ITAV “It Takes a Village” Development was originally founded in 2007 with the goal of addressing a critical need to develop a high-quality early childhood educational facility on the West Side of Chicago. Rooted in the foundations of It Takes a Village Family of Schools, ITAV Development believes that the people and communities most impacted by socioeconomic injustice should be closely associated with the power source to correct those economic injuries. Over the years, we have worked with community stakeholders consulting on Community Benefits Agreements (CBA), researching sites for transformative development opportunities, and advocating for thoughtful commercial real estate development.

In 2017, ITAV Family of Schools began its search for a new school campus that would educate children from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. During this site selection process, ITAV Development was activated and the idea of community-based asset real estate development was formed. In 2022, ITAV Development decided to take more of a hands on approach to commercial real estate and economic development. Using the proposed school campus as a model for their brand of real estate development, we continue to identify community-based assets for the purpose of revitalizing communities around those assets. 

ITAV Development believes that the people and communities most impacted by socioeconomic injustices should be closely associated to the power source that corrects those economic injuries. We believe that "It Takes a Village" to create socially and culturally responsible real estate development to transform communities. Our principles are: people over profit, communities over capitalism, and development over disinvestment.