Mission: To restore vacant and abandoned buildings to stabilize neighborhoods.
Programs: During 2016 cmep continued its mission of reducing crime, changing lives, rebuilding communities, and restoring hope. Cmep's success is driven by strong relationships with banks, the city of chicago, and the national community stabilization trust (ncst). These organizations often hold title to, and facilitate cmep's acquisition of distressed properties. Cmep also serves as a court-appointed received for abandoned properties. In executing its initiatives focused on job readiness and life skills, cmep continued to acquire foreclosed or abandoned residential properties for rehabilitation and employed formerly incarcerated individuals and other community members to make the needed repairs. Rehabbed properties were donated, rented, or sold to low-to-moderate-income families. Through these efforts, cmep revitalized chicago communities by providing housing, employment, and on-the-job training. Integral to cmep's mission are counseling services and on-the-job training. The services include construction training, mentoring, social services, life skills, and conflict resolution training. Such services and training provide individuals, who are often formerly incarcerated, uneducated, or otherwise at risk of being victims or perpetrators of gang violence, with the help needed to improve their long-term earning potential and their communities.
I recently purchased a place that was remodeled by this organization. On the first walk through we found an active termite trails which has been taken care of with a 1 yr warranty included. I spoke with one of the lead developers about my (missing) mailbox which he said he had no problem getting for me, but I still haven't received it or heard from him about it. I allowed my Realtor to do the final walk through for me which was a big mistake. I noticed that there are screws visible from the connecting of drywall sheets, there is water that comes in the basement when there is heavy rain and my tub has grout in it from the wall tile which doesn't seem to be able to come out. I also noticed after trying to clean a dirt mark off my wall that the layer of paint on the wall is so thin that as I wiped it clean, the paint came off and I can see the cardboard drywall. The place looked really nice at first but I'd say be sure to pay attention to smaller details when dealing with this organization. I also noticed that they didn't include any phone jacks in the house so I'm unable to get internet service at the moment as it requires a phone jack. Originally I thought I had come across a good deal, but I'm slowly beginning to regret purchasing this place. I will continue to reach out to the organization to get these problems resolved and will come back to update the comments about my experience with CMEP.
