The Chicago City Council Black and Latino Caucuses on Tuesday said they were encouraged at the Emanuel administration’s newly announced zoning and economic reforms, which the administration says are designed to increase investment in underserved communities. The Emanuel administration last week indicated the zoning code would be amended with the goal of boosting the job and economic markets downtown and investing resulting revenue in underserved communities. The amendments would also expand the geographic area currently designated as “downtown,” which would mean more and larger development in those areas.

According to the Emanuel administration, the reforms will aim to create revenue, job opportunity and civic engagement of neighborhoods that have long gone without the investment, revenue and employment opportunities. “Many of our neighborhoods are desperately in need of basic amenities, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, and we are hopeful that these changes will help fill those gaps especially in the Latino community,” said Latino Caucus Chair Ald. George Cardenas (12). “We are encouraged by this step in that direction.” Many of the programs will provide sizable zoning bonuses, such as height and density, to developers in exchange for payments into a “Neighborhood Growth Fund” that is supposed to be used for development and job creation in underserved neighborhoods.