Takeaways from a Conversation about Equitable Development

Takeaways from a Conversation about Equitable Development
Morgan Malone is a social impact designer, in real estate advisory and has been an economic development practitioner for about 10 years. PHOTO PROVIDED BY MORGAN MALONE.
Morgan Malone is a social impact designer, in real estate advisory and has been an economic development practitioner for about 10 years. PHOTO PROVIDED BY MORGAN MALONE.

Takeaways from a Conversation about Equitable Development

By Tia Carol Jones

Morgan Malone is a social impact designer, a real estate advisor and has been an economic development practitioner for about 10 years. Most recently she has been managing the Michael Reese Redevelopment in Bronzeville.

Malone believes that Equitable Development is development that serves the collective wellness of a community and are focused on the collective uplift of the community.

“When I look at the work that’s being done across the city, when we think about how real estate development should be done and serve people; when you start with people and your outcome is the positive uplift of people in a community, that is what spurs equitable development, then you have to start designing with intention, designing for justice and equity,” Malone said.

With Chicago being one of the most segregated cities in America, there has been a history of redlining and using design, urban planning and development  and resource allocation to disenfranchise Black people in Chicago.

 Malone pointed out that an example of this is how the Northwest and Southwest sides of the city, their North and South thoroughfares are fully commercial. The Southeast side after 21st street, where Black people live, are fully residential.

When it comes to the need for more businesses and commercial activities on the South and West sides, Malone asks where would they go, without displacing people, what blocks have vacancy that can sustain commercial activity.

“It can be challenging to direct resources to communities that over years, you’ve consistently pushed to be ‘unresourceable’ and now to try to infuse all this capital and do equitable development, you have to think about housing, you have to think about jobs, you have to think about sustainable jobs, you have to think about policy. Is there a network of nonprofits to help with all of this stuff? Is philanthropy bought into it? Now, you need 30 times more to get one equitable development off the ground and have transformative impact because of all of the generations of disinvestment and design,” she said.

Malone pointed out the Englewood Trail, a 1.75-mile multiuse path that is set to be located between 58th and 59th Streets between Lowe and Hoyne, as an example of a community-led natural environment development in the city. Malone also listed The K on Madison and Pulaski on the West side as an example of commercial revitalization, the Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives’ Artists Lofts and the work they do in Pullman. She added Bruce Montgomery and Lennox Jackson with Urban Equities have been working at Equitable Development for a very long time.

There is a difference between Equitable Development and Equitable Transit-Oriented Development. Malone said moving someone closer to transportation without changing access to transportation, it means they are closer to transportation, it might cost less time, but not less money.

Equity is a shift in power dynamics, not just more access, not just more representation. Malone believes equity is about shifting a person’s upward mobility throughout generations. Equitable Development means thinking about the build, the community’s barrier to get involved in the opportunity and working with an ecosystem of partners to alleviate every point where there could be a barrier in order to ensure there’s a clean slate and people can access the opportunity and thrive.

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