Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Post

Downtown is BACK! “A new study of more than 60 downtowns across the U.S. and Canada places downtown Minneapolis at the top of the pack when it comes to an increase in visitors over the past year…A previous Downtown Recovery study in mid-2023 by the University of Toronto’s School of Cities determined that downtown Minneapolis was third to last in foot traffic recovery compared to the same period in 2019.” This type of progress doesn’t happen by accident, but is the result of hard work by small businesses, city leaders, local organizations, and community organizers. But most importantly this type of progress is the result on Minnesotans showing up and investing their time, money, and energy in the small businesses and local events at the forefront of downtown’s resurgence. Keep up the good work, Minnesota! #ShopLocal #ReadLocal #VoteLocal

We're very proud to celebrate Dr. Huijun Tan, who defended her dissertation yesterday on the Effects of Physical Accessibility and Subjective Accessibility on Grocery Shopping Behaviors in Oakland, California. She just became the newest PhD from PSU Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University! The study surveyed 306 affordable housing residents in Oakland to analyze grocery shopping frequency, the variety of stores visited, and travel distances. As Oakland and similar cities transition into the post-pandemic era, the findings stress the critical need to rethink public transit and urban infrastructure to adapt to changing resident needs. Addressing the intertwined challenges of safety, homelessness, and gentrification requires integrated strategies that fostered sustainable, inclusive urban environments.

Exciting News! Folsom, California is among the fastest-growing cities! Discover why our charming city is booming in ABC 10's latest feature. From economic opportunities to lifestyle perks, Folsom is making waves. Don't miss out on this insightful segment! 📺 Watch the full story here: ABC 10 Feature on Folsom's Growth #Folsom #EconomicGrowth #CommunitySpotlight #ABCTen

Check out my latest op-Ed in the The The Dallas Morning News where I highlight community, economic, and real estate development challenges and opportunities connected to I-345 as well as potential impacts to the City of Dallas. This vital link between Dallas area business and economic centers and residents is under threat for removal, but the businesses and people that would be the most impacted are not centered in the discourse. Many area employers and other stakeholders would bear impacts by such a decision: Oak Cliff Chamber Of Commerce, For Oak Cliff Dallas College, Dallas Love Field Airport, Downtown Dallas, Inc., Baylor University Medical Center, Deep Ellum Foundation, Dallas’ logistics industry, and job centers as far removed as City of Plano and City of Richardson Texas, as well as City of Mesquite, The City of Balch Springs, City of Lancaster, TX, City of DeSoto, CITY OF DUNCANVILLE, City of Cedar Hill, City of Hutchins, TX, City of Wilmer, and other cities and stakeholders. This is a much broader and deeper conversation that involves access to opportunity, economic development, infrastructure, and public policy ecosystems that deserve significant and thoughtful deliberation and leadership. #dallas #economicdevelopment #communitydevelopment #sustainabledevelopment #equitabledevelopment

Redfin ranked the best 10 #TexasCities to live, including five in #NorthTexas (1) #FortWorth, (4) #Dallas, (7) #Denton, (8) #Richardson, and (10) #Plano. Rankings include 20 criteria in 4 areas: Community & Health (40% of overall score), Navigability (20%), Housing & Economy (20%), and Recreation & Leisure (20%). "Best" cities must have a high ranking in each area. Data is collected from #Census, #FoursquarePlaces, #GeoDBCities, #Google, and #Redfin, including #HouseholdIncome, #Jobs, #HousingAffordability, #Retail, #Entertainment, #Arts, #Schools, #EducationLevel, #HealthcareAccess, #EnvironmentalHealth, #PhilanthropicOrganizations, #CommutingTime, #Parks and #Sports. I have lived in 3 of the 5 NTX cities ranked and support the claims from my experience. 😀 https://lnkd.in/gYvks24V

What story is being sold about Denver? Ednium started the Denver Deep Dive because we learned that alumni weren’t aware or have access to the systems that help run our city. For nine months, we engaged with the community and learned how Denver's systems are interconnected. The Denver Deep Dive stood out by taking participants to unique city locations: The Denver City & County Building, Comal Heritage (a local food incubator), the CSU Spur Campus, Moline at Stapleton Apartments (an affordable housing community), the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Building, Manual High School, and Gary Community Ventures. We covered nine topics: 1️⃣ Denver’s History  2️⃣ Education 3️⃣ Economic Development 4️⃣ Housing 5️⃣ Environment 6️⃣ Transportation  7️⃣ Gastronomy 8️⃣ City Politics 9️⃣ Arts & Culture We learned the importance of curiosity and looking beyond the surface of the stories about Denver. Before the modern Denver we know today, indigenous people lived on this land. The phrase, “We did not cross the border, the border crossed us,” reflects how people became Americans overnight by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo after the Mexican-American War. In our city politics session we discovered the feedback gap between community needs and the people whose job it is to address and solve those needs. In our housing session, it was shocking to hear that originally HOAs were created to upkeep the image of a residential community. City residents are legally obligated to pay HOA dues, but overtime HOAs have become a burdensome fee rather than providing tangible value to residents. We also learned that affordable housing can be built to match the quality of other apartment complexes. Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Denver Deep Dive. Your curiosity made this program a success! Thank you to all the guest speakers for sharing valuable lessons. We envision a future where homegrown talent holds leadership roles throughout the city. With the Denver Deep Dive, we are one step closer to that future. #EdniumAlumni #EducationLeadership #HomegrownTalent  #HomegrownAwards 

One of the three best cities to live in in the U.S. is right here in Massachusetts. Cambridge made the top three in Niche’s 2024 Best Cities to Live in America List. This year’s rankings included 230 cities and more than 18,000 places. #bestcities #cambridge #bostonrealestate

Excited to see that the Indy metro area made Forbes' list of "Best Places For Young Professionals To Live In The U.S. In 2024." They highlighted our housing costs, city size, earnings increases, and all the entertainment available. Unsurrisingly, 8 out of 10 of the cities on the list are in the Midwest! At the same time, it's really interesting to see housing costs touted as one of our advantages, when so many of us know from both experience and conversation that rising housing costs are a real problem for many in our city. Earlier this spring, we tackled housing during one of our CCF Saturday Forums (which always focus on learning about a particular aspect of life in Indianapolis). We heard from several speakers about how Indy is heading toward a housing crisis. There are many in our city working hard to make sure that *doesn't* happen--hopefully articles like this continue to motivate all of us toward maintaining and even improving the availability and affordability of housing. Another statistic Forbes highlighted: "The median age in Indianapolis is 37 years old, the 23rd lowest in the nation." It's really interesting to think about the impacts of a young population on our city! Overall, though,this article just seems to validate what a lot of us already know: Indianapolis is a great place to live and work! https://lnkd.in/dQMP5Gwd

Do you want to know where people are moving to and where they are coming from? Top 10 U.S. go-to metros areas in 3Q 2023 1. Sacramento, Calif. – 4,800 new residents; top out-of-state origin: Chicago 2. Las Vegas – 4,500 new residents; top out-of-state origin: Los Angeles 3. Orlando – 4,000 new residents; top out-of-state origin: New York City 4. Myrtle Beach, S.C. – 3,800 new residents; top out-of-state origin: Washington, D.C. 5. North Port-Sarasota – 3,700 new residents; top out-of-state origin: New York City 6. Portland, Maine – 3,500 new residents; top out-of-state origin: Boston 7. Tampa – 3,400 new residents; top out-of-state origin: New York City 8. Cape Coral – 3,300 new residents; top out-of-state origin: Chicago 9. Miami – 3,200 new residents; top out-of-state origin: New York City 10. Salisbury, Maryland – 3,100 new residents; top out-of-state origin: Washington, D.C.

Your input is necessary to shape Brownsville's future. Join us at the BCIC Town Talks to share your vision and contribute to our strategic plan. RSVP for Town Talks Sessions: https://lnkd.in/dQvhbwb5 Light refreshments will be served. Mon. 02/12 | 5:30 – 7 PM (Doors: 5PM) | Main Branch Library Tue. 02/13 | 5:30 – 7 PM (Doors: 5PM) | Southmost Branch Library Wed. 02/14 | 10:15 – 11:45 AM (Doors: 9:45 AM) | eBridge Center Thu. 02/15 | 5:30 – 7 PM (Doors: 5PM) | eBridge Center Why should I participate in the BCIC's Town Talks and Strategic Plan? Think of a strategic plan like a map for a journey that Brownsville is about to take. Instead of hitting the road and seeing where it takes us, we're deciding in advance which turns to take to reach the places we really want to go. So, for Brownsville, this strategic plan is a carefully thought-out set of directions that outlines where we want the city to be in the next decade. It considers what businesses we want to attract, how we can improve life for residents, and what kind of projects will make the city a better place to live, work, and play. It's like setting up waypoints for success, community growth, and economic health. The best part? Everyone in Brownsville gets to suggest what should be on the map. That's why these Town Talks are a big deal – they're like group brainstorming sessions where everyone's ideas are welcome. The final plan will be a mix of these ideas, kind of like a community wishlist that's actually backed up by a real plan to make it all happen. Mark your calendars for one of our four interactive sessions where your voice takes center stage. READ THE PRESS RELEASE FOR MORE INFO: https://lnkd.in/dZAzbUEF