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Chicago Mayor Pitches City-Owned Grocery Stores to Address Food Deserts

Mayor Brandon Johnson Announces Partnership with Economic Security Project to Explore Options

Proposal Aims to Reverse Historic Disinvestment in Food Access

Nearly a year after Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration first floated the idea, the Mayor has announced a partnership with the Economic Security Project to begin exploring the possibility of opening municipally owned grocery stores in Chicago.

Mayor Johnson is pitching the creation of a city-owned grocery store as part of a larger effort to address food deserts in underserved communities. According to a report commissioned by the city, there are currently 540,000 Chicagoans living in food deserts, defined as areas with limited access to fresh and affordable food.

The Mayor's proposal would create a three-store network of city-owned grocery stores, with an estimated cost of $27 million. The stores would be located in neighborhoods with high rates of poverty and food insecurity.

The partnership with the Economic Security Project will provide the city with technical assistance in developing the plan for the city-owned grocery stores. The project will also help the city to identify potential locations for the stores and to develop a sustainable business model.

The Mayor's proposal has been met with mixed reactions. Some residents are excited about the possibility of having access to fresh and affordable food in their neighborhoods. Others are concerned about the cost of the project and the potential impact on existing businesses.

The City Council is expected to vote on the Mayor's proposal in the coming months.

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Bloomberg