■ Biking Out Negativity in North Lawndale PAGE 6
FREE Vol. 39 No. 18
May 7, 2025 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
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Fearless Future Future, page 3
High costs ‘burden’ more than half of Austin households Austin’s households spend over 30% of their income on monthly housing payments, according to a metro area affordability report By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter
Slightly more than half of Austin households are considered “cost-burdened” by their monthly housing expenses, as costs rise across the area. According to new research contained in a report on 285 communities in northeast Illinois performed by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the DePaul University Institute for Housing Studies, many in Austin spend more than they can comfortably afford on monthly housing payments. This is part of a regionwide trend, as nearly half of all Chicagoland metro area renters and a quarter of all area homeowners struggle to afford their housing costs, according to the report. See HOUSING BURDEN on page 5
Shared spaces, shared values TODD BANNOR
Volunteers rake mulch around a tree at the Protect Our Hood Earth Day event at Austin Town Hall on April 26.
Protect Our Hood unites Austin through youth-led beautification By HECTOR CERVANTES Contributing Reporter
Root2Fruit Youth Foundation led a youth-driven effort at Austin Town Hall, where they cleaned the park, planted
trees and created a safer space, all while encouraging the community to pledge support for their Protect Our Hood initiative on April 26. The Protect Our Hood project fosters unity in Austin through youth-led beautification and a community code of shared values. The initiative resulted in the creation of a “safe zone” — a community space activated by youth-led efforts to promote safety, foster engagement and in-
spire positive change. Root2Fruit Youth Foundation is a youth-led community organization rooted in care, healing, and empowerment. Root2Fruit Youth Foundation’s founder and strategy lead Aisha T. Oliver reflected on some of the most powerful and memorable moments on that day. “Being able to help clean up and build relationships with people who don’t See PROTECT OUR HOOD on page 10
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