“If we don’t provide real, intentional help for these social equity dreamers, we’re going to let them down as a state. All of their money will be lost,” a key lawmaker said.
Equity & Economic Opportunity
Posted inInvestigating Responses
Illinois Doled Out Millions to Pot Growers. It Still May Not Be Enough to Save the Industry.
As independent ‘craft growers’ in Illinois struggle to secure financing for their cannabis businesses, a state-backed fund has emerged as a key lifeline.
Posted inInvestigations
Repeat Violators Leave Families Out in the Cold
Hundreds of buildings across Chicago have been cited repeatedly for violating heat-requirement ordinances, which are in effect from November through May.
Posted inInvestigating Responses
How the ‘Most Equity-Centric’ Law on Weed Went Wrong – and Where Illinois Can Go from Here
Illinois is finally issuing new dispensary licenses. But after legislation failed last month, advocates say the state’s cannabis industry has a long way to go to achieve true social equity.
Posted inEquity & Economic Opportunity
Illinois Gender-Neutral Bathroom Bill Was Tip of the Iceberg for Trans-Inclusive Legislation Passed This Session
As anti-trans legislation piles up in red states, Springfield is looking to raise a ‘beacon’ for inclusiveness in the Midwest
Posted inEquity & Economic Opportunity
Explained: Chicago’s Migrant Crisis
Chicago has been staring down a manufactured migrant crisis for months that has entered a boiling point — leaving vulnerable asylum seekers in despair and struggling to find safe shelter.
Posted inEquity & Economic Opportunity
South-Suburban Homeowners Next in Line for Property Tax Pain
3 years after home valuations were deflated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘we’re going to see the pendulum swing,’ one official says
Posted inEquity & Economic Opportunity
Bill for New State-Backed Tax Credit Could Yield Thousands More Affordable Units per Year
The Build Illinois Homes tax credit proposal is building momentum in the Illinois General Assembly, but critics have flagged its $35 million annual cost.
Posted inInvestigating Responses
Here are 4 ways the Bears could score public funding for a move — and why they’d all be controversial
The Bears say they aren’t looking for a handout, but they want ‘property tax certainty’ and public infrastructure spending in Arlington Heights. Here’s what that could look like.
Posted inInvestigating Responses
Is Lightfoot’s Signature Housing Policy Working? Depends on Who You Ask
One visible metric shows a big slowdown in housing construction since the 2021 Affordable Requirements Ordinance took hold. But a deeper look shows a more complex picture.
