West Town

      Prayer Points

• As new families move into the neighborhood, the area seems to be split into two communities. The previously settled residents are primarily African American and the newer settlers are mostly non-black artists and students. Pray for a unified community in West Town and against racial tension that exists.

• The Wicker Park community in West Town has become especially attractive to wealthy residents and artists, whereas previous settlers have sought more affordable housing in the Ukrainian Village and West Town community of this neighborhood. Pray for the church to help navigate with wisdom and discernment in this process of gentrification.

• Pray for God to reach into the hearts of the residents in West Town, who are truly diverse in their needs spiritually and physically; from homelessness to struggles with same-sex attraction, from atheism and agnosticism to broken families.

      Ethnic Breakdown

•  Asian (3.6%)
• Black or African American (9.2%)
• Hispanic or Latino (30.2%)
• White (55.5%)

Neighborhood Background

West Town was originally comprised of German, Scandinavian, Polish, Russian Jewish, and Ukrainian communities. The second half of the twentieth century marked great change as West Town became a primarily Latino “port of entry”.

Puerto Ricans and Mexicans moved into the area in great numbers. In the 1930s many African Americans also began settling into the subsidized housing development. The latter part of the twentieth century brought even more African Americans, many of whom were artists and wealthier residents.

The area became increasingly attractive to artists, students and other young “bohemian” populations, which in turn brought more affluent residents to the area. Due to rising real-estate prices, much of the Latino community moved to seek more affordable living. West Town is often seen as the trendy and “new age” neighborhood.