The arc of a Chatham superhero

Yorli Huff knows firsthand not to take even one day for granted, no matter how tough it can be. For her full story, read "The Veil of Victory." But this isn’t about promoting a book or even a person. Rather, this is a story of a forgotten neighborhood enclave in the Chatham Micro Market Recovery Program (MMRP). The cul-de-sac, known as the Dobson Rowhouses, is comprised of abandoned housing units and cars, adjacent to an unnoticed Metra Rail Station stop at 83rd Street (Avalon Park).

“I want to bring this housing complex to life,” says Huff, starting with a small redevelopment project.

She is called Superhero Huff, and  you can find her comicbook image on the windows of the mixed-use buildings on the north side of East 79th Street, just a half block west of Cottage Grove. Yorli's life as one of the few African-American undercover drug agents in the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department inspired the dashing figure.

"Yorli Huff is a great example of the many people engaged in the community to revitalize this neighborhood and the city as a whole,” says Eiran Feldman, president of the Southside Community Investors Association (SSCIA), co-founder of Chatham DevCorp. and owner of First InSite Realty.

Today, instead of fighting crime, Huff is redeveloping the neighborhood's Dobson Rowhouses. “My plan is turn these properties into rental units and manage them to the best of my abilities.”

Huff has been in the business of rehabbing homes for nearly a decade. “I was put here [in this neighborhood] for a purpose. I can relate to people because I serve as a living example of life’s hardships,” says Huff.

She became involved in the Chatham community through her mentor, Peter Payne, who is a real estate owner with Tocal Management. He connected her with the SSCIA. At one of SSCIA’s community meetings, Huff linked up with Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS), which was the court receiver of the two units at the Dobson Rowhouses. Eventually, the two units will be transferred to the Cook County Land Bank and she will be the developer. Alhough the court process is by no means fast, Huff believes it will be a transformative project for this forgotten area. “I’m committed to serving this community,” she says.

The Chatham neighborhood has a bright future. One day, it will be Chatham 2.0: a middle-income community of excellence, with all residents being superheroes — enjoying superb cuisine, great fashion, vibrant nightlife, welcoming affordable rental housing and new homeowners.

Original story posted on Chatham's Facebook page.