Pope Leo XIV’s Chicago Hometown Pays $375K for His Childhood House—and Saves It From Being Auctioned Off

Pope Leo XIV‘s former hometown has officially closed on its purchase of his childhood home—paying $375,000 for the humble abode to save the property from being sold at auction to the highest bidder.

The Village of Dolton’s board revealed earlier this month that the Chicago suburb had struck a deal with the seller of the three-bedroom home. Local news outlet ABC7 confirmed that the dwelling was purchased for less than $400,000, despite some experts estimating that it could have sold for millions at auction.

Dolton’s attorney, Burt Odelson, noted at the time that the price paid by the village was “significantly lower than what [the seller] thought they would get,” adding that local leaders will now work to turn the dwelling into a historical landmark.

Odelson noted to USA Today that he had already secured financing on behalf of the village—which voted unanimously to move forward with the home’s purchase during a special July 1 meeting.

Mayor Jason House confirmed those plans in a recent interview with CBS Chicago, telling the network during a tour of the property that its purchase represents “the start of a new beginning.”

Elaborating on the somewhat controversial decision to buy the home—a move that attracted criticism from those worried about the use of village funds to finance the deal—House insisted that it was “the right thing to do.”

“The village itself is going to be responsible anyway we look at it,” he explained. “The village is going to be responsible for making sure that the streets are properly patrolled.

“And there’s historic status that we can apply for, a lot of funding that’s available to us, and a lot of partnerships as well. We want to make sure that we’re doing things in the right manner.”

House added that he believes the purchase of the property from home flipper Pawel Radzik will actually help to boost the local economy, helping to put Dolton on the map as a tourist destination.

Thus far, plans for the future of the home are limited, with House explaining that local authorities are as yet unclear on whether visitors will be allowed inside.

“We know there will be tours of some fashion—whether that’s a tour that comes inside the home, a tour with people that are able to come by and just view the home—all those details will be determined,” he added.

The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home, which was purchased by the pope’s parents in 1949, has already become something of an unofficial tourist hot spot in the weeks since its former resident was appointed to the prominent position by his fellow cardinals.

Before Dolton was able to strike a deal with Radzik, the property had been listed for auction with Paramount Realty USA, with bids originally due to close on June 18, although that date was later extended until July 17 to give interested parties more time to do their due diligence.

Bids on the home started at $250,000, although some predicted that the dwelling could sell for more than $1 million because of its impressive legacy.

Odelson had previously insisted that the significance of the deal should not be downplayed, explaining to USA Today: “Even for me, who’s done a lot and seen a lot, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I’ve dealt with presidents, senators, mayors, but there’s always another one. Not for this—he’s the only American pope.”

Still, the news came as something of a surprise to some—particularly given the increasing upset among locals over the decision to try to buy the home.

“Purchasing the pope’s residence is admirable, but with the state we’re in right now, do we have the money? And even if we do, there’s something called upkeep,” resident Mary Avent said.

“In my opinion, a house is a pimp because it demands money every day.”

Meanwhile, CBS News reported on June 16 that a motion had been filed seeking a preliminary injunction to block the Village of Dolton from using taxpayer money to buy Pope Leo’s childhood home.

This motion is understood to have been launched as part of an ongoing wrongful termination lawsuit filed against Dolton by a former employee, Lavell Redmond, who claimed in a 2022 filing that his employers had refused to discuss the terms of a settlement because the village did not have sufficient funds.

In his June 15 motion, Redmond’s lawyers claimed that Dolton is in “severe financial distress” and made several allegations of financial mismanagement, unresolved legal obligations, and a potential misuse of taxpayer funds.

Matthew R. Custardo, the lawyer who filed the motion, stated to WGN9 that the injunction was being sought to stop “hypocrisy,” insisting that the injunction would in no way hinder the sale of the home, but rather prevent local lawmakers from using taxpayer funds to take it over.

“This isn’t about stopping history. It’s about stopping hypocrisy,” he said. “You can’t cry broke in court and then try to spend taxpayer funds on nonessential acquisitions.”

Pope Leo, who was born Robert Francis Prevost, spent several years living in the small dwelling in Dolton. His father, Louis Prevost, sold the property in 1996, according to records, after which it was sold on just two other occasions.

Property flipper Radzik acquired the abode in March 2024 for $66,000 and had initially planned to renovate it, then sell it off—until, that is, its former resident was appointed to succeed the late Pope Francis during the conclave in May.

At the time, the property was on the market for just $199,900. It was swiftly delisted just hours after Pope Leo’s historic new role was revealed.

It was later revealed that the home was being put up for auction—with listing agent Steve Budzik noting at the time that the decision to sell the property to the highest bidder came after his team struggled to settle on a listing price for an abode with such historical significance.

The home’s journey took another twist when the Village of Dolton, with support from the Chicago Archdiocese, announced plans to acquire the home—either by buying it or by using eminent domain to take over ownership.

“The Village of Dolton intends to purchase this home either through direct purchase or through their eminent domain power,” Odelson wrote in a letter sent to Paramount Realty USA, according to the New York Times.

“The Village intends to work with the Chicago Archdiocese and other agencies to allow the home to be viewed and visited by the public as a historic site.”

Odelson added that discussions with the seller were underway, adding that the Village of Dolton and the local archdiocese would prefer not to rely on eminent domain for the acquisition of the home because it would garner too much media attention.

It “keeps the home in the news and not the light that the village or the church want,” he said. “We don’t want it to be a controversy; we want it to be a sacred site.”