Toi Salter, keynote speaker for the graduation ceremony of YWCA Metropolitian Chicago Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center Accelerator program, was speaking to the choir when she told the disparate business owners "whatever you imagine, you can achieve."
Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Ciere Boatright tell the Business Leadership Council how $1.25 billion in housing and economic development bonds will create generational wealth.
The Playground
DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.
Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org
Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org
Ph: 773-334-6600 Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Dave Hamilton
A Legendary Queen!
Sasha Velour: ‘The Big Reveal Live Show’ Known for her emotional, thoughtful and crowd-shaking reveals, Sasha Velour goes further than she ever has before with "The Big Reveal Live Show." Grounded in classic theater, the show takes on many forms over the course of 90 minutes: high-concept lip sync performances, artful oration, childhood film footage, video art and more. It shows this superstar at her most playful and hilarious. With a whip smart comedic script and side-splitting gags, Velour uses comedy as a way to disarm audiences and hit them with emotional truths. The show’s drag performances are accompanied by a diverse soundtrack ranging from Stevie Wonder to Britney Spears, Stephen Sondheim to Deep Purple. August 1 & 2 at 8 p.m., August 3 at 7 p.m. at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $47-$107 at steppenwolf.org/thebigreveal
Fun for the Family!
Tuesdays on the Terrace: Family Junket Summer Tuesdays come alive on the MCA terrace with free concerts highlighting artists from Chicago’s internationally renowned music community. Enjoy live music while relaxing on the lawn with your own picnic, or savor snacks and drinks available for purchase. Then head inside to catch the MCA’s summer exhibitions—it’s open late on Tuesdays and FREE for Illinois residents. This week we are all invited to the reunion with Family Junket, 5:30 - 8 p.m. Featuring flute, saxophone, trumpet, and violin, with unique vocal compositions, layered percussion, and wavy electronic production, the band creates music best listened to with the family.
All Aboard!
‘Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train’
A cage-rattling prison drama from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis that boldly examines faith, dignity, and our system of justice. Angel Cruz is a young Puerto Rican man incarcerated for shooting cult leader Reverend Kim. W hen the Reverend dies during surgery, Angel suddenly finds himself facing murder charges. His only companions at Rikers Island are Lucius Jenkins, a serial killer turned born-again Christian; and Valdez, a sadistic corrections officer. Playing Fridays - Sundays at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Tickets are $38 at citylit.org
'Twilight,' but Funny on Purpose!
‘TWIHARD: A Twilight Musical Parody’ Otherworld Theatre Company, specializing in sci-fi and fantasy live theater production, presents “TWIHARD! A Twilight Musical Parody” at the Apollo Theater, 2550 N. Lincoln Ave. Hailed as “too much fun” with a “surprising amount of heart” by the Chicago Tribune, “TWIHARD! A Twilight Musical Parody” reimagines the beloved “Twilight” saga with uproarious humor and catchy original tunes. Thursdays - Sundays through August 31. Tickets are $44 at www.twihardthemusical.com
Epic Cinema!
‘Mahogany’ in the Park
Join the The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, 740 E. 56th Place, on the lawn for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the film “Mahogany,” starring Diana Ross. Attendees are encouraged to arrive in full '70s glam—wide lapels, flowing fabrics, high drama—in celebration of the era’s boldness and beauty. Enjoy live DJ sets ahead of the screening, sponsored beverages, and beauty giveaways. Food will be available for purchase by local vendors. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and snacks for a night of fashion under the stars. For more information, visit mahoganyat50.com. FREE.
Local Composers!
Àkójọpọ̀ Presents: South Side Sisters, Sounds, Stories – A Night In The Park
“South Side Sisters, Sounds, & Stories” is an outdoor storytelling concert celebrating the remarkable musical and historical legacies of four pioneering women composers from Chicago’s South Side: Nora Holt, Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, and Betty Jackson King. August 2, 4 p.m., at Kennicott (Jonathan) Park, 4434 S. Lake Park Ave. FREE.
Work It Out!
Millennium Park Summer Workouts
The workout program takes place on the Great Lawn of the Jay Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., on Saturdays through August 30, 8-11:45 a.m. with a series of 45-minute workouts including Pilates, Yoga, Cardio Kickboxing and Zumba®.
‘Rat Mass’
Join the Masses!
At “Rat Mass,” they worship rats. Through comedy, performance art and audience participation, viewers will become indoctrinated into a world of shadows and trash. Join the mass for music, rituals and games to rid yourself of your human woes and unleash your inner creature. This show is for audiences 21 and over. August 2, 8 p.m. at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $18 - $28 at steppenwolf.org/lookout
Classical Lunch Break!
Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert
Classical Music Chicago presents the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts. The free weekly concert series features extraordinary music by artists who are early in their careers. Enjoy classical concerts in-person at the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago, 55 E. Wacker, at 12:15 p.m. or broadcast live on WFMT 98.7 FM and streamed online. On August 6, enjoy Seoyun Baek on piano. FREE.
Spiritual Art!
‘Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom’
“Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom” is a massive and immersive series. Embellishments of glass, crystals, shells, sand, metal, and stones are intricately merged with paper to create a world where the ancestors reside—a place where, to access our cosmic selves, we must journey through the portal of our existence into the beautiful chaos of nature. On display daily through September 21 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. FREE.
All About Angel Reese
John: Let’s talk about how Angel Reese has done in 2025 compared to 2024. We’re going to talk about her last five games from June 24 to July 8 and her two overall seasons, how she’s involved her team more, etc.
William: I have been looking at some of her stats and they were pretty impressive. Her average assists are 2.5 for her career and 3-something this year.
John: Closer to 4.
William: She broke a record this year, too. She broke [Caitlin] Clark’s record for doubledoubles. The record was 12 and she got 15. The only thing that didn’t impress me was she got suspended for punching somebody in the face. I mean, this is basketball, not hockey. But overall, very impressive. She’s a very good player and maybe she could be the female Michael Jordan, or come close to it.
John: I kind of disagree with that.
Russell: She’s playing pretty good ball right now: 13 points a game, 12 rebounds. Last year she led the WNBA in rebounds over 19 games and she’s played 19 games already this year, so this year she will be better.
John: She has worked her butt off. Granted, she needs to do more in scoring, but her rebounding is phenomenal. Two things about Caitlin Clark are better PR around her personality and better teammates around her than Angel Reese, who has improved her rebounding and her assists. That tells me she’s getting her teammates involved.
It’s not going to mean much, if the Sky doesn’t get more talented players. She’s doing a better job than people realize, but it’s not just about points. She’s doing a better job of
steals, rebounding, assists, and her points per game, even though down for the year, she’s averaged 19 points in those five games: 18, 17, 24, 16 and 22, so she’s stepped up her scoring, too. Now what the Chicago Sky needs is to get better players. If they do, her numbers will improve and she can involve her teammates more. As to her anger issues, in my mind, she keeps it under control.
William: I got to agree with you on the anger issues because I tend to blow up, but I don’t hit my co-vendors. I think when it comes to violence in these sports, leagues need to have three strikes and you’re out of the league for good. I don’t want to see basketball end up like hockey was in the 1980s. I realize hockey is repetitive and low-scoring, so a fight kind of breaks up the monotony, but basketball is a whole different thing. I don’t want to see violence start in
basketball or baseball. Football, it’s kind of already there, but I don’t want to see it get past that, so you are all of a sudden watching a bar brawl on TV.
Russell: On July 9, she was at 15 points, one assist and 11 rebounds and the Sky beat the Dallas Wings 87-76. The only thing bad about her is she can’t shoot 3-pointers.
John: If I were the Chicago Sky, I would build the team around Angel and have her play center rather than forward or guard. I don’t know how much she can improve her 3-point game. Her anger issues aren’t too big a deal yet. I am more concerned about her shooting and how coaches could coach her up.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors Russell Adams, William Plowman and John Hagan chat about the world of sports.
Angel Reese (AP photo).
understanding heartburn
When that slice of pepperoni pizza, bowl of tomato soup, or glass of orange juice comes with a sour, unhappy stomach, this may be a sign that you have heartburn. Here is some information to help you identify the problem and how to prevent and/or treat it.
What is Heartburn?
Heartburn doesn’t have anything to do with your heart. It has often been described as a burning sensation in your lower chest, at the level of your stomach. It often gets worse after eating, in the evening, or when lying down. Heartburn symptoms from time to time are common and usually not a cause for concern. Frequent heartburn can be a sign of a more serious condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
Causes
of Heartburn
Heartburn happens when stomach acid backs up into the food pipe (esophagus), the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. This can take place if a muscle at the bottom of the esophagus (the lower esophageal sphincter (LES)), doesn't close properly. The causes of heartburn also include:
• Eating large meals or lying down right after a meal
• Being overweight or obese
• Eating a heavy meal and then lying on your back
• Snacking too close to bedtime
• Eating certain foods, such as citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, or spicy or fatty foods
• Drinking certain beverages, such as alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, or tea
• Smoking
• Taking certain medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen
Symptoms of Heartburn
The main symptom of heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest. Other symptoms can include:
• A burning sensation in the throat
• A sour or bitter taste in the mouth
• Difficulty swallowing
• Feeling like food is stuck in the middle of your chest or throat
• Chronic cough or sore throat
Treatment and Prevention
There are many ways to manage and treat heartburn and prevent it from coming back:
• Lifestyle Changes: Maintain a healthy weight; avoid foods and drinks that trigger heartburn; eat smaller, more frequent meals; don't lie down after a meal or just before bedtime; elevate the head of your bed; quit smoking.
• Over-the-Counter Medications such as antacids, H2 blockers and Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs).
• Prescription Medications: If over-the-counter medications don't help, your healthcare provider may prescribe stronger medications or recommend other tests or treatments.
When to See a Doctor
Heartburn can be uncomfortable, but with the right lifestyle changes and treatments, it can be controlled. If you have heartburn more than twice a week, have a hard time swallowing, or have nausea or vomiting that doesn’t go away, it's important to see your healthcare provider. These could be signs of a more serious condition that needs medical attention.
About the doctor:
Dr. Marina Claudio is a board-certified family physician who has been in practice since 2003. She is a medical director at Molina Healthcare of Illinois and Wisconsin. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago.
by Dr. Marina Claudio
YWCA BREEDLOVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACCELERATOR PROGRAM
by Suzanne Hanney
The YWCA Metropolitan Chicago mission to eliminate racism and empower women is particularly relevant today, CEO Nicole Robinson told the recent spring graduates of the YWCA Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center Accelerator program.
“The other thing I love particularly is that the Breedlove program was inspired by Madam C.J. Walker, and pivotal to the moment we’re in, she plowed her profits into other women to help them create businesses,” Robinson said. The biannual 10-week Accelerator program gives women entrepreneurs support services, resources, networking and help securing funding to realize their business goals, scale their businesses and in the process, to create true economic development vital to the sustainability of the communities they serve. Cohort participants develop finance, marketing, sales forecasting, strategy, and brand-building skills, with an end goal to sell, gain more funding, or grow through acquisition.
“The Breedlove Accelerator is a crucial component of Chicago’s economic development strategy,” Cheryl Hudson-Jackson, director of the Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center at YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, said in Lioness magazine. “By empowering women of color entrepreneurs, we are changing individual lives, building stronger communities and fostering innovation across our city.”
Keynote speaker Toi Salter, CEO of Salter Financial Management and the first African American woman to raise more than $1.1 million for the UNCF Chicago as its “A Mind is …” gala chair in 2019, was literally speaking to the choir when she said, “Always know that whatever you can imagine, you can achieve.”
The new Breedlove graduates have already started to do just that, in businesses catering to a myriad of needs, from food and nutrition, to logistics, music education, mental health, event planning and rentals, real estate and online marketing.
Salter’s overarching message, however, was “don’t let the fire [inside you] die.” Participating in the inaugural Breedlove cohort four years ago gave her “shot in the arm” she needed, Salter said, because she was “a flickering flame, about to go out,” although she didn’t know it at the time. Through Breedlove, she was able to surround herself with other wise women, business owners who could breathe life into each other.
CHILDISH ENTHUSIASM, ADULT EXECUTION
As entrepreneurs, they need the “anything is possible” mentality of children combined with the finished execution that adults bring, Salter said. They also need to free themselves of the idea that they will know what their business will look like down the road.
Salter started out doing nails part-time in college – and making $50,000 a year in the early 1980s. Her father wanted to give her a car for her college graduation, but she said, no, buy her a nail salon, the only one in the neighborhood.
“A car had the potential to take me from Point A to Point B, but this salon had the potential to carry me for the rest of my life.”
Salter discovered along the way that she is a master of “pivoting” into different businesses as she follows her entrepreneurial passions. From the nail salon, she went to business consulting, to a mortgage business, to owning a real estate company, an insurance company and the financial management company she has today, one facet of which includes advising top NBA picks like Derrick Rose, from rookie to retirement.
“The takeaway is that what your business looks like today is not what it is going to be years from now. It will be vastly different, whether in the same business or a different one. It’s OK.”
Like Salter, Natasha Olguin wore many hats when she started more than 20 years ago as the first and only African American female film location manager in the Midwest. In 2016, she and another location manager started Windy City Rentals, with their two sons picking up trash for the local film business.
Did they rent chairs? Absolutely, they responded – and proceeded to buy them. As their inventory grew, (LED dance floors, makeup stations for brides), so did their clients. They have served shows such as "Chicago Fire," "The CHI," "The Bear," as well as the NBA All-Star Game.
Most rental companies are on the North Side and charge a premium to come to the West Side, but Windy City has a 30,000 square-foot warehouse in West Garfield Park – which it bought in 2023, at the start of the Hollywood writers’ strike. As a result, she pivoted toward offering rentals for events, whether corporate or
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER PROGRAM GRADUATION
weddings. Soon, she will specialize in inventory for large festivals. By offering membership subscriptions, she will grow jobs to help returning citizens avoid recidivism.
Windy City Event Rentals grossed $954,000 in 2024, with a 90% customer retention rate. Olguin herself was recently named Chicago Deputy Film Commissioner, so that she changed her title from CEO to chair of the business.
MASTERING THE ‘PIVOT’
Angelic Greene also has mastered the art of the pivot. As the mother of seven children who enjoys caring for them, she began her entrepreneur journey when her daughterin-law asked if she could care for her granddaughter while she worked.
Greene quit her 20-year job at Walmart and became a licensed childcare provider. With the money she made in her first year, she bought a 26-foot box truck for $16,000 and started a transportation company, Angelic’s Heavenly Transportation, in September 2021. Her kids had said trucking was lucrative and they were right: each truck can average two $250 loads a day for up to $10,000 a month or $120,000 a year, she said.
Greene started the company to provide jobs for people with backgrounds. She has three employees now and would like to expand. Based in the Maywood HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business), it qualifies for preferential treatment in federal government opportunities. She also does Amazon relay pickup between its facilities and last-mile delivery – from Macy’s to home, for example. She said she offers professional, courteous drivers with
real-time tracking devices, to ensure cargo arrives on time and in perfect condition, a mission “driven by service, delivered by heavenly care.”
Juliea T. Clippard, co-founder of Everything Countz Wellness Café, Y.A.C.C.H.T and House of Meltz, has a strong background in nutrition, health and wellness, and is also passionate about training youth and people who were formerly incarcerated. While the Wellness Café was founded in 2015 to provide nourishing meals for weddings, corporate events and community festivals, House of Meltz, with its cheesy stacked sandwiches, is its new scalable franchise concept. One of its dishes, Krizpy Mac Melt, made it to Lollapalooza last year.
She also seeks to buy a commercial kitchen, where she can teach people to be entrepreneurs, and improve the health of the community in the process.
Breath’g Vegan, another healthy food business, was inspired by Donna Webster’s recovery from a rare and aggressive uterine cancer in 2022. Rather than undergo additional surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, she committed to detoxing, working out and a plant-based lifestyle. Within 90 days, CAT scans showed no signs of cancer and her chronic hypertension was resolved.
“I believe food has a deep impact on health, especially in the Black community, where lack of awareness and accessibility are factors,” Webster said. “What sets us apart is a commitment to whole foods. While [our competitors] are offering nothing but processed food, 95% of our menu comes from the earth.”
Breath’g Vegan has grown to 2,700 customers and annual revenues of $150,000 to $200,000. It seeks to go from food truck to brick and mortar, and to franchise itself.
Janelle Middleton, a registered dietitian who holds a master’s in public health, created Rooted Nutrition as a place of safety for women of color to share their stories and burdens, which allows her to get to the root of their weight issues and provide holistic healing.
Female clients may be age 30-50 like Middleton, “a little stressed out, high performing, maybe going through hormonal changes and not understanding why they can’t
lose weight as they get older.” For one woman, it was because she couldn’t say “no.” Once she did, she lost two pant sizes.
TEAMING WITH A ‘SISTER’ GRADUATE
Middleton counsels the women 1 on 1 at each session regarding physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual challenges. They release tensions and celebrate every win, big or small. Research shows it’s more impactful to lose weight in community, however, so she wants to do a luxury wellness retreat with other partners.
“Chaneak, I may need you,” she said in a shout-out to Breedlove sister Chaneak Graham, owner of Oh So Fabulous Events, a balloon décor company “where you are allowed to balloon and bloom.”
Started as a way to bring joy, beauty and a “wow factor” to milestone events ranging from weddings to funerals, Oh So Fabulous evolved to include Resilient by Design, which draws also on Graham’s master’s degree in counseling to offer balloon therapy, which supports emotional wellness, self-expression and healing.
Balloons have intense emotional power, she said, and can help people process emotions, which is why she would like a space for wellness retreats and workshops. A melding of event design, creative arts and mental wellness, balloon design can serve a diverse customer base, including schools, corporations, organizations and families. As an example, she described parents who first identified their mood with the color balloon they chose. They wrote something they wished they had not done on the balloon –and then popped it. “Then they were able to move forward with love.”
Rhoyal Bistro Live in Lansing is an upscale casual dining experience with live entertainment. Created by Siobhan Robinson and three other long-term Sigma Gamma Rho sorority sisters, it’s targeted to women like themselves, age 35-55, who want a royal good time out with girlfriends. Rhoyal Bistro differs from other restaurants with entertainment because of its community vibe, which empowers people, Robinson said.
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago CEO Nicole Robinson (left) and Salter Financial Management CEO Toi Salter speak at the gradiuation. Chaneak Graham (right) of Oh So Fabulous Events poses next to a sample product. (Suzanne Hanney photos).
EMPLOYING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
“It’s like you are in your living room and your cousin is performing for you, but the décor is luxurious. There is interaction with musicians. We do karaoke and "Boots on the Ground." It’s not like in a concert where you are not getting to know people. People get up and dance and go to tables.”
Last year, Rhoyal Bistro Live served 41,000 guests and brought in $2.8 million revenue. It also employed 40 people: servers, hosts, manager, DJ, bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Robinson sees it as franchisable to Atlanta, Houston and Charlotte.
Similarly, Genesis Music & Arts rewrites the narrative of the struggling artist. It employs 50 teachers, each with bachelor’s and advanced degrees in music, art, dance, theatre, who educate 1,000 students weekly.
Founder Jasmyne Rodan was a youth pianist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a concert classical pianist and presidential scholar at Fisk University who single handedly developed its first drum line. She opened a piano studio in the West Loop in 2017 and within a week had 80 students. She expanded via Zoom during the pandemic, and is now seeking a home for her interdisciplinary school, “a creative space where music, dance and theatre can thrive under one roof.”
Visual arts, music and dance create pathways to healing, empowerment and equity, especially in marginalized communities, Rodan said. Writing scores increase 13%, disciplinary needs drop 20 percent and participation in after-school clubs rockets to 90 percent.
“We see students light up with confidence. Families engage together. Breedlove has sharpened my mission: that all people, regardless of ZIP code, have access to high quality arts education.”
SEEING A NEW ADVANTAGE
Thirty years ago, Lenora Blackamore was the self-described “only Black girl in the room” at tech conferences. Thirty years later, Blackamore says that what she has over her competitors is 30 years in the web and tech business and the ability to give personal attention to all her customers. “Our brand is the only one that can customize your website, take care of tech and digital solutions, keep you ahead of the digital landscape.”
Blackamore’s MECCA Marketing Group Inc. has a mission to craft marketing strategies that not only elevate brands, but foster authentic connections with local communities – to bring their unique stories to life. It creates engaging content and leverages the power of digital marketing and asset management, to enhance audience connections.
Mary L. Crossey of Crossey Group LLC is a communitybased developer committed to eliminating blight. One of the Northern Indiana Realtors Associations’ top 100
agents of 2024, she explained her passion for Gary, IN, which she said is “positioned to turn the table.
“Our city is a real estate renaissance,” with a wave of economic development inspired by the Lake County Convention Center, which will be run by Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana; a Federal Express distribution center that will bring 600 jobs in April 2027, and more she couldn’t divulge.
“Jobs will be created, people will need places to live and we’ve got to make it conducive with new-home purchases.” Prices have already risen. While flippers used to buy homes for $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000, now they pay $60,000 -- and sell them for $200,000 to $300,000. She envisions developing five to 10 projects over the next five years, expanding to multi-family and light commercial properties, each at 15% to 25% return on investment.
Cossey’s mission is also to transform communities one block at a time by developing sustainable, inclusive spaces that enhance quality of life and foster a sense of belonging. She does this by helping people find their forever home and the resources to make it happen, such as bank no-money-down programs.
Closing the Black-white disparity in home ownership is one of her goals. Just 45.7 percent of Blacks own their own homes, compared to 74 percent of whites, she says, citing Redfin and U.S. Census data. “Many people have the money and the credit to do it, but there is fear. We have to make them understand that this is generational wealth that they build by purchasing a home.”
MAYOR JOHNSON SUPPORTS
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
by Suzanne Hanney
Chicago had the second highest number of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. in 2007, and Mayor Brandon Johnson wants Chicago to again become a Black business mecca, Black Leadership Council (BLC) Executive Board Chairman Charles Smith told a June roundtable on the state of Black business here.
“The narrative Charles is speaking of, it’s essential that we tell that collective story; this is not play money,” Mayor Johnson said of $1.25 billion in bonds for housing and economic development.
City officials call it the largest investment ever, “particularly for neighborhoods we have to repopulate,” Johnson told the BLC, which represents senior leaders from 100+ companies, including 65 CEOs of African-American businesses.
Thanks to the bonds, the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) will receive $650 million and the Chicago Department of Housing (DOH) another $650 million through 2028. The money will be spent on economic development (community development grants, small business capacity building, jobs and wealth building); and affordable housing, rentals and homelessness (SRO preservation and permanent supportive housing).
Principal and interest on the municipal bonds will cost taxpayers $2.4 billion over the next 37 years. However, the debt will be covered by money returned to the city from expiring Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts, city officials say. One in 3 (45 of 121) TIFs in Chicago are expiring by the end of 2027.
Where there were TIFs, they worked well, but “I will argue we were over reliant on TIF dollars and they were not the most equitable tool,” said DPD Commissioner Ciere Boatright, who appeared on the panel with Mayor Johnson. “If you were in a neighborhood that doesn’t have a TIF, that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve equitable investment.”
Boatright said that $75 million of the bonds will address repopulation of 10,000 empty lots – mostly on the South and West Sides. Chicago has lost the equivalent population of the city of Boston in the last 50 years, Boatright said.
“We’ve got to be more bullish on attracting people back to the city, ensuring families choose not just certain neighborhoods, but putting those 10,000 lots back into productive use,” Boatright said.
In the process, repopulation will address wealth building of the “missing middle,” Boatright said, by encouraging construction of 2-6 units on each empty lot rather than single-family homes. The City will sell lots for $1 and leverage housing and economic development bonds up to $150,000 – per unit, not per lot.
“The reason we are providing that level of subsidy is, we understand that whether you are building in Lincoln Park or Englewood, the cost to build is the cost to build. We need to prime the pump.” The first of these projects has already begun, with 100 units on 40 lots in North Lawndale.
Compared to $900,000 home prices in both New York and Los Angeles, Chicago will be the nation’s most affordable – and safe – big city, Mayor Johnson said. He cited a 21% drop in violent crime, thanks to community safety initiatives, according to the Chicago Police Department and repeated on WGN and Fox-TV.
His Cut the Tape initiative, Johnson said, has helped meet the challenges Black entrepreneurs face with permitting, zoning, licensing, regulatory hurdles, by cutting development time from 178 days to 78 in the DPD and 14 other city departments.
“Time kills deals,” Boatright said, but reducing development time by half, “will lead to more shovels in the ground and hopefully more ribbon cutting, which creates jobs.”
SUPPORTS THE COUNCIL
The BLC hosted the roundtable with the mayor and department heads to examine the ramifications of ending federal government Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
Keiana Barrett, CEO of the BLC, said that the first and second waves of Reconstruction ended slavery and granted the right to vote. “Now we stand at another precipice. We talk about wealth building. The fact is, that we have a mayor investing in people who look like you and I in neighborhoods people have forgotten about, and how to support that work now and for generations to come.”
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