INVEST South/West
For decades, Chicago’s South and West Sides have experienced disinvestment as a result of policies and practices that exacerbate racial segregation. The COVID-19 crisis has magnified the gaps in health and economic well-being that this disinvestment helped produce.
In October 2019, Mayor Lori Lightfoot launched INVEST South/West, a groundbreaking initiative to rectify this pattern by aligning $750 million in public funds and drawing private and philanthropic investments to 12 key commercial corridors in 10 communities on the South and West Sides. Samir Mayekar, Deputy Mayor of Economic Development for the City of Chicago, turned to Civic Consulting Alliance to accelerate INVEST South/West’s implementation through two phases of work.
First, from January through April 2020, led by our pro bono partner BCG, we:
Defined a first-of-its-kind operating model to enable INVEST South/West, featuring: an investment committee to coordinate decision-making across City agencies, several city planners to identify investment priorities and vet proposals with residents of the 10 communities at monthly neighborhood-led roundtables, and a strategy to engage business and philanthropy.
Identified 50+ potential projects in INVEST South/West neighborhoods and mapped how funds available to the City could be directed or redirected to INVEST South/West projects—a foundational resource for the investment committee’s decision-making.
Recommended a set of strategies to address barriers to development and prototyped a marketing tool to help attract private sector investment to INVEST South/West neighborhoods.
“Civic Consulting Alliance has been instrumental to INVEST South/West’s progress. There is no other organization that has Civic Consulting Alliance’s depth of experience collaborating with the City, nor their breadth of visibility across major initiatives and sectors in Chicago.”
Second, we helped execute and implement INVEST South/West by providing an ‘executive on loan’ to temporarily staff the role of Business Development Manager within the INVEST South/West office. We:
Worked with the Department of Planning and Development and more than 50 private sector and nonprofit organizations to explore moving or investing in facilities on the South and West Sides, which led a major hospital to make plans to build a clinic in Bronzeville.
Supported the creation of the first three requests for proposals (RFPs) for development of sites in Austin, Auburn Gresham, and Englewood by coordinating input across public agencies, and securing pro bono support from a design-build firm.
Secured support from a pro bono partner to assess real estate investment trends.
Helped secure $11 million in grants from the CARES Act to address health care deserts in Auburn Gresham and North Lawndale.
Given the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 crisis, it is more critical than ever that our city’s public agencies, private sector, and philanthropic institutions invest in the South and West Sides through ambitious, transformative initiatives like INVEST South/West. Indeed, this will remain a focus of the City in its ongoing economic recovery efforts—as evidenced by the close alignment between the City’s COVID-19 Recovery Task Force recommendations and the priorities of INVEST South/West.
OUTPUTS
Operating model—that ensures that community members in 12 key commercial corridors guide decision-making
Asset map—outlining potential City funding sources
RFPs—from the City for development of sites in initial three INVEST South/West neighborhoods (Austin, Auburn Gresham, and Englewood)
OUTCOMES
Major hospital committed to build a clinic in Bronzeville
INVEST South/West drew $70 million in public resources and more than $300 million in private and philanthropic commitments to its 12 key commercial corridors in its first year
