Historic Chicago Bungalow Association

Hi, I'm Tonika Lewis Johnson, an artist dedicated to revitalizing my community through my UnBlocked Englewood project. I am raising $500K to provide critical home repairs to long-time Englewood homeowners and beautify vacant lots on the 6500 block of South Aberdeen, a neighborhood deeply affected by mid-century redlining and racist predatory housing practices like land sale contracts.

UnBlocked Englewood is an arts-driven community redevelopment initiative in partnership with the Chicago Bungalow Association and Englewood Arts Collective. We have already successfully repaired 12 homes, with 13 more to go. We also recently installed a new block club sign and a vibrant mural on one of the repaired homes. By providing immediate support to homeowners, we foster a sense of community and create lasting social impact.

Your donation will help us preserve the neighborhood’s character and increase home values, demonstrating that community redevelopment and public art can transform historically neglected areas. Join us in making a tangible difference—restoring denied equity one home repair and vacant lot beautification at a time.

Watch the recent ABC 7 Chicago news coverage of UnBlocked Englewood at the following link: https://abc7chicago.com/unblocked-englewood-home-improvement-chicago-housing-discrimination/14483704