CITY OF CHICAGO PLANS FOR EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

Community stakeholders worked with the city of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development as well as with Elevated Chicago on the Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Policy Plan. Photo courtesy of Elevated Chicago
Community stakeholders worked with the city of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development as well as with Elevated Chicago on the Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Policy Plan. Photo courtesy of Elevated Chicago

City of Chicago plans for equitable transit-oriented development

BY TIA CAROL JONES
     For the first time, the city of Chicago is creating an Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Policy Plan. The goal of the ETOD Policy Plan is to have a plan for transit-oriented development that includes the South and West sides, which have been historically left out of Transit-Oriented Development Plans in the past.
     The ETOD Policy Plan is a response to the 2019 city ordinance, which required the city to develop an ETOD Policy Plan, with on-going community engagement. The ordinance advised that the plan had to include performance measures and best practices that met the goal of eliminating displacement of residents and small businesses, support transit investment and foster investment in communities of color and low-income communities.
     Katanya Raby, who focuses on place-based initiatives, works in the mayor’s office as a city of Chicago policy advisor. Raby said Equitable Transit-Oriented Development is the concept of thinking about transit-oriented-development, but in a more equitable manner.
     “ETOD advocates that people of all incomes [and] experiences benefit from dense, mixed-use pedestrian oriented development near transit hubs,” she said. “Where TOD is thinking about pedestrian-oriented spaces, it’s not really thinking about how we can make sure everyone has equitable access to the amenities.”
     Raby said the city’s department of planning and development has done studies on the work around transit in Chicago. The study found that there was more transit-oriented development on the north sides.
     “We’re really thinking about how can we bring the same energy for transit-oriented development to the South and West sides of the city and this matters because [with] urban living, there is [an] increased demand for affordable housing and residents on the South and West sides deserve more options for living, more opportunities for job and other amenities in their community,” she said.
    Raby said the work around ETOD also examines racial injustice and public health. She said out of this work, the plan has been developed. She described it as a “labor of love” that has gone on for the last 18 months, with a convening of stakeholders to get down to what residents are looking for in terms of transit.
     Elevated Chicago helped convene the stakeholders and residents. Elevated Chicago is a collaborative that is focused on arts and culture, racial equity and climate change in the neighborhoods in the city of Chicago. Raby said the partnership with Elevated Chicago was good because government doesn’t connect with communities in the same way the organization was able to by involving artists and other community stakeholders that don’t typically lead community conversations. She said it was a new level of engagement for the city of Chicago.
   Raby said there were several meetings and in the spring 2020, there were workshops where the components of the plan were considered. The policy plan was put out for public comment in mid-September. While the public comment is closed, there are still opportunities for residents to participate in the process.
     “We don’t want it to be a beautiful document that’s going to sit on a shelf, we want it to also continue to evolve as our city grows. We want to think about how we can implement these strategies and think about what pilots could come out of this, even after the document is finalized,” she said.
     Raby said people in Chicago live near some form of public transportation, but it is more about where people use that transportation and where they go. She used the example of the Red Line on 95th and Dan Ryan and the Blue Line at Milwaukee Avenue and California Avenue. While the Red Line is accessible for people, there are not many places where people can go. On the other hand, the Blue Line location has restaurants and shops for people to visit. She said that is where ETOD comes in.
     “Thinking about how can we make transportation options more equitable and pull that same energy of development into a space where people who are there can still continue to live there and thrive, is really what this plan looks to address,” she said.
 

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