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Lauren LapinskiUNIV 291October 4, 2011Research Paper

Mercy Housing (Lakefront)

Before beginning, it is important to note the difference between affordable housing and

supportive housing. Affordable housing provides residents with housing options they can afford,

while supportive housing provides not only affordable housing, but services and programs to

improve the quality of life of residents and help them raise their social and economic status to

move out of supportive housing (E. Tumiel, personal communication, September 6, 2011).

Mercy Housing follows the supportive housing model.

History of Mercy Housing Lakefront

Mercy Housing Lakefront originally started as Lakefront SRO in response to

gentrification in the Uptown area. Many buildings in the area were being replaced with high-rise

condos (E. Tumiel, personal communication, September 6, 2011), one of which was the

Moreland Hotel (Kerech, 1988). The Moreland Hotel was a single occupancy room building in

endanger of being closed, displacing its low-income residents. After over a year of legal battles,

Lakefront SRO bought the building on the corner of Argyle and Sheridan for $360,000 (however

the cost after repairs and restoration was about $2.6 million) (Kerech, 1988) to help secure

affordable housing to the the large Appalachian and Asian immigrates in the community (E.

Tumiel, personal communication, September 6, 2011). Lakefront SRO renamed the building

Harold Washington SRO, and is still in operation today. Elizabeth Tumiel, Manager of Tenant

Leadership at Mercy Housing Lakefront described Lakefront SRO was a local organization in

Chicago, developing and managing only supportive housing, with the mission to end

homelessness (personal communication, October 3, 2011). Lakefront SRO owned and


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maintained 10 sustainable-single room occupancy buildings prior to its merger with Mercy

Housing Midwest (Stewards for Affordable Housing in the Future [SAHF], 2008)

In January 2006, Lakefront SRO merged with Mercy Housing Midwest to develop Mercy

Housing Lakefront. The merger created a broader client base by establishing workforce housing,

assisted and independent senior housing, and general affordable housing in multiple states (E.

Tumiel, personal communication, September 6, 2011). In a press release, Mercy Housing (2006)

said the merger allowed

Lakefront Supportive Housing brings its expertise in supportive services and property

management and the opportunity for Mercy Housing to grow in the Chicago market.

Mercy Housing provides Lakefront Supportive Housing broader knowledge of

developing affordable housing, more economic resources and greater geographic reach.

Together, both organizations strengthen their advocacy efforts to end homelessness and

poverty in Chicago and across the nation.

Mercy Housing Lakefront is one division of Mercy Housing, who has locations divided by

region across the country (Executive Team, n.d.), and as a result of the merger, Mercy Housings

real estate portfolio was worth nearly $47 million in 2008 (Facts About Mercy Housing, 2008).

Today, Mercy Housing has helped in the development, preservation and/or financing of

more than 40,000 affordable homes and an additional 7,309 homes are in the pre-development,

construction or concept phase (Building Affordable Homes, n.d.).

Mission and Vision of Mercy Housing Lakefront

Mercy Housing is dedicated to serving community members who are unable to find

affordable housing. It is Mercy Housings mission to create stable, vibrant and healthy

communities by developing, financing and operating affordable, program-enriched housing for


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families, seniors and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access

quality, safe housing opportunities (Vision, Mission, Values, n.d.).

This mission aims to fulfill Mercy Housings vision that through creating affordable

housing and programs that improve the lives of residents economically and socially, they will

develop a more humane world where poverty is alleviated, communities are healthy and all

people can develop their full potential (Vision, Mission, Values).

Strategic Plan of Mercy Housing Lakefront

Mercy Housing developed a strategic plan to last from 2010-2014 focuses on six key

areas.

The fist key area is Operating Excellence and Long Term Stability, in which Mercy

Housing aims to maintain its focus on the impact of their business practices in the community

and on their personal finances to ensure that Mercy Housing continues, and even improves, the

level that it operates at. The second key area is Stewardship of Existing Portfolio, meaning

Mercy Housing will continue to offer high quality homes at an affordable price. The third key

area is Resident Services; provide residents with services and programs not already provided

in the community. The fourth area is Growth; Mercy Housing wants secure and additional

60,000 units. The fifth area is Health Care and Housing Linkages, where they aim partner with

health care providers to make health care more affordable to residents. The final area is Public

Policy Education and Advocacy; it is the goal of Mercy Housing make housing more affordable

for people from all economic statuses and increase their use of environmentally sustainable

products in their housing units. (Community Matters, 2010).


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In order to achieve the goals laid out in their strategic plan, Mercy Housing Lakefront is

committed to being ethical, accountable, advocates, diverse and collaborative (Community

Matters, 2010).

Community

Mercy Housing serves over 136,800 (Who We Serve, n.d.) people in 18 states (Where

Were Located). Of the low-income residents that live in Mercy Housings supportive housing

units, 72% are families, 19% seniors and 9% have special needs (formally homeless, people with

mental and physical impairments, and HIV/AIDS-positive residents) (Facts About Mercy

Housing, n.d.). Housing units are designated family, senior or special needs based on the

residents that it serves (Where Were Located, n.d.). This allows Mercy Housings supportive

programs to cater specifically to the needs of the residents.

Residents at Mercy Housing are among are extremely economically disadvantaged, either

being below or slightly above the 2011 Federal Poverty Level. According to the United States

Department of Health and Human Services (2011), the poverty level for a family of four is

$22,350, the average family income of residents is $18,720; the Poverty Level for a single adult

is $10,890, the average income of a senior resident is $11, 811, while the average income of a

special needs resident is $8,957 (Facts About Mercy Housing, n.d.).

Mercy Housing is an enormous organization that spans across the country, making it

difficult to categorize exactly each community they serve. To simplify and give a more in-depth

insight into a specific community, we can focus on Mercy Housing Lakefront, the Chicago

division of Mercy Housing (Executive Team, n.d.), more specifically the original Lakefront SRO

building, Harold Washington Building.


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Mercy Housing Lakefront has 16 supportive housing units in the Chicago area, 6 are

located in the Uptown area, one of which is the Harold Washington Building. The 100-year-old

building was recently renovated (Mercy Housing Lakeshore Progress Report, 2011), and

residents are currently moving into the updated building. Harold Washington, and the rest of the

Mercy Housing Lakefront buildings in the area are for single residents (E. Tumiel, personal

communication, September, 26, 2011).

The Uptown community is diverse in nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, and according

to the United States Census has an unemployment rate of approximately 8.2% and an average

rent of $554 (2011), but the most economically disadvantaged in the community live in one of

Mercy Housing Lakefronts buildings. Tumeil said, the primary population of our supportive

housing properties is formerly homeless individuals who have a history of either substance abuse

or mental health issues. The majority are men between the ages of 45 and 60 (personal

communication, October 3, 2011). She describes the tenants of the Harold Washington building

as dependent on federal assistance such as food stamps and general assistance to supplement

their income. Due to recent budget cuts, residents are now receiving on average $200 in food

stamps and $100 in general assistance (personal communication, September 6, 2011), which has

placed an extreme burden on the residents to try and find an alternative way to pay for

necessities.

Since Mercy Housing Lakefront offers supportive housing, it provides residents with a

variety of services, one of which is Tenant Leadership, which Tumiel manages. In response to

the budget cuts and needs of the residents, one tenant asked to conduct a study to discover where

it is cheapest to buy certain essential items. As manager of Tenant Leadership, it is Tumiels job

to facilitate tenants to carry out their own projects, and she was able to enlist the help of a group


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of students from one of Loyola University Chicagos service-learning courses to help the tenants

carry out the research (personal communication, September 6, 2011).

The project will hopefully continue from there and lead to a presentation to local

government officials to express the need for federal assistance to return to its prior levels and

reduce the economic strain placed on Harold Washington residents and other Uptown residents

also suffering from the cuts. Additionally, the research collected could also be used to lobby for

grocery stores found to be charging more for products than their counterparts to reduce their

prices (E. Tumiel, personal communication, September 6, 2011).

While many of the programs provided to residents at Mercy Housing Lakefront are

directed to improve the quality of life of the residents themselves, they are facing the same

hardships and issues many other Uptown residents are facing. The actions residents take to

change their situations through their Tenant Leadership program can have greater positive

repercussions across the rest of the Uptown community.

Mercy Housing Lakefront and the Community

The focus of Mercy Housing is to stop the loss of affordable housing (Preserving

Communities, n.d.). Mercy Housing Lakefront purchases public housing units on the brink of

closing and remodels and updates the buildings (Preserving Communities, n.d.), which prevents

the current residents from losing their home and also improves the quality of their unit. Mercy

Housing does construct some of its own housing units if the community requires it, but by

upgrading previous housing buildings, they follow their strategic plan of sustainable

development. By preserving previous buildings they save on construction cost, which allows

them to keep, housing affordable and continue to purchase and refurbish more housing units

(Preserving Communities, n.d.). Mercy Housing has also developed a strong commitment to


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making housing units more environmentally sustainable. While upgrading housing units, they

install Energy Star-certified appliances. This not only is a strong movement towards making

affordable housing units more environmentally-friendly, but it also reduces energy and water

cost for the tenants (Preserving Communities, n.d.).

Mercy Housing does more than provide affordable housing; they provide services to

residents to improve their quality of life as well. Mercy Housing implements a system of blended

management, combining property management and resident services in a manner that best suits

the needs of formally homeless individuals (SAHF, 2008). Programs offered in each housing

depending on the types of residents that live in the building. Residents services include GED and

ESL courses, financial education, job education and health services (Resident Services, n.d.).

Additionally, each building has a case manager onsite to assist the residents in problems they

may have. If a resident missed a rent payment, the case manager will work with the resident and

the property manager to address the issue either through arranging a new payment schedule or

other appropriate means (E. Tumiel, personal communication, September 6, 2011). Tumeil said

every building in the Uptown area has case management, employment services, tenant

leadership, and literacy and art classes. The programs are meant to reintegrate residents into the

community. Often times, residents of affordable housing units are used as the scape goat in the

community. With programs such as tenant leadership, residents are able to make a positive

impact in the community and get the chance to show others in the area that they are a positive

asset in the community. Additionally, employment services allow residents to secure a job and be

able to turn their life around and move out of a Mercy Housing building (E. Tumiel, personal

commination, September 6, 2011).


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Mercy Housings services branch out from serving just residents, to serving the

community as well. Mercy Housing is partnering with other local nonprofits to help them build

their own affordable housing through the Mercy Loan Fund (Financing Affordable Housing,

n.d.). This loan enables Mercy Housing to invest in projects similar to their own in other

communities in other states. The Mercy Loan Fund has, so far, provided $200 loans in 35 states

(Mercy Loan Fund, n.d.). Mercy Housing Lakefront also provides portfolio services to

communities receiving emergency funds through federal programs (Portfolio Services, n.d.).

Mercy Housing Lakefront sends asset management staff and real estates development experts to

evaluate the communities and help the community determine where to reinvest (Portfolio

Services, n.d.).

Mercy Housing Lakefront and Public Policy

As a part of Mercy Housing Lakefronts Strategic Plans Public Policy Education and

Advocacy is a major goal (Public Policy Education and Advocay, n.d.). Mercy Housing has five

priorities it would like to accomplish by 2014. The first is Support Tax Incentives, to return

invest capital levels in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit to their pre-recession levels,

especially since this is the time when there is such a great need for a affordable housing. The

second priority is Advocate Proactively for Regulatory and Legislative Changes at HUD and

Federal Banking Agencies. The third priority is Strengthen the Nations Housing Finance

System Including Government Sponsored Enterprise, by contributing to reform proposals. Their

fourth priority is Create Housing and Health Care Linkages, to link health care services to

Mercy Housing Lakefront residents. The fifth priority is Stabilize Comities Severely Affected

by the Foreclosure Crisis through their Mercy Portfolio Services (Public Policy Education and

Advocacy, n.d.).


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Mercy Housing Lakefront Organizational Structure

The staff at Mercy Housing Lakefront works with three core values: respect, justice and

mercy (Vision, Mission, Values, n.d.). Mercy Housing a top staff that oversee the entire Mercy

Housing organization, and staff that handles specific programs within Mercy Housing such as

Public Policy and Advocacy, Real Estate Development and Construction. Staff are also divided

into geographic regions, which each has its own president (Executive Team, n.d.) From there,

each building has in-house staff in charge of property management, case mangers and staff in

charge of the various resident services, such as Tumiel.

Volunteers at Mercy Housing Lakefront

Mercy Housing Lakefront has a relatively small volunteer program. Social work interns

help the case management staff when they have heavy caseloads. There are some volunteer

tutors or fellow tenants who help in the literacy program, and on occasion, corporate volunteers

for distributing welcome packets, chaperoning outings, hosting building dinners and other big

events (E. Tumiel, personal communication, October 3, 2011). For the most part, it seems Mercy

Housing Lakefront utilizes its staff to carry out most of day-to-day functions.

Mercy Housing Lakefront Asset-Mapping

Mercy Housing, as a whole, offers across the country, are also available at Mercy

Housing Lakefront, which makes it practical to focus on the assets of Mercy Housing Lakefront

since that is the organization I have first-hand experience with. Through working with Mercy

Housing Lakefront for over the past month, I have noticed that Mercy Housing and specifically,

Mercy Housing Lakefront have a multitude of assets that it provides to the residents at their

supportive housing units.


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Personnel: Mercy Housing has case managers at each site to assists residents in hardships they

face economically, socially, or domestically (E.Tumiel, personal communication, September 6,

2011). On site, at Mercy housing Lakefront Harold Washington building, the staff is extremely

dedicated to doing everything they can to serve the residents of the building. Many staff

members, including Tumiel, stay after hours to ensure that all the building and the services they

offer are satisfactory to the residents. The staff is extremely knowledgeable about the Uptown

and area and the specific needs of the Harold Washington residences. Additionally, Mercy

Housing is available to assist Mercy Housing Lakefront if any questions or issues arise, so the

staff has a strong network of support. They have a diverse staff with an expertise in a variety of

areas such as finance, leadership development and building maintenance staff ( E.Tumiel,

personal communication, September 6, 2011).

Constituents: The residents of Mercy Housing Lakefront are active in the community, as can be

seen in the Tenant Leadership program. Like Mercy Housing Lakefront staff, the residents are

also diverse and are active in pursing a variety of different interests in the community and in the

Harold Washington building itself. Additionally, Mercy Housing Lakefront residents are

politically active, in 2008, 70% of them were registered to vote (Facts About Mercy Housing).

Space and Facilities: Mercy Housing Lakefront has a variety of spaces that are open to

residents. Most common, is the meeting rooms used to hold the tenant leadership meetings. Also,

some buildings in the Chicago area have community gardens for the residents. Specific meeting

rooms variety from building to building, but they all at least provide a common meeting place for

residents, since it is key in their tenant leadership program (E. Tumiel, personal communication,

September 6, 2011).


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Expertise: Mercy Housing Lakefront provides residents with GED and literacy classes, and job

training. Additionally, art classes are provided for residents at the Harold Washington building.

On occasion, Mercy Housing Lakefront has guest speakers or volunteers hold sessions on

financial literacy, healthy eating or a variety of other topics (E. Tumiel, personal communication,

September 6, 2011).

Networks of Connections: Mercy Housing Lakefront has connections to public officials they

work with to advocate for the rights of their tenants. They also have a connection with Loyola

University Chicago, where they have students in service-learning course complete service or

research for the organization (E. Tumiel, personal communication, September 6, 2011). Mercy

Housing also has a partnership with Catholic Sisters who are dedicated to combat homelessness

and assisting in tenant leadership in a few communities (Partnering With Those In Need, n.d.).

Materials and Equipment: The offices of the staff at Mercy Housing Lakefront are fully

furnished with computers, offices supplies and furniture in order for the staff to be easily able to

perform their job functions. The apartments of the tenants in Mercy Housing Lakefront buildings

are furnished with Energy Star-certified appliances to reduce the cost of monthly bills to the

residents (Preserving Communities, n.d.).

Economic Power: As stated before, Mercy Housing Lakefront offers job-training opportunities

to residents. Mercy Housing Lakefront also employs some of the residents to help in the office,

as I saw on my September 27, 2011 visit to the Harold Washington building.Mercy Housing is a

non-profit 501(c)3 organization which allows them to receive certain tax incentives. Mercy

Housing also accepts donations to help fund many programs.


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