>>> LIBRARIES AND POST OFFICES ARE FREQUENTLY SERVICES RUN BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

UNDER NEW PITCH FROM MAYOR BRENDA JOHNSON, THE CITY COULD BE RUNNING A GROCERY STORE IN THE FUTURE.

JOHNSON IS PITCHING A CITY-OWNED GROCERY STORE IN AN EFFORT TO REVERSE NO FOOD ACCESS ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDE.

JOINING US WITH A LOOK AT WHAT THE PUBLICLY OWNED GROCERY STORE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

WE HAVE JENNIFER STEWART, AND THE CHIEF OF POLICY FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND THE OWNER OF 40 ACRES FRESH MARKET.

THANK YOU TO THE THREE OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

A ME, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WE KNOW THE IDEAS IN ITS INFANCY.

IT IS EARLY BUT WHAT DOES THE CITY IMAGINE IT WILL LOOK LIKE?

WILL THERE BE MULTIPLE STORES?

>> I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AT THE TABLE HELPING US ENVISION WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE.

WE ARE OPEN .

OUR FOCUS IS ON ENSURING WE ARE INCREASING FOOD ACCESS AT HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING ACCESS PROBLEMS TO HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS RIGHT NOW.

>> I WANT TO COME TO BOTH OF YOU ON THIS, JENNIFER AND LIZ.

FOR PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE WORK, WHAT HAS YOUR REACTION BEEN?

>> I THINK IT IS AN INTERESTING IDEA OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE CITY TO PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

FOR BEING ABLE TO COME IN AND PUT THE THINGS YOU WANT TO WORK ON THE GROUND IN PLACE WITH THE COMMUNITY.

>> IS THIS SOMETHING THE CITY, A ROLE THE CITY SHOULD START TO PLAY?

>> I THINK BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENT, IT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO FROM THE CITY SPACE TO REPAIR SOME OF THAT?

AND HOW CAN WE CREATE A MORE EXPEDITED PATHWAY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO THEN BEGIN TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAPPEN.

THE COMMUNITY AROUND FOOD.

FIRST, A LOT OF FOLKS ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCE A LOT OF BARRIERS IN THIS AT THE CITY LEVEL IN TRYING TO GET THIS OFF THE GROUND.

SO HAVING A SPACE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM WHERE WE ARE NOT ASKING THE CITY TO NECESSARILY RUN IT FOR US BUT PROVIDE A PATHWAY SO PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE SPACES AND PROVIDE FUNDS TOWARD THESE TYPES OF INITIATIVES.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS.

>> SAME QUESTION TO YOU.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS IDEA?

>> FIRST, I THINK IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT EQUITY IN TERMS OF HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS, ESPECIALLY COMMERCIAL HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS AND NOT JUST PANTRIES OR FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS, BUT THE ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL AVENUE OF FOOD.

SO THAT IS GOOD.

I AM A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL ABOUT WHAT A MUNICIPALLY OWNED MODEL WILL LOOK LIKE.

I THINK THAT THE CITY ALREADY HAS COMMERCIAL FOOD PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE BUILT UPON, EXPANDED AND IMPROVED LIKE THE CITY MARKET PROGRAM.

LIKE THE FRESH MARKET IS THE CITY CONTRACTED VENDOR FOR THE AUSTIN TOWN HALL CITY MARKET EVERY THURSDAY FROM 1:00 P.M. UNTIL 6:00 P.M.

CHECK US OUT.

>> AND SO I THINK THAT THERE IS MORE THAT THE CITY CAN DO AND GETTING THE MARKETS INTO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE NORTH LAWNDALE WHO DOESN'T HAVE ONE.

BETTER FUNDING IN THOSE MARKETS.

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING AS COMPLEX AS GROCERY RETAIL.

>> WHAT IS THE SITTING LOOKING TO FOR GUIDANCE WITH THIS?

WE KNOW OTHER CITIES HAVE GOTTEN THIS OFF THE GROUND?

>> I KNOW CHICAGO WILL BE THE FIRST BIG CITY TO DO SO.

I JUST WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE THINKING BEYOND JUST A GROCERY STORE.

FOR US, IT IS THE HEART OF THE OVERALL STRATEGY AROUND FOOD RETAIL AND INCREASING ACCESS.

WE HAVE A FOOD EQUITY COUNCIL THAT IS MADE UP OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND WE HOPE TO LEAN ON THEM TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT PROSPECTIVE OF WHAT IT REALLY DOES LOOK LIKE TO INCREASE ACCESS AND TO ENSURE THAT THE AGENCY AND THE OWNERSHIP REMAINS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE WEALTH REMAINS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT.

WE ARE PARTNERING WITH ECONOMIC SECURITY PROCESS.

SO THE IDEA IS TO PROVIDE PRO BONO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

THAT MEANS THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY BRINGING US THE EXPERTISE AND NOT ONLY WILL THEY ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO MORE RESOURCES, BOTH AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL, BUT WE FEEL GREAT WITH THE RESOURCES AND THE EXPERTISE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BUILD A LARGE ENOUGH TABLE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO HELPING US ENVISION WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.

>> JENNIFER ENGLEWOOD WE KNOW HAS GONE TO THE CLOSURE.

THE OPENING IN ITS PLACE.

WHAT HAS THAT BACK-AND-FORTH BEEN LIKE FOR THE COMMUNITY?

>> I THINK IT HAS BEEN VERY DISHEARTENING.

WE ARE LOOKED AT AS NOT AS VALUABLE IN THE ENGLEWOOD AREA.

SO YOU TAKE SOMETHING LIKE WHOLE FOODS WHICH IS SEEN ON ONE END OF THE SPECTRUM IS HAVING A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR DIFFERENT FOOD ACCESS TO FOODS FOR PEOPLE WITH DIETARY RESTRICTIONS OR ORGANIC FOODS AND THEN ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM WHERE YOU HAVE VERY HEAVILY PROCESSED GMO FOODS WITH DYES AND SUGARS AND SALTS.

IT FELT LIKE A REFLECTION OF, THIS IS WHAT YOU DESERVE WHICH IS TOTALLY OPPOSITE OF HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THEMSELVES AND WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DESERVE, WHICH IS TO BE VALUED AND HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD.

>> LIZ, YOUR GROCERY STORE HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HURDLES YOU FACE TRYING TO IMPROVE FOOD ACCESS?

>> WE COULD REALLY USE A BUILDING PERMIT.

IF IT IS THE BILLING TO HARM LISTENING TO THIS, TO ISSUE THE CONSTRUCTION PERMIT.

THAT IS A THING THE DEVELOPERS ACROSS THE CITY HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT THE CHICAGO BILLING DEPARTMENT BEING DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE.

AND SO THAT IS THE HOLDUP.

WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT THE CITY DID AWARD US THE OPPORTUNITY FUND GRANT.

BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO PUSH THOSE SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPERS THROUGH THE PROCESS.

SO DPD HAS TO NOW WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS DOING AND VICE VERSA.

IT DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT THAT.

AND ALSO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WITH A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO USE TO NOT WANTING OR LIKING THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE THAT THERE IS A MASS EXODUS OF DOLLARS THAT LEAVE BLACK COMMUNITIES AND GO TO WEALTHIER, MORE PREDOMINANTLY WHITE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THE AMENITIES THAT WE WANT .

GROCERY STORES ARE MAKING INCOME ON BLACK PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE.

WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS YOU WANT THAT IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THAT IS REALLY HARD TO REVERSE DECADES OF BEHAVIOR IN A YEAR, TWO YEARS, SIX YEARS.

IT IS A LONG-TERM PLAN AND I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND GROCERIES KNOW WHAT WORKS AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE BUILDING THIS.

WE BUILT 40 ACRES -- I BUILT 40 ACRES FROM THE GROUND UP.

THERE WAS NO 40 ACRES.

I BUILT THE GROUND AND THE BRAND IN THE MODEL.

SO THAT EXPERTISE LIVES WITHIN ME AND THE GOAL IS TO GET THE EXPERTISE ACROSS THE COMMUNITY SO THAT MORE OF US CAN DO WHAT I HAVE DONE IN THE CITY CAN COME ALONG AND PARTNER IN THAT.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE CITY OWNERSHIP OF THAT.

>> TONS OF QUESTIONS TO ASK.