Vital Communities

Cook County represents the core of the region’s jobs, businesses, and productivity. While our economy is diverse, inequities persist, particularly in communities that have experienced historic disinvestment. The County aims to address these inequities by promoting innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to economic growth that prioritize jobs, support small businesses, and promote economic security and mobility for residents in historically marginalized communities.

Goal: Pursue inclusive economic and community growth by supporting residents, growing business, attracting investment and nurturing talent.

Objective 1:

Champion a regional approach to grow the economy and combat racial and economic inequities.

Strategy	Key Projects	Related Strategies	Equity Fund Recommendation
1.1) Employ equitable and inclusive policies and practices for strategic decision-making, implementation and resource allocation.	Equity metrics for BED programs
1.2) Lead collaborative efforts to reform Cook County's property assessment and taxation system to promote equity and fairness and reduce the racial wealth gap.	Property tax reform group		2.1 Property Tax Reform
1.3) Facilitate collaboration to advance regional economic vitality.	Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership
1.4) Attract, retain and expand businesses by facilitating redevelopment and reactivating markets.	Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program

Objective 2:

Invest in economic sectors with good jobs and positive economic, environmental and social impact.

Strategy	Key Projects	Related Strategies	Equity Fund Recommendation
2.1) Identify, prioritize and support new and emerging sectors that lead to good jobs.	NEXUS program for sector partnerships		2.7 Workforce
2.2) Lead and support industry-led cluster initiatives to boost equitable economic growth.	Manufacturing Reinvented program Southlands Metals Hub		2.7 Workforce
2.3) Build industry capacity to strengthen competitiveness and resilience of key sectors.	Cook County Arts program Cook County Tourism Alive program		2.7 Workforce
2.4) Promote sustainability as an economic driver by attracting quality green sector jobs and developing workforce programs.	Solar Collaborative Sector Partnership	Sustainable 3.1) Increase energy efficiency and use of renewable energy in businesses, residences and governments through funding, technical assistance and implementation.	2.7 Workforce

Objective 3:

Grow the small business ecosystem, support innovation and entrepreneurship, and build wealth for historically excluded communities.

Strategy	Key Projects	Related Strategies	Equity Fund Recommendation
4.1) Advocate for fair housing policies and practices that effectively support affordable housing.	Fair housing advertising campaign Fair housing research study		2.2 Fair Housing Laws
4.2) Develop and increase funding and its flexibility for affordable housing types, ensuring investments are community-driven and maximize impact.	Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program HOME Investment Partnerships program		2.4 Affordable Housing
4.3) Transform the County's homeless and housing services to achieve housing security for our most vulnerable residents.	Transition to fixed site shelters Emergency Solutions Grants program		2.3 Homelessness
4.4) Increase affordable homeownership programs to help increase family stability and address the racial wealth gap.	Downpayment assistance pilot program		2.5 Homeownership

Objective 4:

Provide a continuum of quality affordable housing for all.

Strategy	Key Projects	Related Strategies	Equity Fund Recommendation
4.1) Advocate for fair housing policies and practices that effectively support affordable housing.	Fair housing advertising campaign Fair housing research study		2.2 Fair Housing Laws
4.2) Develop and increase funding and its flexibility for affordable housing types, ensuring investments are community-driven and maximize impact.	Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program HOME Investment Partnerships program		2.4 Affordable Housing
4.3) Transform the County's homeless and housing services to achieve housing security for our most vulnerable residents.	Transition to fixed site shelters Emergency Solutions Grants program		2.3 Homelessness
4.4) Increase affordable homeownership programs to help increase family stability and address the racial wealth gap.	Downpayment assistance pilot program		2.5 Homeownership

Objective 5:

Open access to economic prosperity for all by investing in workforce and talent development.

Strategy	Key Projects	Related Strategies	Equity Fund Recommendation
5.1) Promote training and placement models that lead to good jobs.	Good Jobs Challenge grant		2.7 Workforce
5.2) Coordinate with the stakeholders in the workforce development ecosystem to intentionally and strategically support high quality jobs that promote residents' economic mobility and equity.	Cook County Manufacturing Apprenticeship Accelerator Healthy workers initiative		2.7 Workforce 2.11 Healthy Workers
5.3) Meet the talent needs of employers in key sectors to increase opportunity for and access to good jobs.	Investing in Families and Youth program		2.7 Workforce
5.4) Eliminate barriers to participation and access in the workforce development ecosystem and related training programs.	Forest Preserve District’s Conservation Corps program	Sustainable 2.4) Invest in ecological restoration and stewardship to protect native habitats and species and to reduce the adverse impacts of invasive species.	2.7 Workforce

Objective 6:

Base investments on their capacity to promote equitable economic growth in historically marginalized communities.

Strategy	Key Projects	Related Strategies	Equity Fund Recommendation
6.1) Invest in opportunities to increase access to economic opportunities and jobs.	Community Development Block Grant Invest in Cook grant program
6.2) Facilitate multimodal transportation of goods and people within and beyond Cook County to encourage economic growth and community vitality.	Cook County Long Range Transportation Plan CREATE program grade crossings	Connected 3.2) Provide technical assistance and funding to municipalities to promote seamless transportation throughout the region. Connected 3.3) Implement the Long Range Transportation Plan to address gaps in transportation networks to ensure equitable access for residents.
6.3) Expand alternative forms of transportation to improve residents' mobility and access to jobs.	Bike share expansion Access pilot program	Connected 3.4) Integrate intelligent transportation technologies into public infrastructure planning and development.	4.1 Fair Transit
6.4) Build capacity of and support local governments to achieve locally desired economic and community development goals	Community Development Block Grant – Capital program Lead service line replacement pilot program
6.5) Reactivate previously developed land in Cook County to encourage infill, build community wealth, and improve quality of life.	No Cash Bid program Tax incentive programs	Connected 1.2) Invest in the improvement of undeveloped or under-developed land throughout Cook County to promote community and economic vitality.	CCLBA

Objective 7:

Support residents and community institutions to promote economic security and mobility.

Strategy	Key Projects	Related Strategies	Equity Fund Recommendation
7.1) Provide cash and debt relief support directly to residents.	Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot Medical Debt Relief Initiative		2.6 Economic Security
7.2) Develop and support programs that provide financial education and legal assistance to residents.	Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt		2.6 Economic Security
7.3) Promote better access to and coordinate social services for residents.	Community Information Exchange 211 Metro Chicago		1.3 Community Information Exchange
7.4) Provide capacity building assistance to municipalities and non-profits so they can better serve residents.	Community Development Block Grant – Public service grants program Capacity-building investments in food access sites		6.1 Equity in Grantmaking
7.5) Pursue place-based investment through a community centered approach to implement community development and economic revitalization.	Transforming Places program		2.9 Place-based Investment

SPOTLIGHT: HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE

During the pandemic, Cook County housed homeless residents in hotels as an emergency solution. The County has been transitioning from a hotel-based sheltering model to fixed-site shelters. The Margarita Inn and the Write Inn in Evanston and Oak Park are the first of two such hotel shelters that the County acquired and converted into fixed-site shelters. In addition to ensuring residents have a place to stay, the County funds the social service organizations that provide accompanying wraparound supports. The County has kicked off the next step in its homelessness mitigation strategy, i.e., permanent supportive housing units for residents who need support to stay housed, by opening the Broadview housing development in Maywood.