The taskforce consists of 49 external stakeholders with experience in residential and/or commercial real estate development. Leveraging their deep knowledge of local development review and entitlement processes, this diverse group will work to streamline administrative policies and procedures.

The taskforce will focus on five primary objectives: (1) co-designing a multi-year strategic plan in collaboration with relevant City departments, (2) supporting City staff with implementation, (3) developing metrics and monitoring progress, (4) educating City staff on industry challenges, and (5) serving as ambassadors to raise awareness and promote the initiative’s mission. The full list of members is below:

Task Force Members

• Mark Angelini, Mercy Housing Lakefront
• Kate Ansorge, IFF
• Bennett Applegate Jr, Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen
• Joy Aruguete, Bickerdike Redevelopment Corp.
• Phillip Beckham, P3 Markets
• Kemena Brooks, The Community Builders
• Liz Butler, Taft Law
• Maggie Cassidy, Community Investment Corporation (CIC)
• Shawn Clark, Clayco
• Allison Clements, Illinois Housing Council
• Thomas Cuculich, Chicagoland Associated General Contractors (CAGC)
• Cecilia Cuff, The Nascent Group
• Richard Darche', John Lyle & Associates, Inc.
• Katherine Darnstadt, Latent Design
• Yasamin Enshaeian, DL3 Realty
• Bryan Esenberg, NHS Chicago
• Kendra Freeman, Metropolitan Planning Council
• Shevaz Freeman, KMW Communities
• Trisha Girdwood, LBBA (formerly known as Landon Bone Baker Architects)
• Veronica Gonzalez, The NHP Foundation
• Graham Grady, Taft Law
• Cornelius Griggs, GMA Construction Group
• Kevin Hall, Illinois Housing Development Authority
• Wendell Harris, Chicago Community Loan Fund
• Bonita Harrison, Sunshine Management
• Rizwan Hussain, Sigma Engineering
• Melanie Jefferies, Milhouse Development
• Tania Kadakia, Wrought Iron Partners Consulting and Development
• Fred Krol, Sterling Bay
• Rafael Leon, CMHDC (Chicago Metropolitan Housing Development Corporation)
• Amy Masters, BOMA/Chicago
• Rishab Mehan, Chicago Housing Authority
• Renauld Deandre Mitchell, Moody Nolan
• Heather Morrison , MAPS
• David Reifman, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres
• Guacolda Reyes, The Resurrection Project
• Rachel Rhodes, National Equity Fund
• Paul Shadle, DLA Piper
• Tony Smith, SB Friedman Development Advisors
• Ben Stammis, V3 Companies
• Ta Juana Tang, Tandem Ventures
• William Tippens, Related Midwest
• Jaime Torres Carmona, Canopy
• Loretta Ivette Trevino-Rivera, Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA)
• Shelly Tucciarelli, Visionary Ventures NFP Corporation
• Steven Vance, Chicago Cityscape
• Luis Vazquez, Toro Construction Corporation
• Cat Vielma, Red Stone Equity Partners
• Ernie Wong, site design group, ltd.  

The taskforce will begin meeting in July 2024. Stay tuned for more details and future updates!