Mutual Aid Report • 05-26-2026 • Own the Block: How PIHCO is reclaiming Pilsen

📝 This week, we look at a radical alternative to top-down development in Pilsen with the organizers and resident-owners of PIHCO (Pilsen Housing Cooperative). 🏘️ We break down the mechanics of cooperative housing—how it actually works, what “limited-equity” means, and why this model is a crucial tool for fighting displacement and preserving the cultural fabric of neighborhoods like Pilsen. As PIHCO pushes toward its goal of scaling to 35 member-owners by the end of 2026, we unpack the physical reality of cooperative living, democratic governance, and removing housing from the speculative market to build permanent neighborhood stability. ✊🏾 Traditional media often frames neighborhood change as inevitable, but this conversation highlights the hands actively building a resident-controlled solidarity economy from the ground up. --- Airs: Tuesdays at 2:00 PM CST on 105.5 FM Chicago, lumpenradio.com, and the Lumpen mobile app