Greater Southwest Development Corporation (GSDC) was formed in 1974 as a result of organizing efforts to hold banks accountable for the growing disinvestment in the neighborhood of Chicago Lawn. At the time, the area was experiencing violent racial conflicts and GSDC's early efforts focused on easing racial tension and stimulating economic investment. Our neighborhood's population now reflects a dvierse community and GSDC's work over the past three decades has contributed to the area's continued high level of economic investment.

The organization has grown since its inception and today, it has roughly 20 staff members and an annual budget of over $3 million. Throughout its history, GSDc has worked to combat disinvestment and reverse decline by positioning neighborhoods to compete for investment and maintain a mixed-income economy. GSDC's key initiatives have resulted in over $500 million in development activity in our service area. We constructed 248 units of senior rental housing; rehabilitated abandoned single family homes for sale to first-time buyers; generated $100 million in retail development; worked to retain Nabisco, the world's largest bakery, when it considered relocating; and cleaned a 60-acre brown field site to allow construction of a manufacturing site. More recently, GSDC completed the Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) Health Clinic project, which turned a vacant property into a community-based health center.

In 2003, GSDC was selected to lead the Chicago Lawn five-year New Communities Program (NCP). As the NCP lead, GSDC has partnered to bring more than $2 million into the community.