Metropolitan Planning Council

Improving Latino Jobs Must be a Focus for the State of Illinois

dcooper@metroplanning.org (Daniel Cooper) — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 12:00:00 CST

Latino workers were one of the groups hardest hit by the COVID pandemic, and now nearly three years in, amid worker shortages, Latinos continue to fill essential positions, often with low-wages, no benefits, and few protections. As the State of Illinois looks to lead the nation in policies and planning for the future of work, improving quality job access for Latinos is critical area of need. Ensuring equitable jobs for Latinos is good for families and for the overall health of our economy.…

Chicago Area Leaders Share Benefits of Suburban Transit-Oriented Development

awennink@metroplanning.org (Audrey Wennink) — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 12:00:00 CST

By Audrey Wennink

According to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Chicago Region Climate Action Plan (CAP), a key municipal strategy to build climate resilience is building dense, mixed-use development around transit. Transit-oriented development (TOD) has three key components: Moderate to high-density development within a half mile of transit Mixed-use development that blends commercial, residential, and retail spaces A walkable hub that prioritizes ADA accessibility, pedestrian-oriented building design, and…

Improving Chicago's Access to Quality Jobs

asinger@metroplanning.org (Alec Singer) — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 12:00:00 CST

By Alec Singer

Neighborhoods across the city of Chicago are home to significant pools of skilled workers, with communities like Chicago Lawn and Irving Park each boasting labor forces exceeding 50,000 Chicagoans. While these ZIP codes have substantial concentrations of workers, they are not as concentrated with jobs. As the state of Illinois' economic engine, the Chicago region must confront the outcomes of our legacy of systemic disinvestment and marginalization of communities of color. As explored in the…

The missing component in water service regionalization debates: equity

jkeller@metroplanning.org (Justin Keller) — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 12:00:00 CST

Regionalization is a common recommendation for water systems seeking to improve economic and operational efficiency in delivering an essential resource: water. While a robust debate continues over its merits and weaknesses, there has been little attention paid to the potentially racially disparate impacts of water service regionalization. In this blog post, we offer preliminary thoughts on the equity implications of water service regionalization. After providing an overview of…

Calumet Stormwater Collaborative meeting materials

Tue, 20 Jan 2015 12:00:00 CST

The Calumet Stormwater Collaborative, facilitated by the Metropolitan Planning Council, has been working toward systemic stormwater management solutions since April 2014. Monthly meetings have enabled the Collaborative to identify the challenges and opportunities related to managing the region's stormwater. Materials from each meeting can be found below. Review the 1-year Work Plan that the Calumet Stormwater Collaborative is currently implementing, and check out this blog post which…