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Inside/Outside

Dusty scan of a vintage photograph showing green space surrounding a public housing complex

The Connection Between Parks, Housing, and Vibrant Communities

Jane Addams Homes, late 1940s.

  • National Public Housing Museum, 919 S. Ada Street, Chicago, IL 60607

  • Free

Green spaces, safe pathways, play areas, and more contribute to the vitality and sustainability of our homes and communities.

Join Trust for Public Land and the National Public Housing Museum for an exploration of the intersection of parks, housing, and community. The event will feature Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Superintendent, Chicago Park District; Rishab Mehan, Deputy Chief for Development, Chicago Housing Authority; and Asiaha Butler, Co-founder and CEO, Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.); in a conversation facilitated by Lisa Yun Lee, Executive Director and Chief Curator, National Public Housing Museum.

Together they will discuss how safe, accessible, and high-quality outdoor spaces can strengthen public housing communities.

FREE, but space is limited. Please register in advance.


About the conversation

Drawing on experiences from across Chicago and beyond, panelists will examine how investments in parks, green space, and community amenities can advance neighborhood vitality, support resident health and well-being, and build more resilient communities. The discussion will highlight the importance of resident leadership and engagement in shaping these investments, ensuring that community spaces reflect the priorities, needs, and lived experiences of the people who call these neighborhoods home.

The conversation will also explore the role of parks and open space in advancing environmental justice, addressing historic inequities in access to nature and recreational opportunities, and creating more inclusive communities where all residents can thrive. Through examples of successful partnerships and resident-centered planning, panelists will share insights on how thoughtful investment in public housing communities can create lasting social, environmental, and community benefits.


Schedule

  • 5 pm Doors open, reception, museum open for exploration
  • 6 pm Program begins

About Trust for Public Land

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,504 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors.


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