Rising rents pushed these first-time Latino homebuyers to take the plunge
Despite high mortgage rates and a dearth of affordable starter houses, these families saw the upside of making the investment now.

Willie Hedden pleaded guilty to civil rights violations and obstruction charges.
Paul Vallas promises to expand school choice while Brandon Johnson says it deepens segregation and inequity. Donors are lining up on either side.
A proposed state law would mandate that hospitals screen uninsured patients for financial help.
The iconic rice dish triggers Twitter wars over which country’s version is best. Liberia has our vote.
When asked what Madigan valued most in other legislators, state Rep. Robert “Bob” Rita answered, “loyalty.”
A warmer and wetter than usual winter is complete. As spring gets underway, keep your umbrella handy, Chicago.
The Smile, Big Thief and Bon Iver headline; plus, we share some of Vocalo’s most anticipated performances
Stretches of the inbound Kennedy will be blocked between the Edens Expressway and Ohio Street as part of a three-year construction project that’s sure to cause misery.
Chicago voters are picking a new mayor. Suburban residents could be selecting new office holders for everything from school to library boards.
Greeting thousands at the front door of nightclubs around the city, JoJo Baby was unforgettable.
A baby born after a partner’s death. The ‘Tamale Guy,’ left with a raspy voice but working again. A girl, 13, and a grandmother, both struggling with long COVID. A nurse, exhausted but pushing on. All share a sense of loss and a need to push on.
Statewide death toll now is nearing 37,000 — roughly the equivalent of wiping out the population of Calumet City.
Lucy Holloway’s artwork was transformed into a mural about 20 feet high and 100 feet across as the top prize in a student art contest sponsored by the Sun-Times, WBEZ and Vocalo.
Paul Vallas is a technocrat devoted to school choice. Brandon Johnson is a teachers union organizer. Their backgrounds explain their clashing views.
Prisoner rights groups have complained about unsafe water. In recent months, the state has sent water violation notices to nearly a dozen prisons.
As Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson barnstorm in churches and parades before the April 4 runoff, policing and public education are front and center. This election also touches on power, identity, and of course, race.
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center say they already know enough to believe that vaccination likely helps prevent lasting symptoms seen with long COVID.
Supt. Tony Sanders sees an “ever-widening gap between the left and the right … I think public education is squarely in the middle of that fight.”
After the Deerfield-based retailer said it wouldn’t sell the abortion pill in 21 states, #BoycottWalgreens took off. What’s a modern CEO to do?
For the first time Thursday, jurors in the bribery trial of Michael McClain and three other political power players heard Madigan’s voice on secret recordings.