Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an Executive Order Monday to fast-track housing and commercial developments in Chicago. The move requires 14 city departments to whip their act into shape, proposing ways to clear obstacles and pick up the pace for project approvals.
Speeding up procedures without lowering safety standards for workers and residents is the game plan. “We need more affordable housing, we need more small businesses, we need more economic activity, and we need good-paying union jobs to revitalize our city," Mayor Johnson declared, recognizing current snags in the city process as barriers to progress, according to a statement on the official City of Chicago website.
Making his pitch at the launch of Grace Manor Apartments in North Lawndale, a $40 million gem that'll offer 65 affordable units, the mayor's order empowers fresh development, promising to bring jobs and community services like health, training, and wealth classes. Developed by East Lake Management and Grace at Jerusalem, the initiative nods to the mayor's commitment to more equitable housing.
System-shaking changes include appointing a director to make sure the departments keep to their proposed revisions, and reports are due to Deputy Mayor of Business and Neighborhood Development Kenya Merritt within 90 days of the order’s signing. Merritt emphasized the need for access to quality housing and dynamic business districts, especially in underserved areas, as reported on the City's website. "Building a Chicago for everyone," she said, looking to turn the tide on the city's disparate housing scene.
The Resurrection Project's Guacolda Reyes chipped in her two cents, backing the bold move and offering a seat at the table to discuss how to boost the safe, affordable housing stock. Grace Manor, a poster child for such equity-driven projects, enjoyed a cocktail of funds: Multi-Family Housing Revenue Bonds and TIF funding to name a few, rallying support for more such developments via a smoother, more effective review process.
Acting Commissioner Jim R. Horan of the Department of Housing hinted at a new dawn, shedding the old cumbersome cloaks for a sleeker city strategy that includes pitching cost savings to developers and energizing neighborhoods. This Executive Order, he said, cements the city's pledge toward progress, in words obtained from the City's release.
Under the Johnson Administration, Chicago stands on the cusp of change, one where increased efficiency in approvals and embracing community-driven projects are at the forefront. This new Executive Order not only aspires to streamline development but also to reshape the city landscape, making it a magnet for small businesses and investors zeroing in on growth in historically overlooked neighborhoods.
