Last month, I attended the annual conference of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) in DC.  The theme this year was: “Not Just an Economy, a Just Economy.”  I have been a NCRC board director now for almost 20 years and have had the opportunity to discuss our local economy with numerous federal officials.  I will leave for another time to comment on the flaws and neglect that resulted in our national crisis in order to blog today on how we can and should rebuild our local and national economy.

Both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives have bills pending to enact the “Project Rebuild Act.”  Senator Durbin and Representatives Gutierrez and Rush are among the Congressional leaders who support this initiative proposed by President Obama as part of the American Jobs Act to put people back to work by rehabilitating homes. Project Rebuild could create 200,000 jobs, redevelop at least 150,000 vacant properties, and stabilize home prices in communities throughout the country hit hardest by foreclosures and unemployment.

The Local Economic and Employment Development [LEED] Council here in Chicago has been refining our job training curriculum to teach the skills necessary to rebuild in the most energy efficient way.  We are exploring partnerships with both for-profit and non-profit developers to grow our transitional jobs program, Green LEEDers, into an on-going social enterprise. 

                  LEED Council’s Green LEEDers ready to rebuild green

The key to rebuilding communities is linking local residents to the employment created in restoring vacant properties for affordable housing. With jobs, people hardest hit will again be able to afford homes and only then will our local and national economy recover.

Project Rebuild should not be a partisan pawn held hostage in Congress. Communities continue to depreciate while the economic health of families deteriorates. That’s NOT a Just Economy.

Ted Wysocki, President & CEO

Local Economic & Employment Development Council

Chicago, IL

ted@leedcouncil.org

LEED Council’s Green LEEDers presented at the 5^th annual Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Summit on April 12. The event provided substantial and informative background on opportunities in the green sector of Chicago’s economy and offered a chance to promote the work we have been doing since the inception of our Green Skills training in 2008.

Dean Tripp (left), Associate Director of Green Skills, speaks at one of his regular meetings with the Green LEEDers.

During the summit, we provided historical background about the program. Green LEEDers began in fall 2009 after LEED Council was awarded a contract from the City’s former Department of Environment. Our aim was to develop a green-oriented, transitional jobs program with the goal of doing green construction work and an eye to transitioning the program itself into a social enterprise. The concept included training and work in how to weatherize and retrofit residential buildings up to three stories, as well as work in renewable energy.

Subsequently, a Green LEEDers crew was recruited from our green skills classes, funded by the IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Training included Home Performance: Green Carpentry and Weatherization; Fundamentals of Solar Installation; and Home Energy Auditor Training (HEAT).

Some of the projects the Green LEEDers have since completed include:

• Major home repairs and kitchen remodeling for disabled clients of the Chicago Commons Association;
• Improvements to low income seniors’ homes through the City’s Small Accessible Repairs for Seniors (SARFS) program; and
• Home energy assessments and estimation of home performance improvements, as a result of leads generated through door-to-door marketing by Green LEEDers and other LEED Council training alumni as part of a community energy education campaign in Logan Square. 

Similar to other construction operations across the country, the Green LEEDers have been challenged to keep busy on a steady basis. But when they are not working in the field, they have remained occupied with intermittent training and facilities improvement projects – which have included building computer skills testing booths, as well as needed maintenance work to the LEED Council offices and training shop. Certain LEEDers, one of whom told his story at the Green Jobs Summit, have also done outreach work as presenters at various green and community events.

Our Green LEEDers program is now into its third year, which started with an award of our second SARFS contract from the City’s Department of Housing & Economic Development. That was followed by a small labor contract with a new affordable housing developer. Additionally we’ve begun to negotiate a contract for a defined piece of work, which is part of a Neighborhood Stabilization project that is in the hands of a prominent “LEEDer-friendly” developer.

Simultaneous with these activities and in anticipation of expiration of our original contract from the City’s Department of Environment, the Green LEEDers Program has also begun taking its first steps to becoming a social enterprise, under the guidance of our Board’s new Social Venture Advisors. This transition started with volunteer and staff research of other similar programs and exploration of free resources to help with a founding of a new entity. This has led to developing criteria for just what the Green LEEDers Program should logically become — an evolving vision of an “energy-wise construction enterprise”

For information or to solicit a bid for work, please contact Dean Tripp at (773) 929-5552 x231 or dtripp@leedcouncil.org

Throughout this year I have helped businesses with a variety of different economic incentives. “Each incentive is a unique tool in the economic development toolkit,” my boss, Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Council’s Director of Economic Development, Mike Holzer likes to say.

One of my favorite incentives is the City of Chicago’s Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF). The fund is used in certain districts across the city to reimburse small business owners for improvements made to their properties. It’s a win-win situation: neighborhood appearances improve and businesses remain competitive or are able to expand.

Where do these funds come from? There are blighted areas across Chicago deemed Tax Incremented Financing (TIF) districts. In a nutshell, when a TIF district is created the area’s property taxes are frozen for 23 years. Additional property taxes that are gained during that period are set aside into a separate fund that forms the TIF. These funds are used on larger projects (usually exceeding $1.0 million), such as infrastructure, environmental remediation work or improving vacant land and job creation initiatives. SBIF uses a small slice of a TIF district’s funds and focuses solely on property improvements for small businesses.

A few months ago, the City of Chicago allocated $500,000 to a SBIF district in the North Branch Industrial Corridor. LEED Council hosted a public meeting to announce the allocation, and carried out extensive outreach in the area. Within 30 days, applications had been filed by seven local small businesses.

What kind of projects are these seven businesses are planning for the funds? One local company will use the money to introduce green technology into the area by installing charging stations for electric vehicles. Another applicant is a 50-year-old business that requested money to replace its roof. Resource Point of Sales, a company that has recently moved into an industrial building that sat vacant for over 10 years, will be using the funds to help make general improvements to the property.

At the end of the day, SBIF is a useful tool, not only for how impactful it is, but also for how easy it is for business owners. Compared to other incentives, the application process is painless and the project requirements are minimal. It helps small business owners, who contribute to the creation of local jobs; and makes stronger, more attractive business districts. 

- Adam Panza, Assistant Economic Development Coordinator

We are recruiting for a high-powered, comprehensive job-skills training program designed for individuals with a genuine interest in the rapidly developing specialities of green carpentry and weatherization.

This program is primarily targeted at unemployed or underemployed individuals living in the Austin, Roseland,East Garfield Park, Englewood, West Englewood, Humboldt Park, Logan Square, Near West Side, North Lawndale, West Garfield Park, Auburn Gresham, orWest Town Community Areas. Residents of certain other Community Areas are also eligible.

The training starts on Monday, April 30th.

Please note, however, that prospective trainees must go through a 5-step, 10-hour intake process. 

Absolutely no walk-ins will be accepted.

Individuals with interest should contact me:  
Ebony McLaurin, Client Services Coordinator, at 773-929-5552 ext. 228.  

Take of look at this in-depth tour of Goose Island’s Brewery, one of LEED Council’s business members. 

goodbeerhunting:

A couple Thursdays ago, I had the unique opportunity to visit Goose Island during working hours for some photo documentation. I’ve been here a few times for hosted events, but never to document the brewery itself. I was psyched to get some extended access. Paul from Chitownontap.com…

Today was an emotional day for our Computer Skills graduates. Out of the seven, three gained employment and one cried today during the graduation celebration, saying she was proud of herself for finishing LEED Council’s challenging class, which teaches typing skills and focuses on Microsoft Office 2010. What made this class unique was two of our part time trainers, Angelic Phillips and Kathy Price, taught the class for the first time – and they received accolades from our students for their persistence and dedication to helping the students get the skills they needed from the class. 

Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Council is seeking a highly self-motivated individual for a summer internship for a twelve week internship beginning in May and ending in August. The intern would report to LEED Council’s Associate Director of Communications and Marketing and assist directors with a variety of projects. Those projects include:

•  helping create marketing material for our 30^th Anniversary Fundraising Event;
• writing weekly blog entries based on interviews with our business members;
• taking photos at events;
•  writing posts for our social media platforms;
• participating in our Marketing Committee meetings;
• assisting LEED Council’s directors when needed.

This internship is ideal for someone interested in business, public policy and social services. We are looking for a strong writer who is interested in Chicago politics and nonprofit work. This internship provides transparent insight on how a successful community development organization operates.

A familiarity with Adobe Create Suite and access to a laptop is a plus, but is not necessary. The internship is unpaid and requires 10 hours a week. LEED Council will work with the intern’s schedule. All interested candidates should email their resume, cover letter and two writing samples to Clarisa Ramirez at Clarisa@leedcouncil.org before April 25.

Our office is located in Lincoln Park on 1866 N. Marcey Street. It’s a ten-minute walk from the Armitage stop on the Brown Line. Otherwise, interns can walk from the Fullterton stop on the Red Line or choose to take the Armitage or Fullterton bus going east and west.