The Center for Urban Economic Development of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UICUED) has completed a survey of the North Kenwood-Oakland community in Chicago. Commissioned by the Kenwood Oakland Development Corporation (KODC), the survey consulted area residents about their commercial and housing development priorities and needs.
The survey revealed that most shopping by local households is done outside the community. The only goods purchased locally by a majority of households are groceries. This explains the strong response that a mixture of stores, restaurants, and recreational facilities located in the community would draw local households to shop in North Kenwood-Oakland.
The types of stores most needed in the community, respondents indicated, are grocery stores and, far behind in importance, clothing stores. Residents also identified department stores, drugstores, shoe stores, restaurants, toy stores, mini-malls, and hardware stores.
Security, closeness to home, parking, upkeep, restaurants, and recreation, were identified as the main desirable characteristics, in that order, for a shopping center in the community.
With respect to housing, development of affordable rental housing emerged as the main priority for residents. As much as they wished to purchase a home, only two-fifths of them had thought about doing it. Income, unemployment levels, and limited savings indicated that a majority of current residents could only buy subsidized housing.
Households expressed the need for two-, three-, and four-bedroom housing units. For new housing development and purchase, they indicated their preference for a variety of types from single family homes to two-, three-, and six-story buildings. Many saw the need for more low-income housing and for more public housing.
Finally, homogeneity in race, income, or lifestyles was not considered a priority for a majority of respondents, but neither was diversity. An improved, affordable neighborhood with adequate shopping, recreation, and other facilities seems most important for the retention of current residents and the attraction of others.