What is Planning for Progress? Cook County needed to submit two Federally required plans in 2015 A Consolidated Plan Requirement for receiving federal entitlement funds Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) Plan for how to use these funds A Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Targeted strategy to expand and strengthen local and regional economies. Economic Development Administration (EDA) requirement to apply for assistance.

What is Planning for Progress? Two separate plans combined into one because of the similarities. Timeframes Both cover the 2015-19 period Content Economic development Community Development Affordable housing Partnered with CMAP, who assisted with plan development

What is Planning for Progress? Facilitates continued receipt of CDBG, ESG, and HOME funds from HUD for benefit of low- and moderate-income in suburban Cook County Enables application for new resources including Federal EDA funds for use in the city of Chicago and suburban Cook County Plan moves beyond simply fulfilling Federal requirements by serving as a strategic framework for: - Resource development efforts - Targeted and coordinated investments - Enhanced leverage - Alignment of County and regional goals and priorities

Planning for Progress Summary Builds on previous Cook County and CMAP planning documents (GoTo 2040) and analyses Reinforces the importance of the nine strategies outlined in Partnering for Prosperity Emphasizes sub-regional and regional coordination/collaboration Posits economic development as the primary lens for determining goals, priorities, and strategies based upon the following categories in priority order: - Infrastructure and Public Facilities - Business and Workforce Development - Housing Development and Services - Non-Housing Services - Planning and Administration

The planning process From public kickoff to adoption, the project took 16 months.

Planning for Progress Outreach Launch Meeting: October 2013 Online Interactive Survey: October 2013 - January 2014, 1600+ visitors, 600+ completed surveys Interactive Sub-Regional Workshops: January - February 2014, 140+ participants Topical Focus Groups: April – September 2014, 30+ groups, 250+ participants Draft Plan Open Houses: November 2014, 30+ participants 30-Day Public Comment Period: November December 2014, 60 comments received

Participants identified four areas of action, all through an economic development lens: Infrastructure Business development Workforce development Affordable housing

Planning for Progress Summary Key findings reflect outreach feedback and are consistent with other relevant plans/research Cook County suffers from a jobs- housing mismatch Long-standing racial, ethnic, and economic divides persist and are mirrored by many housing market indicators Workforce providers need: Additional resources for short- term training Social services that address related barriers

Key Concept: Targeted Strategies Strategies targeted to County’s geographic patterns, with different priorities in Areas of Need and Areas of Opportunity as defined in the plan. Incorporated the Brookings Institution’s work on the suburbanization of poverty

Key Concept: Targeted Strategies Current project pipeline focuses heavily on implementing Partnering for Prosperity’s Framework as noted in: Chicago Metro Metals Consortium The Chicago Regional Truck Permitting Plan Metro Chicago Export Initiative Plan takes same cluster-based approach to economic development as Partnering for Prosperity. The County’s key industry clusters include: Fabricated Metals Food Processing and Packaging Transportation and Logistics Health Plan focuses attention on projects which enhance these industrial sectors The county is already taking an active leadership role on the top three initiatives. Our entitlement resources will be used to support these themes and cluster areas. By developing more specific Implementation plans for key economic clusters.

Key Concept: What Are We Funding? Estimated $286 million in funds to be expended by 2019. The plan provides policies that will govern how those funds are used and where they are spent. Funding infrastructure that helps address the jobs-housing disconnect. Example: creating sidewalks in a neighborhood to connect it with a nearby employment area or transit stop, or supporting job creation Assessing social service portfolio for alignment with plan priorities and updating our funding process. Example: focusing resources on programs that help prepare individuals for employment or support their employment efforts. Making key investments to create an environment for economic growth. Example: supporting the County’s new Industrial Growth Zone initiative.

Planning for Progress Seeking Additional Resources Plan includes a project pipeline as required by the Federal government Items on the list are eligible for Federal funding from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) Strategies will enable the County to access additional funding from State agencies and private and philanthropic sources.

Planning for Progress Additional Support Needed Breadth of identified needs re-emphasized that the County will require outside assistance to accomplish some recommendations Potential areas where outside assistance is needed Study the small business assistance system to identify gaps where County investments and programs can play a critical role Develop a comprehensive referral system (e.g. 211/311) in Cook County Collaborate with and provide technical assistance to limited capacity municipalities to address barriers to development and related investment (e.g. permitting or infrastructure planning)

Planning for Progress Since Adoption Held plan implementation meetings with major employers, workforce development providers, philanthropy and financial institutions – with HUD and EDA involvement Modified CDBG application process to incorporate plan priorities Completed assessment of the current CDBG portfolio against the plan’s strategies, with a focus on social services Area Foundations give extra points in applications for funding Won a 2016 NACCED Award of Excellence To be featured in HUD’s Guide to Promising Practices in Consolidated Planning

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