Out From the Gloomy Past

Natalie Y. Moore had it all figured out. She was smart, educated, and employed as a first-rate Chicago journalist. She’d saved her money for years, got a mortgage she could afford, and found a swanky condo in a neighborhood on the move. She’d be living in Bronzeville, just a few blocks from the old Dearborn Homes where Dorothy Gautreaux used to live. ¹ The city had spared Dearborn when it demolished 16,000 units of public housing over the previous two decades, creating a mixed-income community where Dearborn and renovated condos could coexist. ² It was close to The Loop, with all its downtown jobs, and a 15-minute walk to the lake. From a tall building, you could see the water. In 2008, it was The Place to Be. She paid $172,000. ³