Nonprofit seeks to transform Joliet’s east side neighborhoods

A Joliet-based nonprofit wants to revitalize underserved Joliet neighborhoods.

Boise Walker, 53, founded Ezio Community Development Services in 2017. The group held its first board meeting in 2020 and recently awarded its first grant, which was specifically intended for homeowners in the Manningdale neighborhood.

Cheryl Foster of Joliet was the sole recipient of Ezio’s Home Remodel and Repair Grant. Foster requested the repair of her driveway, sidewalk and city sidewalk, because she said her parkway “has a lot of big trees,” which had “ripped up” the sidewalk in front of her house.

So, Ezio obtained quotes from concrete companies and passed the information to Foster, Walker said.

Foster chose Trizzino Concrete and Blacktop in Plainfield, which replaced her blacktop driveway and concrete sidewalk, and also repaired a few sidewalk sections in front of her yard because the company is an approved vendor with the city of Joliet, Walker said.

The grant funding also covered the cost of trimming Foster’s trees at her front entrance, repainting her stairs and reseeding the grass that was damaged during the sidewalk repair, Walker said.

Foster’s total grant award was $13,661.24 of the maximum $25,000, Walker said.

Walker said she grew up near the Manningdale neighborhood. She said she never noticed the gradual changes in the neighborhood until she returned home from college.

“My eyes were just opened,” Walker said. “Houses were torn down, and there were vacant lots where some of my friends used to live, where I used to play at their house.”

Foster said she learned about the grant program when Walker went door to door promoting it, so she decided to apply.

“All they could do was say no,” Foster said.

Foster has deep roots in Manningdale. She said her grandfather was “one of the first people to move into the neighborhood when he built his house.”

And then in 1952, Foster’s father bought Foster’s current property, which was “all orchards” at the time, she said. The original house burned down in 1966, and a new house was built in the same location, she said.

“I’ve lived here ever since,” Foster said, adding that she owes no money on her home.

Through Ezio Community Development Services, Walker hopes to revitalize neighborhoods such as Manningdale “that at one point in time used to be vibrant” by providing affordable housing and encouraging “mom-and-pop” businesses to move into the area, Walker said.

That vision eventually will include building income-based single-family houses and townhouses, Walker said.

Walker said her vision has precedent in Joliet, which is why she invited Dawn Bates of Joliet to join Ezio’s advisory committee.

In 2001, Bates won a city of Joliet lottery for one of five newly constructed three-bedroom homes in District 5.

The city’s purpose was to provide housing for low-income people while building up the area, Bates said.

The cost of each home was $113,330, according to the letter Bates received from the city in 2001.

The first mortgage was to be $78,000 with a current market interest rate for 30 years, the second mortgage was to be $20,000 with a zero percent interest rate for 20 years and a third mortgage in the amount of $10,000 was to be forgiven after the homeowner lives on the property for five years, according to the letter.

The city also offered a grant of $3,000 for additional down payment assistance, according to the letter.

Bates said she and a neighbor still live in their Richard Street homes. She knows two other residents – on Second Avenue and Fourth Avenue – who still are in their homes. And a previous resident on Union Street remained in the home until death, she said.

“I really like the area. I like the fact I’m a homeowner. I was tired of renting, and I knew I wanted to stay someplace stable. And I like my neighbors,” Bates said.

Bates said she feels Walker’s revitalization plans could work.

“I think a lot of people want to be homeowners,” Bates said. “It’s just hard when builders want a large down payment.”

For now, Walker is working on developing partnerships with other area nonprofits to teach residents the basics of homeownership, home repairs and financial literacy, and to provide job training, she said.

Walker also wants to start a lending library for tools and is seeking a location.

For more information, visit eziocdsinc.org.