Economic Inclusion Agenda

Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council partnered with LISC to create the first Economic Inclusion Agenda in Chicago focused on the Southwest side neighborhood of Back of the Yards. Rooted in the community’s vision for itself and input from nearly 50 community stakeholders, the Economic Inclusion Agenda represents a new way for Chicagoans to drive, and benefit from, economic development in their own backyards.

Back of the Yards is a neighborhood on the cusp. Several large-scale, mixed-use developments, in addition to new streetscaping, are transforming the neighborhood’s economic potential and bringing in nearly $200M in public and private investment. At the same time, the neighborhood already has a strong foundation of small business activity along its bustling commercial corridors.

By embarking on an Economic Inclusion Agenda, we can both capitalize on the new momentum and attention coming to the community, and to also ensure that residents equitably share in the benefits of these new developments. 

The Economic Inclusion Agenda includes a roadmap of seventeen concrete, actionable strategies across five priority areas. Together, these strategies will advance the neighborhood’s economic, workforce, and community development goals over the next three years (2025 – 2027). This community-centered approach to economic inclusion will:

  1. Strengthen Local Small Businesses

  2. Create Destination Commercial Corridors

  3. Advocate for Community-Driven Development

  4. Connect Residents to Job Opportunities

  5. Address Neighborhood Safety Concerns

 
We encourage potential partners and any interested parties to contact either Michelle Flores Ramirez at BYNC (mramirez@bync.org) or Caroline Rendon at LISC (ctrendon@lisc.org) to get involved in the implementation of the Economic Inclusion Agenda.
 
We welcome additional partners and appreciate those who have already stepped up to support these ambitious efforts.
Economic Inclusion Agenda ENGLISH
Economic Inclusion Agenda SPANISH