President Trump’s recent announcement that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change was a disappointing step backward for the nation on one of the greatest global challenges of our era.  The impacts of climate change are already happening today—we are seeing flooding communities, droughts, and an increasing frequency of so-called “100 year storms.” Turning a blind eye in the hopes of resurrecting an antiquated, outdated carbon-based economy is not going to make the... Continue reading »

It will cost about $4.6 trillion to bring U.S. infrastructure to a state of good repair, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers Infrastructure Report Card released last week.  If by some miracle our civic leadership raised all that money and hired the engineering and construction firms to do the work, we'd end up with thousands of examples of state-of-the-art 1950s investments. Let's not do that. Instead, let's acknowledge the costs of outdated approaches that wasted... Continue reading »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chicago, IL – CNT is releasing six RainReady plans for the Calumet Corridor communities of Blue Island, Calumet City, Calumet Park, Dolton, Riverdale, and Robbins. The plans establish a distinct path forward in each town to reduce systemic flooding issues while creating more beautiful, economically vibrant communities.  “In 2013, CNT‘s ‘The Prevalence and Cost of Urban Flooding’ report found that between 2007-2011, a majority of Cook County, Illinois ZIP codes... Continue reading »

In cities across the United States today, infrastructure professionals find themselves at “ground zero,” contending with swelling urban populations that strain aging systems (energy, water, transportation & built environment). Even in Chicago, where the city’s overall population has been shrinking, concentrations of growth in the downtown area continue to expand. The South Loop population more than doubled in the last decade and the city center has taken on more than 40K new residents in... Continue reading »

When I took over as CEO this fall, I reflected on the journey some of my longest-serving colleagues have been on for many years: associating responsible economic development in cities with needs for social justice, climate protection, and resilience. While support in the United States for this way of thinking has clearly ebbed and flowed in modern history, it is clear that CNT has been at the forefront of understanding infrastructure development in ways that have been quite unpopular, and often... Continue reading »

Some of you will recall that when I took over as CEO of the Center for Neighborhood Technology this Fall, I noted that our team was expecting a Cubs World Series victory this year.  Now that we’ve achieved that historic goal in Chicago, reaching our other organizational strategic goals are taking center-stage. We feel inspired by what this city can accomplish, when we put our hearts and minds to something. At CNT, our mission for 38 years has been to ensure urban economic development... Continue reading »

That old adage about things looking too good to be true applies to the Transportation Lockbox Constitutional Amendment. At first glance, the opportunity to assure more transportation funds to repair Illinois’ crumbling infrastructure was just that! Closer examination reveals a number of deficiencies. Ordinarily constitutional amendments emerge out of a broad civic discussion where their impacts can be evaluated from many perspectives and the wording revised to achieve the intended objective... Continue reading »

New data released by the US Census shows good news on many economic fronts. The middle class has seen income increases, poverty is down nationally, and many groups that had been left behind by the economic recovery are seeing rising incomes.    But the news is not universally good. CNT’s Urban Opportunity Agenda has taken a close look at poverty and opportunity in a dozen cities across the country. The latest update of Census data for those cities shows mixed progress on... Continue reading »

Frustrated motorists and transit commuters are among the many who should take a look at the transportation plan unveiled in July by Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle. The Connecting Cook County 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan offers a five-point framework to build on what we have and serve growing demand in the future. Shaped by 42 experts, the plan is bold and forward looking. It prioritizes transit, bikes, and pedestrians, recognizing that younger people and our growing senior... Continue reading »

Effective strategies include reducing costs for businesses and families, improving access to jobs and services, and targeting job creation programs Chicago, Ill.—On Thursday, the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) announced a new framework for economic development that turns the traditional job creation model on its head, generating economic growth from the ground up by reducing costs for families and businesses. In communities across the country, high poverty rates, stagnant wages... Continue reading »