Obama did legal work for ventures that included Rezmar Corp. The case of City of Chicago vs. Central Woodlawn Limited Partnership is one example. In 1992, that community group partnered with Rezmar Corp. to rehab the former slum apartment building at 6107-6115 S. Ellis Ave. As work was ongoing, city officials sued the developers, alleging 16 serious code violations at the property, including a dangerously dilapidated porch. Obama and a co-counsel filed appearances in February 1994, but the court records show they appeared on behalf of Central Woodlawn, Rezko’s non-profit partner
Obama Filed Incorporation Papers For The Non-Profits. The AP reported, “Attorneys there say Obama never represented Rezko directly. The future senator did represent community organizations that were Rezko partners in rehabilitating buildings to provide apartments for the poor…Judson Miner, a partner in the firm, said that Obama’s role was small. He said Obama did perhaps six or seven hours of work on such projects, mainly filing incorporation papers for the nonprofit groups.”
Dr. Arthur M. Brazier
Pastor
Apostolic Church of God
Bishop
Apostolic Church of God
Founding Chairman
Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp.
Headquarters Address:
6101 S. Evans
Chicago, IL 60637
USA
Founding Chairman
Fund for Community Redevelopment and Revitalization
Founder and President
The Woodlawn Organization
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Bishop Arthur Brazier, pastor of the Apostolic Church of God, said the pastors felt they needed to let the public know that the black church supports Obama. “The black church was unfortunately brought into this, but the black church has nothing to do with this,” he said.
Brazier said many church members had expressed concern about the political effect of the Obama-Wright dispute. “Every African American I know is concerned. . . . We are concerned that this controversy arose at a most crucial time,” he said.
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Bishop Arthur Brazier, described as “a powerful ally of the mayor” by the Sun-Times, founded the Woodlawn Preservation Corp and the Fund for Community Redevelopment.
He is also the founding Chairman of The Fund for Community Redevelopment and Revitalization which pools the resources of community and institutional leaders to rebuild both human infrastructure opportunities and physical conditions of residents in two communities — East Woodlawn and North Kenwood. In 1999, Bishop Brazier established educational program providing $100,000 in annual scholarships to African-American youth.
One of the firm’s not-for-profit clients — the Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp., co-founded by Obama’s then-boss Allison Davis — was partners with Rezko’s company in a 1995 deal to convert an abandoned nursing home at 61st and Drexel into low-income apartments.
Mr. Obama cultivated clients like Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, the influential pastor of an 18,000-member black church and founding president of the Woodlawn Organization, which focuses on improving conditions for blacks in a neighborhood adjacent to Hyde Park. The two men began talking politics over tennis games at Chicago’s elite East Bank Club, Mr. Brazier recalled.
Mr. Obama also worked on housing redevelopment projects involving Antoin Rezko, who became one of Mr. Obama’s most generous donors. Mr. Rezko is currently on trial for corruption charges