Bringing new life to a forgotten subdivision

From empty dirt lots to blocks of inviting, move-in ready homes, the Emerson Estates subdivision, located south of Auburn and Springfield Avenue, has seen a transformation over the last two years. The success of this development, led by Habitat for Humanity and set up by Region 1 Planning Council through our Land Bank, is a story of vision and partnership.

Possibilities
With construction halted by the housing crash in early 2000s, the Emerson Estates subdivision lay forgotten. As part of R1’s mission to eliminate blight and return tax-delinquent properties back to tax-generating, productive use, we acquired 30 properties in this subdivision in 2022. We received them all in one lump purchase, cleared titles and the unpaid taxes, and positioned the land to be ready for a new owner.

“The Land Bank has the ability to clear liabilities, so another entity can move forward with development, and we can provide land at a low cost so the project remains financially feasible. This location already had infrastructure in place—roads, sidewalks, utility lines, street lights—which kept development costs down,” said Eric Setter, director of community revitalization at R1.

The Land Bank scouted this group of properties as it looked at opportunities for new construction on the west side of Rockford. Keri Asevedo, executive director of the Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity, was top of mind when it came to who could mobilize and construct homes quickly. Although R1 and Habitat worked together before, a project of this scale was a first for both.

“I told Eric ‘I want to build a community,’” Asevedo said. “He put the work in to find the right way to do it and finally found the perfect project—the batch of 30 properties at Emerson Estates. Now 30 families will live here and thrive.”

Four families have already moved into their Emerson Estates houses. Seven homes are complete, with closing to take place by the end of summer. Three more homes will be built in the fall, with the remaining 16 to be completed in the coming years.

It is a large-scale example of how Land Bank partnerships with community-oriented nonprofits like Habitat result in development with more impact than what either could do on their own.

“This project is a perfect example of what’s possible when we work together with a shared vision for our neighborhoods,” Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said. “Through the Land Bank’s ability to secure abandoned properties and the city’s strong partnership with Habitat for Humanity, we’re not just building affordable homes, we’re reducing blight, revitalizing blocks, and investing in Rockford’s future.”

Affordability
Through Habitat for Humanity, applicants receive zero-interest loans with no down payment, making homeownership a reality for economically marginalized households.

“Statistics show that affordable homeownership transforms lives,” Asevedo said. “Twelve monthly mortgage payments can change their credit scores by 100 points or more, allowing them to obtain credit without using predatory lenders.”

One of the first Emerson Estates residents was Tori Turman, a paraprofessional at Easter Seals Academy. A first-time homeowner, Turman had a direct hand in her own transformation. She put in 200 hours of sweat equity in constructing her own home and participated in financial education classes. If it wasn’t for Habitat, Turman says she would have rented for the rest of her life, making it more difficult for her to get ahead.

Sustainability
Unique to the Emerson Estates subdivision and keeping with Habitat’s mission of affordability, the first six houses are piloting the use of geothermal energy. And all homes receive electricity from a nearby community solar field. By relying solely on electric power, particularly from renewable sources, residents can save up to 50% on monthly electric bills.

Habitat also partnered with Rockford Public Schools District 205 to provide high school juniors and seniors with practical construction experience in framing, drywall, and everything in between. Some students went on to use those skills in permanent employment with contractor partners.

Partnerships and community
At R1, we are exceptionally proud of the support we provided to Habitat and the residents of Rockford through the Emerson Estates project. Keri, her team, the Habitat Board of Directors, and all of the Habitat volunteers who worked hard and gave their time to this project, created a success story that has garnered national attention. We are grateful for the impact Habitat has made in our community and the partnership they have with us at R1. Additionally, Frank Wehrstein of Dickerson & Nieman deserves a lot of credit for helping our Land Bank.

The success of Emerson Estates provides a long list of benefits to the community:

• Adds 30 new affordable-rate houses for families.
• Eliminates unsightly blight and reduces sprawl.
• Creates the first energy-efficient neighborhood powered by renewable energy.
• Combines expertise from a variety of groups—volunteers, schools, construction companies—for a large-scale community effort.
• Provides stability for economically marginalized households.

Habitat wins. Students win. Employers win. Neighborhoods win. Taxpayers win. And most importantly, families who are now first-time homeowners win.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce.