Equity Fund Addendum

Equity Fund Progress Report 2024

The Equity Fund reflects Cook County’s commitment to operationalizing equity. The work of the Equity Fund is a collective effort, from external partners who sit on the Equity Fund Advisory Taskforce to the leads in various departments implementing the Equity Fund report recommendations with the goal of effecting systems-level changes in the County’s policy priority areas.

The bold and transformative systems-level changes that we are working to implement over time speak to the larger vision of Cook County to create safe, healthy and thriving communities by reimagining and transforming systems around justice, public safety, health, housing, economic opportunity, community development and social services to benefit Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities, and proactively investing resources in solutions and supports to achieve equitable outcomes.

In addition to the significant planning and implementation work being undertaken by our department leads, the Equity Fund Advisory Taskforce has met quarterly throughout the year and continues to play an integral role in four key priority areas that align with the Taskforce’s vision and the broader work of the County:

Provide ongoing support and advisement on the implementation of the Equity Fund recommendations.
Assist with the development of inclusive language and how to effectively integrate it into the County’s policies, practices, and communication.
Provide input on a framework or approach to developing equity indicators/metrics that demonstrate impact.
Provide insight into the criteria by which to evaluate future investments from the Equity Fund in alignment with the County’s guiding principles and related work.

This report outlines each recommendation’s progress and highlights from their year of work. Additionally, a financial report with programmatic spending through the end of Fiscal Year 2024, as well as the budget plan for Fiscal Year 2025 is included.

Healthy Communities

1.1 Adopt a Health Equity in All Policies (HEiAP) approach in policymaking to ensure Cook County government factors health considerations into its implementation of policies and programs and identifies gaps to improve health outcomes for all residents and communities.

Lead Department: Cook County Department of Public Health

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Contracting for a vendor to support the research on and development of the assessment of municipal-level equity policies is moving forward.
CCDPH Policy Team was awarded a technical assistance grant to support the development of Health Impact Reviews. Kick off for this grant, provided by the Network for Public Health Law, took place in October 2024.
The CCDPH team presented on advancing health equity through epidemiology and data initiatives during Cook County’s Annual Racial Equity Week.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

1.2 Create a behavioral health administration to coordinate a comprehensive, accessible and culturally responsive continuum of behavioral health services for Cook County, including preventative services, recognizing the intersections between health, housing and justice involvement.

Lead Department: Cook County Health - Office of Behavioral Health

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Convened the first ever countywide Behavioral Health Summit, which brought together nearly 800 people representing approximately 300 agencies to provide their perspectives on improving the behavioral healthcare ecosystem in Cook County.
Awarded $44 million in Stronger Together grants to 53 organizations to expand behavioral healthcare, particularly in historically disinvested communities.
·Presented the Cook County Behavioral Health Workforce Assessment at the Behavioral Health Workforce Symposium attended by over 250 stakeholders. The report provides details describing the worker shortage and plans to address it.

Implementation Status: On track – substantial progress advanced

1.3 Develop a countywide Community Information Exchange (CIE) System to holistically address social drivers of health outcomes, deliver whole person care and better inform and drive more equitable allocation of resources to residents across Cook County.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Hundreds of stakeholders engaged in the planning process, including people with lived experience with the homeless services system.
Request For Qualifications (RFQ) released to select a technology vendor.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

Vital Communities

2.1 Support collaborative efforts to reform Cook County’s property assessment and taxation system to promote equity and fairness and reduce the racial wealth gap.

Lead Department: Office of the President

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Conducted research with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) Government Finance Research Center on commercial and industrial property incentives utilized throughout Cook County.
Conducted research examining the valuation practices and procedures for the Assessor’s Office and the Board of Review.
Hired and onboarded a Project Manager.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.2 Increase Cook County’s capacity to enforce Cook County’s fair housing laws to reduce unlawful housing discrimination and affirmatively further fair housing.

Lead Department: Department of Human Rights and Ethics

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Launched first ever public transportation campaign, The Right Move!, on Pace buses to inform County residents of their housing rights, in particular the Just Housing Amendment and source of income protections.
Partnered with the Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance (CAFHA), Open Communities and Safer Foundation to provide training on the source of income protection and Just Housing Amendment.
Partnered with Roosevelt University’s Policy Research Collaborative to study the impact of the Just Housing Amendment.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.3 Build a more resilient housing and shelter system to provide dignified and reliable support to people experiencing homelessness in suburban Cook County, with the goal of achieving functional zero homelessness.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development – Department of Planning and Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Transitioned two locations used as emergency hotel sheltered to fixed-site shelters: The Margarita Inn (70-Beds) in Evanston, managed by Connections for the Homeless, and The Write Inn (85-beds) in Oak Park, managed by Housing Forward.
Opened Broadview, a 16-unit housing development for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness due to long-term disabilities.
Presented an impact summary of the Early Resolution Program component of the Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt (CCLAHD) program.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.4 Increase Cook County resources to create new units of affordable housing across Cook County to promote housing stability and affordability.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development – Department of Planning and Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Opened Otto Veterans Square, an 82-unit affordable housing development for veterans.
Received board approval for 5 new construction or rehabilitation projects that will yield approximately 125 permanent supporting housing units.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.5 Provide direct financial assistance to residents to sustain and preserve homeownership, to address the racial wealth gap and prevent continued displacement.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Launched the Cook County Downpayment Assistance Program, a pilot initiative designed to assist homebuyers with downpayments, closing costs, or mortgage buydowns.
Launched the Cook County Water Affordability Program, which provides targeted water bill relief, residential leak repair, water restoration and technical assistance for suburban Cook municipalities.
Approved the modular housing program, which will support new construction of housing units for sale utilizing modular building techniques and downpayment assistance for qualified buyers. In partnership with the Land Bank, the pilot program will ultimately support the development of approximately one hundred new homes in up to four communities.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.6 Continue championing government’s role in launching programs and policies that support residents’ economic security and increase economic mobility.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Completion of the Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot.
Research and evaluation of the Guaranteed Income Pilot by UChicago’s Inclusive Economy Lab is underway.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.7 Align Cook County’s workforce investments intentionally and strategically to support high quality jobs that promote residents’ economic mobility and equity.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Supported training of 305 new or incumbent workers in manufacturing.
The Bureau of Economic Development was selected as part of the Families and Workers Fund’s Powering Climate & Infrastructure Careers Challenge cohort to receive guidance and support to address workforce gaps as the transition to clean energy accelerates.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.8 Develop the small business and entrepreneurship ecosystem, especially for Black and Latine residents, to reduce the racial wealth gap.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Awarded a total of $50 million to 3,000 small businesses.
Provided business advising services to more than 3,500 businesses.
Launched a collaborative webinar series between Women’s Business Development Center and the Cook County Small Business Source, which included specific sessions on government contracting to promote inclusive procurement.
Organized a mapping session with County agencies that offer resources and services to small businesses to coordinate and amplify opportunities for collaboration.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.9 Pursue place-based investment through a community-centered approach to support a deeper and more sustainable commitment to implement locally desired community and economic development.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Launched the fifth Transforming Places network in Summit, completing the programs’ total tally of community networks.
Several networks received behavioral health grants from Cook County Health, and three networks are planning Resilience Hubs in coordination with DES and EMRS.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

2.10 Develop innovative programs to assist communities and residents that have been hard-hit by predatory lending.

Lead Department: Office of the President

Implementation Status: This recommendation has been sunsetted.

2.11 Strengthen and enforce Cook County’s worker protection laws to ensure all workers receive fair compensation and protection from violations.

Lead Department: Cook County Department of Public Health

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Partnered with the Department of Human Rights and Ethics to deliver 13 trainings regarding the Paid Leave Ordinance, including several with partner organizations.
Developed new materials regarding labor protections and enforcement, including a Paid Leave Employer Compliance Checklist, Paid Leave Overview handout, and Know Your Labor Rights handout, which includes information about employment related discrimination, Cook County’s minimum wage, and Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

Safe and Thriving Communities

3.1 Improve interagency data-sharing and public access to deidentified and disaggregated criminal legal system data to increase transparency and usefulness, with specific attention on data that identifies racial and ethnic disparities and operational challenges that contribute to barriers and collateral consequences for those impacted by the criminal legal system.

Lead Department: Justice Advisory Council

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Executed a data use agreement with Loyola University Chicago.
Started the Safety and Justice Challenge Capstone Archiving Project that details the pre-trial reform work undertaken by Cook County from 2013-2024.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

3.2 Develop a comprehensive and coordinated countywide re-entry plan that works to support residents returning to their communities from detention, jail, and prison by removing structural barriers to housing, economic security, and opportunity, including the negative impacts of criminal and juvenile records.

Lead Department: Justice Advisory Council

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Received Board approval for four new rental assistance provider agreements under the Cook County Reconnect program for returning residents.
Renewed the Racial Equity Cohort program to begin planning for the second cohort.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

3.3 Support community-informed alternatives to policing in suburban Cook County to minimize harmful interactions between police and residents, especially Black residents, and promote community safety.

Lead Department: Justice Advisory Council

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Completed three listening sessions across the County for victims and survivors of gun violence to define safety needs and inform solutions.
Selected a technical assistance provider for the Justice Reinvestment Initiative.
Progressing the Government Alliance for Safe Communities (GASC) performance management workgroup metric tool and analysis.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

Connected Communities

4.1 Increase access to and availability and affordability of public transportation to connect communities and ensure transit equity.

Lead Department: Department of Transportation and Highways

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Launched the Access Pilot, an income-based reduced fare program for Metra riders.
Participated in advocacy efforts to reform and fully fund the transit system, including testifying before the Illinois General Assembly Senate Transportation Committee and House Transit Working Group.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

4.2 Increase digital connectivity and access to broadband infrastructure and digital devices for residents, particularly in communities of color.

Lead Department: Office of the President

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Delivered laptops to households countywide at device distribution events.
Hired and onboarded a digital equity coordinator.
Developed a digital equity implementation plan following the release of the Digital Equity Action Plan.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

Sustainable Communities

5.1 Invest in climate-resilient infrastructure to address decades of disinvestment in Black and Latine communities.

Lead Department: Department of Environment and Sustainability

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Completed Calumet City’s Winchester Avenue green street design under the RainReady program to reduce negative impacts of flooding in the Calumet Corridor.
Advanced the community planning phase of the Climate Resiliency Planning for Communities by engaging stakeholders in suburban municipalities.
Established 13 community partnerships and engaged community members to participate in the Resilience Hubs project teams.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

5.2 Establish a Cook County Environmental Justice Policy to incorporate environmental and equity impacts in policy and program decision-making.

Lead Department: Department of Environment and Sustainability

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Created a Community Advisory Committee to help co-develop an Environmental Justice Policy.
Published a report of the results from environmental justice survey, which received over 1,100 responses countywide.

Implementation Status: On track – substantial progress advanced

5.3 Support actions that improve both public health and environmental health for the overall well-being of residents, particularly in Black, Latine, and low-income communities.

Lead Department: Department of Environment and Sustainability

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Assessed and approved over 150 homes for energy efficient retrofits as part of the Healthy Homes program.
Awarded $1.4 million in grants to six businesses in suburban Cook to reduce pollution and the use of toxic chemicals under the Businesses Reducing Impact on the Environment (BRITE) program in partnership with the Chicago Urban League.
Completed the 100th lead service line replacement for childcare providers in suburban Cook under the LeadCare Cook County program. These replacements are providing safe drinking water for over 900 children.

Implementation Status: On track – substantial progress advanced

Open Communities

6.1 Develop a comprehensive equity-centered grantmaking strategy to promote equitable access to resources and increase capacity to deliver services in partnership with smaller, grassroots, emerging, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led organizations anchored in marginalized communities.

Lead Department: Office of the President and Justice Advisory Council

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Awarded $3 million in additional capacity building Starting Block Grant (SBG) funding for the second cohort of SBG grantees.
Released an open call for capacity-building resources and technical assistance as part of the County’s Readiness and Capacity Building Initiative geared towards smaller grassroots organizations.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

6.2 Establish flexible, accessible, and empowering pathways for residents of historically disinvested or marginalized communities to meaningfully participate in developing and implementing County policies and programs.

Lead Department: Office of the President and Justice Advisory Council

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Released and implemented a community compensation policy.
Convened the community engagement working group to begin formulating a community engagement strategy.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

6.3 Implement countywide best practices to measure the impact of policies and programs on immigrant and refugee communities to ensure Cook County’s work to reduce racial and ethnic inequities is inclusive and actively works to protect immigrants and refugees.

Lead Department: Department of Human Rights and Ethics

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Drafted Equity Landscape Review Recommendations.
Presented the report findings in the “Race Origins and Immigration 101” session of Cook County’s 6th Annual Racial Equity Week.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

Additional Recommendations

Cannabis Business Development Program: Establish a Cannabis Business Development Program to create a revolving fund to support grants cannabis-related businesses owned and operated by Social Equity Applicants who reside in Cook County, recognizing the link between the Equity Fund and cannabis tax revenue and the related history of incarceration and exclusion communities of color have faced.

Lead Department: Bureau of Economic Development

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Launched new social equity cannabis grant program.
Awarded $3.6 million in grants to 40 businesses.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced

Cook County Land Bank Authority: Cook County Land Bank will continue working to increase naturally occurring affordable housing stock and economic opportunity in disinvested communities within Cook County.

Lead Department: Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA)

FY24 Highlighted Accomplishments:

Acquired four properties to be offered at affordable prices.
Offered 6% up to $20,000 in purchase assistance for Land Bank (developer) owned inventory.

Implementation Status: On track – meaningful progress advanced