Chicago Politics

Casa Yucatan Groundbreaking 9.19.25

Description

Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the Casa Yucatan Groundbreaking.

Transcript

7:03 the Benito Juarez Community Academy, everyone to come over and take a seat here as we want to now move towards beginning our program. Let's give one more final round of applause the Mariachi Aguilas Benito Juarez Community Academy. I know it's warm out, but we invite you to take your seat so that we can begin our program this morning. So as we move to

7:46 our chairs and we take our seats. We want to begin our program with you this morning.

12:07 morning thank you so much for accompanying us on this great moment of history for our community uh as we begin our program my name is father brendan curran community organizer and coordinator of interface partnerships at the resurrection project proud to join you but as we begin our program today we want to begin with a moment of prayer and so I invite you to share with me

12:38 as we bless this crown we are mindful of the gospel of John in the house of God there are many dwelling places that God has prepared for us promising and yet challenging to each of us reminding us that where I am going you know the way a call to remind each of us about preparing places a dwelling for each and every one of our brothers and sisters. As we break this ground and remind one another that it is holy,

13:13 may we never forget that where we walk is sacred and holy. Today, may we believe in your dream, O loving God, that in your house there is plenty good room. How appropriate that we gather to bless this land, this site that we now will be christening and naming Casa Yucatan is a mindfulness of us to remember a peninsula blessed as the crossroads of the Caribbean with a beacon of hope in a sacred space from Chichen Itza, the Turun,

13:49 reminding us for generations we have been called to be good stewards and to remind ourselves and are reminded to build in God's holy place. now we have had some recent rough days and despite the noise all around us of some who may threaten this foundation of a holy dwelling for each and every one of us let us never forget that from a flower vendor pulled off the street at a bus stop

14:21 or a young father, Silverio, in Franklin Park who was shot in cold blood by an ICE agent after dropping his children at school. And the hundreds of families forced here on Chicago's west side to flee, thirsting for an affordable dwelling, a place to call their home in Pilsen and across Chicago's west side. We must still stand here believing that we have a dwelling place right here and right now.

14:52 We are reminded of the great challenge of this task, but we shall not be discouraged. Amen? that That is why we are here. How appropriate that here in this place we bless this groundbreaking in the shadow of a physical symbol of hope of our Mexican community's struggle and a victory of Benito Juarez Community Academy, where mothers fought to make a reality on hunger strike, insisting in the 70s that there be a place for their culture, for their heritage,

15:26 in the places of education. How appropriate that we gather on this 35th anniversary of the Resurrection Project, once a dream of leaders of six parishes across this neighborhood that they must fight to prepare a dwelling place, always a place of welcome. In only a start of a shared dream, we can help in realizing the launch of the Resurrection Project that has grown to become its impact today. A dwelling place for housing, a place for immigrant pride and cultural strength,

16:00 a place for access to health care, and a safe and secure dwelling place for new and rising leaders. In this soil, we are called to believe there is plenty good room in this place. Amen? May God now bless our work we begin here these days. We are preparing and nurturing a dwelling place for 98 families and any time that we shout to each of the corners across this city that we are proud that they will become our doctors, our teachers, our factory workers and first responders and so many more methods and ways of being leaders among us.

16:41 called by our work to never forget this great call to make this a welcoming and dwelling place for all. Plenty good room, plenty good room. Thank God Almighty, we have plenty good room. Amen? Thank you. It is indeed an honor to invite Raul Raimundo, longtime resident of Pilsen,

17:12 CEO and co-founder of the Resurrection Project to come and share some words this day. Buenos dias a todos. Let's give the round of applause to the Benito Juarez mariachi group. Where are they? They just moved on to high school. They were giving them permission to come here while they were in school day. And I want to welcome everybody here this morning. First of all, Brendan just reminded me that this blessing for this territory this morning,

17:46 and he spoke about Benito Juarez High School. and the talent that's coming out of Benito Juarez High School. I'd like to say that I am a proud graduate of Benito Juarez High School, class of 1983. I remember when the school was being built. I remember the moms that were working on making sure that we had a very important education, but more importantly, a facility where we could do our best. And I remember because my mom was involved in organizing to helping build the high school that I'm proud to have attended and many more to come because it's right directly behind me, Benito Fares High School.

18:30 Thank you all for joining us. Today we celebrate not only the groundbreaking of Casa Yucatan, but also 35 years of working to build healthier communities here in Chicago and across the state as well beyond the Pilsen community. For 35 years, as a co-founder, we have been taking challenges, creating opportunities, and building assets for the community. We have been through many crises that we did not create or control.

19:01 The financial crisis, the COVID crisis, and yes, we are going through another one right now that has yet to hit bottom. Every day it seems like there is an attack on our social fabric of this great city of Chicago. But working together and being resolute, we will persevere these challenges and change the trajectory of our country for the better. Casa Yucatan is part of this resilience. It is more than just housing. It is a milestone that reflects decades of community collaboration and dedication.

19:34 It is an investment in our communities in dealing with affordable housing crisis, an investment in our families who often are on fixed income, they are handicapped or a paycheck away from not having a roof over their head. Casa Yucatan will preserve the cultural heritage and the expansion of housing and economic opportunities for future generations. Families. And guess what? It starts with families having a safe, affordable housing opportunity where they can raise their family and make them successful. These projects require an incredible coordination with partners in the public sector, private sector, philanthropic sector, and the community sector.

20:23 Today, we are joined by many of these partners. I first would like to acknowledge the vision and the leadership of our Chief Real Estate Development Director, our Real Estate Development Team, the Architects, Design Bridge, the General Contractors, Crane Construction, and Blackwood. They are standing here, and soon, as Father Brendan mentioned, 98 families and many more over the years will have a wonderful place to live, a safe place to live, to raise their families and

20:56 make this community in Chicago the greatest freaking city in the country. The development will serve household families earning between 30 and 70 percent of median income. So this is truly going to be affordable for families who, again, as I said earlier, are are one paycheck away from being homeless, are on fixed income, or are on disability. This area, again, is strategically located

21:29 across the street from my alma mater high school and also nearby Cooper Dual Language Elementary School. Their principals are here today. I want to acknowledge them, give them a round of applause. Again, these kinds of developments do not happen by accident. It requires tremendous coordination, synchronization from many partners and I want to ask some of them to come up and speak with us this morning. First, it's our Illinois Deputy Governor Grace

22:04 Ho. The Governor Pritzker and the state of Illinois have been instrumental in making sure that this project gets the right financing, the right funding to make families, again families, it's not just about bricks and mortar, it's about building community and building families. Through their efforts, we are able to make Casa Yucatan a reality. So on behalf of Governor Pritzker, I'd like to ask Deputy Governor Grace Hall to share a few remarks.

22:36 Good morning, everyone. It's so good to be here today and to celebrate during these very trying times. I know that we are heavy in our hearts as we see what is happening to our neighbors and our communities, school, scared to go to work, to drive, to live out, to speak out. But I think the amazing part of our community is that we need to continue to see joy, opportunity, and hope in our work.

23:07 And today is about celebration and joy. Before we talk about the amazing work that went into Casa Yucatan, I think it's important also to recognize the amazing work that the Resurrection Project does to defend the rights of our neighbors through their legal work, led by the amazing Ere Rendon. I don't see her here. She's probably out fighting some battles here somewhere, but just want to appreciate her very much. I want to congratulate the Resurrection Project and all of us here around the table on the

23:44 groundbreaking of Casa Yucatan. Pilsen has always been a neighborhood rich in culture, rooted in community, and centered around family. Quality is embodied by this new, affordable, family-oriented housing that will soon stand at this site and become an anchor in beautiful Pilsen. Safe, stable, and affordable housing is a priority for our administration, and is close to my heart. as someone who has worked alongside Raul, I think, since we were baby executive directors 30-some years ago.

24:20 Unfortunately, we know the demand for affordable housing in neighborhoods across the city and state is on the rise due to surging rental costs. Between 2015 and 2023, rent in Pilsen and the lower west side of Chicago increased by 40%. Pilsen families must now earn almost $58,000 a year to be able to afford a two-bedroom apartment at the fair market rent. That is why the state of Illinois and its housing finance agency, the Illinois Housing Development Authority,

24:52 better known as IDA, are committed to financing developments like Casa Yipatán that offsets skyrocketing. ...rocketing rental costs and give families a place to live, grow, and prosper. For those of you who may not know what Ida does, just really quickly want to share that they are a bank with a public mission to fund the creation and preservation of affordable housing all across Illinois. In fact, it was Ida's staff that was here in Pilsen last September to celebrate the ribbon-cutting for Ogden Commons,

25:26 just two miles away, enjoying the Resurrection Project the year before that for the completion of Casa Durango, a short walk from here as well. The positive effects of Ida's investments in Pilsen go beyond the borders of 16th Street and Union Avenue. Developments like Casa Yucatan bolster the city of Chicago's goal to bring more affordable housing to our neighborhood. And I would like to thank Mayor Brandon Johnson for his unwavering support for affordable housing and for your partnership with Ida.

26:02 I want to take a moment to thank again the amazing leader, Raul Raimondo, the Resurrection Project CEO, for his partnership in bringing all of this work to life. More than 800 additional units of affordable housing to the city and the suburbs. Raul doesn't like to brag about himself very much, so I want to share with you, in case you did not know, Oh, he was the recipient of the Order of Lincoln in 2024, which is the highest Illinois award for public service.

26:35 Your dedication, Rahul, to uplifting neighborhoods and states through affordable housing and development and community investment is unquestioned. And before I close, I want to introduce really quickly Olivia Ortega, who is our Housing Solutions lead in the governor's office to make sure and to promote more housing developments like this. She's right over there. Be here as a part of this joyous moment.

27:09 And we need more moments like these. Thank you. Yes, yes, Grace. Thank you, Grace. As Grace mentioned, it is truly a joyous moment. But these joyous moments don't happen by accident. Again, we have to make them happen. And we have a lot of partners that are making these joyous moments happen in the midst of a lot of challenges. One of those persons is our local alderman, Byron Cisco Lopez. He's not only the alderman of the 25th Ward, he's also the chair of the Housing Committee for the City of Chicago,

27:41 and he's a champion of affordable housing. He will be introducing our great mayor as well in a minute, but I want to acknowledge Byron because he was also with us not long ago celebrating the grand opening of Casa Durango, and now hear the groundbreaking of Casa Yucatán and soon, in the future, lots of more affordable housing at ATT and Peoria. But without further ado, I'd like to ask all of you to join us and welcome officially our mayor.

28:14 Thank you. Buenos dias. Muy buenos dias. And good morning. It's a real honor to be here with all of you today. Let me give a few thank yous because in our community we always believe it is always great to be thankful. And we are very grateful for all the partnerships today. I want to thank the Resurrection Project, of course, in their 35th anniversary. What a way to celebrate, what a way to show in action what is possible. I want to also thank the leadership and the partnership of the city and the state, Mayor Brandon Johnson, as well as Governor Prisker.

28:50 This is the kind of collaboration and coordination that is needed in our city to face the many challenges that we have. It doesn't go unnoticed that we have a really, really big challenge in our immigrant community. We are being terrorized. Last week we just continued to mourn The murder of one of our neighbors Silberio Villegas Gonzalez And this morning I just came back from the Broadview facility But we continue to see arrests Of protesters

29:21 We continue to see the use even of tear gas And the arrests of people Who are just protesting injustices We'll continue to protest And this is the way to do so Because we fight with actions And this shows a way Of our community to resist To be resilient And to act with care and love with one another And that means investing in people And I'm grateful that the city of Chicago Under the leadership of our mayor Mayor Brandon Jensen Has continued to believe And to push on a vision when housing

29:52 Is a human right A vision where we do not accept Not too long ago When thousands of our neighbors at the displaced with no option or no recourse. In our community, we rub our sleeves and we get to work. So I'm grateful for all the partners that are coming together, including Latino contractors like Blackwood. It is important that we do this kind of construction from beginning to end. Local hiring, investing in affordable housing, and believing that we can be, and we are,

30:23 The best city in the country Because we're fighting to be The most affordable, safest city In the country And we should not be fighting for less than that So today, I tell you As I stand with you And I'm grateful for the leadership That allow us to have a development Where we can truly talk about Affordable housing At 30% of our average median income So low income families can't find a home Here in their own community So we continue to believe that by investing in people

30:54 we are making our communities affordable and safe and I'm grateful for the mayor that has issued a bond of 1.25 billion dollars so that we can invest in affordable housing half of that bond is coming to projects like this for affordable housing so we're very grateful for the leadership of Mayor Johnson and the leadership in our community that continues to believe so this is again just one of the many projects to come and we are committed to also make sure that 18th and Peoria a project that has gone from us

31:25 fighting even for the land so now we have a land 6.3 acres dedicated for affordable housing for families and I want to emphasize that as we have educators here from Benito Juarez and again my good friend also Principal Cooper while our families are struggling even to work with families or working with kids with school maybe it's to say how difficult it is to find a home so our enrollments are down Our enrollments are down because our families cannot find places to afford. We are struggling because also our property taxes are skyrocketing, but also another 40%.

32:01 And when we see this, we are calling on action on every elected official. And I have now the pleasure to introduce a fighter that has fought with actions, that has fought for our communities, our immigrant communities in D.C., and is fighting for our immigrant communities here at home, so that we have the right to protest as he just said yesterday and we have the right for self-determination to invest in our communities so our communities can have a home, they can find a school for their kids

32:33 and they can find shelter in our beautiful community of Pilsen that are proud to be a port of entry for immigrants and for many generations to come. And with that, without further ado, I have the honor and the privilege To introduce a fighter who has fighting with us to recognize the leadership of our principals, our leaders in organizations, our elected officials that on the ground are showing us that it's possible. That fighting displacement is possible.

33:05 That fighting disinvestment is possible. And that is with the leadership of people that are mayor. So without further ado, I have the immense pleasure to introduce someone who is building coalitions across the city and across the country. So let's give it up to someone who believes in housing as a human right, and believes in investing in people, and believes in the city of Chicago. So I have the pleasure to introduce our mayor, Mayor Brandon Johnson. Wow. Thank you, Alderman Sexto Lopez. Good morning, everyone.

33:39 Good morning. It is truly an honor to be with you all. What's going on, Pilsen? How y'all feeling this morning? You know, one of Chicago's proudest neighborhoods to celebrate the groundbreaking of Casa Yucatan. As we continue to confront a housing crisis across our city and issues of gentrification right here in Pilsen, I am proud to take this step today towards building more affordable housing

34:10 and ensuring that working families can stay right here in Pilsen. I have said it before and I'll say it again, housing is a human right. Our celebration today, kicking off construction on an eight-story, 98-unit affordable housing development marks a transformational moment for this community. When we build affordable housing, we create spaces where families can grow, young people can seize opportunities, and communities can thrive.

34:41 This is a step towards equity and justice on behalf of our people. And this is a down payment on our city's safer and more affordable future. My administration is proud to support the Resurrection Project and this development with 15.9% $8 million from our $1.25 billion housing and economic development bond. I am excited to say that this is the very first housing development to close with the help of our HED bond funds as part of our Build Better Together initiative.

35:21 Previously, we utilized funds to support a West Englewood community farm and a health center in Austin to ensure that our south and west sides have economic opportunities and the necessary resources for their communities. Through the Build Better Together initiative, the city is focusing our funding, our partnerships and our efforts on affordable housing and commercial corridor development priorities across the city, especially in the historically underserved neighborhoods.

35:56 Additionally, the Department of Housing, the Department of Planning and Development and other city departments and agencies continue to implement our Cut the Tape initiative to reduce the barriers to development and investments in our communities. The work of addressing our housing crisis will take persistence, patience, partnerships and of course sustained investments. But I'm grateful to witness progress and groundbreakings like this one. Or just last week when the city celebrated the grand opening of a 40 million dollar Thrive Inglewood development, a transit

36:30 oriented sustainable affordable housing development on the south side. The first of its kind in over 50 years. We're doing it right, Chicago. We're doing it big, and we're doing it in black and brown communities. And so today, a transformational day like today is only possible because of the partnerships and the support by so many people. Thank you to the Resurrection Project for leading this effort. Thank you, Raul, for all the work

37:00 that you do, the developer, Casa Yucatan, LP, of course, Alderman Spirasek, Joe Lopez. Thank you to the Illinois Department of Housing. Thank you to Governor Pritzker. Thank you for our Deputy Governor, Grace Holt, for being here today, and all the other finance partners, Federal Home Loan Bank, CIBC Bank, Enterprise Communities, and ComEd. Let's give it up for all that have played a part in this historic moment. So, in closing, I look forward to our partnership and investments in our communities and our

37:34 continued efforts to ensure that Pilsen and all of our city's diverse communities are protected and strengthened at this pivotal moment. We truly are the global capital of the world and we will not allow any of the tyranny that is working to divide and ultimately work to conquer our communities prevail because we are the greatest freaking city in the world the city of chicago thank you all very much

38:05 gracias alcalde johnson truly a champion of creating affordability not just in housing but across many sectors that make this city the greatest freaking city in the world this again cannot be made possible without many partners so i just like to add to have a few words from our Department of Housing Commissioner, Lizette Castaneda, to say a few words.

38:43 It is such a pleasure to be here with all of you today. It's a pleasure to see so many good and familiar faces. Thank you all for welcoming me to Pilsen. There are many things that I associate with this vibrant community, its rich culture, deep pride, and the courageous spirit of resistance. It is only fitting, then, that I stand here today with all of you to break ground on this project that is equally groundbreaking. I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Mayor Johnson for his steadfast commitment to protecting our basic civil rights,

39:17 for his unwavering leadership in the face of today's political climate, and for his bold vision to make Chicago the greatest freaking city and most affordable city for its residents. I also want to thank our partners at AIDA and of course in the 25th Ward, this would not have been possible without Alderman C. Lopez. Many congratulations and many thanks to the Resurrection Project, to Raul Raimundo and of course to Raul Darreyes for continuing to work together to make sure that this would

39:48 happen. Our shared history is long and fruitful and I am hopeful that our continued partnership will keep improving the lives of the people who call this community home. Casa Yucatan will be a development we can all take pride in. We are bringing 98 units, 100% of which will be affordable, to an area that has seen rising rates of displacement. 22 of those units will receive subsidy from the Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund,

40:20 allowing residents at the lowest income to access the dignified housing every human being is deserving of. What it means is that folks that were born and raised here can stay here. They can grow and eventually raise their families of their own without being priced out of the place they've known all of their lives. As Mayor Johnson said before, this is the first development to close with the help of $15.8 million from our Housing and Economic Development Bond.

40:54 A key funding tool of the mayor's administration, the bond helps us keep safe, affordable housing in areas that need it the most. It is the epitome of building better together. As a result, the future residents of Casa Yucatan will not only remain in their community, but they will also thrive in it. They will enjoy a newly constructed building, complete with a rooftop terrace, a training center, laundry facilities, and a play lot for their children.

41:25 There will be parking spaces for residents and it is conveniently located near transit. This is what dignified housing looks like. I want to return to something deeply important, the cultural significance of Pilsen. There is truly no place like it. As a Mexico-Americana, I find deep meaning in the strength and determination and solidarity shown by this community. It strengthens my own pride and my heritage.

41:57 Now more than ever, it is essential that we work together, not only to keep Pilsen affordable, but also to support one another through these times of uncertainty and fear. We are stronger together, and I encourage each of you to carry that sentiment with you in the days and times ahead. Thank you all for having me. Now we really need to hear from those who are benefiting and will benefit more

42:30 in the future. As many of the speakers mentioned, Pilsen, like other communities, are going through great challenges in many different ways, including gentrification and displacement. Our goal from the beginning of this organization was how do we challenge to build a healthy community, not to move to one. And in doing so, we are creating balanced development. Balanced development means how can we continue to lift up many of the families

43:01 who have been living in this neighborhood for many years to have a decent, affordable place to live and developing the community as well. But at the same time, it means balanced development. Communities evolve. We also want to welcome newcomers to the community. And that's what balanced development is. How do we make sure that families can benefit from the prosperity that's going on in the community, but at the same time, be open to welcome newcomers. And Resurrection Project has been developing affordable housing for many years,

43:35 over 600 units of affordable housing in many parts of the neighborhood. Today we have a couple of families who I want to invite them to share their story about what does it mean living in a safe, decent, affordable rental apartment developed by the Resurrection Project and with the help of many of you here. Our first is Danielle Jenkins and her family. Danielle has been a TRP resident for the last three years. She is an active member of the community. I'm going to ask Danielle to come and share a few words.

44:14 Hello, everyone. Hello, good morning. My name is Danielle Jenkins, and I am a proud resident of the Resurrection Project. My daughters, Carrington and Kai, and my granddaughters, Carla and Nova, have been residents of Casa Morelos since 2024. I just want to give you guys a little bit of my story. Prior to moving to Casa Morelos, we were in an area where racism ran rampant.

44:46 The only option that felt safe was to leave abruptly. So we put as many of our belongings as we could into my vehicle And made our way back to Chicago Unfortunately, that caused us to become homeless When we returned to Chicago, we had to stay in shelters, and when we could, with my mom, whom, by the way, was our saving grace. It was one of the toughest times of our lives. Over the course of three years, I filled out applications for any apartment that I could find.

45:20 The process was frustrating, because nowadays, your income has to be three times what the rent is. and as a single mother slash grandmother only being able to work part-time due to injury sustained in two back-to-back car accidents it made that nearly impossible i reached out to every agency i could seeking assistance for help that was promised but never came at one point i was even accused of um one of those agencies of refusing a home that was a that was offered to us

45:52 which was not true it was heartbreaking to say the least and i felt like giving up excuse me i reached out to alderman byron cicho lopez great man by the way um who suggested that i fill out an application with the resurrection project and i did just that and when i did that I did not know that it was the start of a new beginning.

46:23 The Resurrection Project is an affordable housing project that gave my family not just a place to live, but a home. Ms. Leticia Rivera handled the process from the beginning until it was time for me to sign my lease. excuse me and she is still involved with my family staff like alma where's alma right there

46:55 staff like alma who is one of the sweetest people that i've ever met greet you with a smile and are constantly checking to make sure that we're okay my neighbors are kind my kids my kids attend the great schools my youngest daughter is at war is right now that's why she's not here my youngest is at uh youngman excuse my granddaughter is at youngman she's in all day pre-k um excuse me uh and right now we are comfortable we are at peace

47:30 and most importantly we have we have a home excuse me i am not originally from pilsen but i now have the privilege of being a part of this wonderful neighborhood it. I believe there are many people who deserve that opportunity as well. People deserve a place to live that they can afford, a place where they can be at peace, a place where they can be that is full of rich culture. People deserve to have the Resurrection Project experience. I believe

48:02 that families that move into Costa Yucatan will get just that. I am thankful. I am blessed. God has done wonderful and amazing things in my life, excuse me, and I have, like you said, people like Patricia and Alma and Byron Cicho Lopez, excuse me, and Mayor Brandon Johnson and, excuse me, Mr. Raul here to thank for that, and my mom, who's sitting right here. So thank you all. Be blessed. Good luck, and Godspeed to all of the families that will

48:34 be moving into Cogs and Youth Design. You guys all deserve it. Thank you, everyone, for coming. Thank you. We truly are blessed as you heard her story. There are many stories throughout the last 35 years, hundreds of these stories, thousands of these stories. And we will continue to even have more of those stories.

49:13 for many families, and now I want to introduce another family, the family Sánchez, who has been with us for several years, to tell her story also, the family Sánchez. Everyone is one of the most recent members, my name is Perenice Sánchez, I have 17 years living in the Project Resurrection, it has been the best that has been in my life, because

49:47 I have a child of 22 years old, one of 19 and one of 11 years old. My daughter is 19 years old, she is at the University of Loyola, she is a lawyer, and my son of 11 years old is at school. Thanks to this organization so beneficial to be able to live safely with the accesses that we have been given,

50:24 I love my community, I love what I have here. I have 22 years living here in Pilsen, but I love all the changes that we are living here, and all those who represent us, that are the people who are here.

51:17 Just briefly, brevemente, briefly, she's been living in the neighborhood for over For 22 years, she's been living in Casa Guerrero, one of our first affordable low-income housing tax credit projects, for 17 years. She is a single mom with three kids. Her son, 22 years old, is in the Marines, and that is his daughter, her granddaughter. So while he is serving, she is caring for her son's daughter, who is in the Marines right now. Her daughter, 19 years old, is studying at Loyola University, aspiring to become an attorney.

51:54 And her youngest, 11 years old, is in the local school here. This is what these kinds of projects create, opportunities for families to really plan ahead for their future. To give opportunities to their kids and to give opportunities for others like her son serving our nation and making our nation safer and making our nation stronger. And that's what we need the message to carry out there all over, that we are here and we're going to be resilient, we're going to continue to persevere with many of the challenges that we face, but only together we will be able to work to make a difference in our communities.

52:33 I couldn't, you know, there's a lot of unsung heroes that are not here today that have made this project possible. So I want to acknowledge a few more because they are the folks that, like me, I get up here and say a few things in front of you. But the people that are the workiest deserve tremendous credit for their work. So, at Ida, she's not here with us, but the director, Kristen Faust, and her team, some of them are here, have been incredible, incredible workers, bees, if you will, in making this project a reality.

53:11 Many of the staff and attorneys at the Department of Housing as well have been incredible partners and allies. They are the ones who make this happen as well. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I want to also acknowledge many of our financial partners with us today as well. You've heard IAIDA, Illinois Housing Development Authority, you've heard the Department of Housing. But also, this cannot happen without the public sector and the private sector. The Federal Home Unbeg of Chicago, one of our investors as well, CIBC Bank, Enterprise Community, and ComEd.

53:46 Again, these are complex projects, and it requires tremendous partnership and coordination to make this possible. Let's give them all a round of applause. We already heard from the community, and some of them are more residents from the community. If I could ask them to stand. Aquí están otros residentes de la comunidad. Párense, por favor, para ser reconocidos. We already mentioned Principal Juan Carlos Ocón from across the street,

54:24 and also Principal Maricela Torres from Cooper Dual Language Academy. Let's give them a round of applause as well. As we conclude, I want to remind us again, Casa Yucatan is a symbol of what we can accomplish when government, financial partners, and community come together. We are proud to continue our work to create healthy and vibrant communities where families can stay and grow and thrive and make their dreams a reality.

54:55 You know, as an immigrant myself, people ask me, what is your American dream? It's not owning a home. It's not bettering this community. It is leaving this country better than how I found it. That is my American dream. That's what my father taught me. And that's what I'm working. And many of us as immigrants are contributors, not takers, in making a difference. With that, I would like to ask our partners, our residents

55:26 To come up Because we're doing the ground shovel ceremony So please join us as we conclude Many of you in the audience Please join us behind us And we're going to celebrate Casa Yucatan Hope, faith, and values Is what Casa Yucatan is all about

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