About Urban Roots Properties

Urban Roots Properties is owned and operated by Chad Bowlin and Jeremy “JD” DeCamp. Chad leads property evaluation, redevelopment strategy, project planning, and community engagement. JD serves as co-owner and managing member while working alongside Chad in field operations and day-to-day project execution. Together, they combine hands-on property experience with a long-term commitment to Decatur and the neighborhoods they serve.

Boots on the ground means we are physically present in the properties and neighborhoods where we work. We walk the houses, enter the basements, document the damage, measure the materials, build the scopes, perform work within our capabilities, coordinate work requiring licensed or specialized trades, and verify progress before money changes hands.We see what photographs, listings, spreadsheets, and drive-by estimates miss because we are actually inside the property.

That matters most during a property walkthrough. We document observable conditions with detailed written evaluations, photographs, and video so the person making the buying decision can clearly understand what is actually there. Our walkthroughs have helped investors identify tens of thousands of dollars in potential costs before closing. We can support that statement through verified client references.

Some buyers have chosen to walk away from transactions after reviewing what we documented. A seller may lose a deal when that happens, but we will not soften an evaluation because the property was presented in a way that did not match its actual condition. Without a reliable person on the ground who knows what to look for and can be trusted to report it accurately, a buyer can acquire a liability very quickly based on incomplete or misleading information.

Boots on the ground also means knowing what is happening beyond the property line. We talk with residents, hear their concerns, clean up illegal dumping, monitor vacant properties, help maintain blocks, identify resources, and build relationships with the people who live there. We have provided contracted work to people reentering society, helped them establish a foundation for reliable employment, and continued building ways to connect property work with trade skills and workforce opportunity.

We do not study Decatur from a distance and then tell people what its neighborhoods need. We live here and work here. That involvement extends to City Council meetings, community discussions, neighborhood cleanups, property work, and conversations on front porches. Boots on the ground means our decisions come from direct involvement with the property, the block, and the people affected by the work.

Chad Bowlin holds ICO1+ Certified Inspector status through ShieldHub, ShieldHub ID IL625261036, with certification valid through January 26, 2027. Urban Roots Properties carries commercial general liability coverage and maintains D-U-N-S® Number 14-337-7692.

Our property evaluations are based on observable conditions, field experience, construction awareness, photographs, video documentation, and clearly defined scopes. They are not represented as licensed home inspections, appraisals, engineering reports, legal opinions, or lending decisions. When a condition requires a licensed tradesperson, engineer, or other specialist, we identify that limitation rather than speculate.