Roots and Roofs: Building Wealth Through Chicago’s Two-Flats

When Mercedes Pickett set out to buy her first home, she wanted to do it in the same way her mom had — by living in a two-flat, renting out the bottom apartment, and making the building into an investment property. 

For over a century, owning and living in a rental property has been one of the most effective ways to build wealth for Black and Latino communities. Yet these quintessential Chicago homes are in danger of extinction. 

This is the story of how a new generation of Black and brown homeowners are pushing back — and improving their neighborhoods in the process. 

Produced by Reema Saleh for Reparations Media | Editorial support from Juneteenth Productions @juneteenthprod2 | Collaboration with Neighborhood Housing Services @NHSChicago | Sound design by Will Jarvis @willyfrederick | Music: Sara Abdelaal, Blue Dot Sessions

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Key words: housing, home, homeownership, homeowner, landlord, mortgage, apartment, two-flat, rent, income, redlining, Black, Latino, solutions, Chi-Flats Initiative, Neighborhood Housing Services