In an effort to make commercial and housing development processes more efficient across Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an Executive Order aimed at streamlining city approvals. This Executive Order requires 14 City departments to evaluate their existing processes and propose solutions that facilitate development by removing bottlenecks and accelerating review and approval timelines. The City acknowledges that some development policies and processes, although well-intentioned, can hinder the speed and viability of development. Mayor Johnson announced the Executive Order at the groundbreaking of Grace Manor Apartments, a $40 million project that is 100 percent affordable in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood. The ground floor will be utilized for community and commercial tenants, including health and wellness service providers, as well as job training and wealth-building classes, while the second through the sixth floors will include 65 affordable housing units with a unit mix of 31 one-bedroom and 34 two-bedrooms, complete with a rooftop deck on the sixth floor. The building was developed by East Lake Management Corporation in partnership with Grace at Jerusalem Community Development Corporation. The Executive Order will:
• Require relevant departments within 90 days of the Order’s issuance to submit a report to Deputy Mayor of Business and Neighborhood Development Kenya Merritt on proposed changes to streamline processes and incentivize commercial and housing development.
• Establish a Director of Process Improvement in the Mayor’s Office tasked with managing implementation across City departments and sister agencies.
