MPC Vice President named to Cut the Tape Task Force

Mayor Johnson Announces Cut the Tape Accomplishments

July 9, 2024 | City of Chicago Press Release

MPC has been utilizing the learnings and analysis gained from our We Rise partnership and Zoning Assessment project to contribute to the City’s priority to reform the development process, specifically the Mayor’s Cut the Tape Initiative. 

On July 9, 2024, the City launched the Cut the Tape Task Force, naming MPC Vice President of Programs and Strategic Impact, Kendra Freeman as a member alongside 50 other development leaders tasked to provide support in the strategy and implementation of the initiative. This was one of three major announcements, which also included the appointment of Abigail Sullivan as the inaugural Director of Process Improvement, and a statement on the completion of several policy initiatives outlined in the Cut the Tape Report.

As quoted in the official press release, Mayor Johnson said, “The Cut the Tape report provided more than 100 policy ideas to streamline and expedite housing and commercial development in our city, each with a forecasted timeline of completion.…Today, I am proud to announce that we have reached several of those milestones in just three months as we continue towards our goal to make the process of development and collaboration with the City stronger for our partners in the business sector and strengthen our communities and commercial corridors.”

Further reading

MPC Associate Emma Boczek and Manager Alec Singer co-authored a recent blog discussing a number of the individual recommendations in the city’s report, and providing further detail and analysis.

In part, the blog maintains that: “MPC believes Cut the Tape has the ability to deliver on true reform and has appreciated the opportunity to engage in the effort as part of the initiative’s focus groups and by providing what we have learned about zoning and permitting through our analysis to the City. We look forward to the initiative’s next phase as the recommendations advance and move toward implementation.”