roofs
• new windows 
• a new outdoor gazebo 
• building systems upgrades for energy-efficient improvements
• major common area improvements 
• IT & security investments
• installation of solar panels, and 
• other energy efficiency improvements

The refinancing also allowed POAH to bolster resident services including funds for a physical wellness instructor and a one-on-one financial literacy program. Also, the project leveraged the 2022 federal Inflation Reduction Act to support green investments at the property.  As a result of these improvements, residents’ electricity bills will be greatly reduced.