Questions or comments about the Community Wealth Building initiative? Contact us at cwb@cityofchicago.org

Under the leadership of Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, the City of Chicago established an Office of Equity & Racial Justice (OERJ) in 2019, and hired its first Chief Equity Officer, Candace Moore. OERJ seeks to achieve equity in the city’s service delivery, decision-making, and resource distribution. It does this by supporting City departments in normalizing concepts of racial equity, organizing staff to work together for transformational change, and operationalizing new practices, policies and procedures that result in more fair and just outcomes. 

As the principal planning agency for the City of Chicago, the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) promotes the comprehensive growth and sustainability of the City and its neighborhoods. The department also oversees the City’s zoning and land use policies and employs a variety of resources to encourage business and real estate development, historic preservation, accessible waterfronts, walkable neighborhoods, and related community improvements.