Welch, Black Men United Applaud Partnership at Opening of Affordable, Energy-Efficient Housing in Maywood
MAYWOOD, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch joined Black Men United to celebrate the opening of two dozen fully renovated affordable housing units in Maywood Wednesday, supported by state dollars secured in Welch’s fiscally and socially responsible state budgets.
“At a time when Washington uses phony concern about communities like ours as cover to push a radical and illegal agenda of military occupation, Black Men United is offering an incredible example of what real leadership looks like,” Welch said. “We need high-quality housing people can afford, modern investments that help families control energy costs, opportunity, good schools, nutrition security, and the partnerships that make all that possible—not Donald Trump’s soldiers on our streets. From the West Side to the ‘Woods, Black Men United has had boots on the ground for years helping to stabilize families and build a brighter future. I’m proud to partner with them on an effort that truly invests in our community.”
Welch helped to include economic development grants for Black Men United in the state budget, helping the organization acquire and renovate the 24-unit apartment complex on Greenwood Avenue in Maywood. The new development will meet high-quality living standards while also integrating emerging technologies to promote energy equity and sustainability.
This effort to expand access to affordable housing and promote clean, efficient energy takes on some of the largest challenges facing modest-income families—some of whom face home energy bills up to four times higher than homeowners in more affluent suburbs as a result of aging, inefficient housing options that have not received the investment needed to heat and cool the home efficiently.
Welch’s latest state budget includes more than $100 million in funding for affordable housing development in historically disinvested communities statewide.
