Cook County land bank approved

Register for Feb. 7 roundtable

The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved the creation of a new Land Bank Authority on Jan. 16. MPC President MarySue Barrett chaired the Cook County Land Bank Advisory Committee, and commended the County for its leadership. “Cook County has taken a thoughtful approach to helping the region address the vast and growing number of vacant and abandoned properties. The proposed Land Bank Authority is an innovative, yet pragmatic strategy that will remove redevelopment barriers, making it easier for municipalities and the private market to move ahead with development plans and jumpstart the economy.”

Learn more about the Cook County Land Bank Authority.

Register today to attend a roundtable discussion at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 7, co-hosted by MPC and ULI Chicago, and featuring Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer.

Talking Transit: Examining CTA's fare increase

In January, for the first time in four years, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) increased the price of some of its unlimited ride passes. which are used by about 55 percent of CTA riders. Are these fare increases reasonable? Talking Transit breaks it down.

Get In The Loop on all the latest transportation headlines, from Chicago to around the world.

Talking Transit is supported by Bombardier.

The benefits of Placemaking: new blog series

Great places attract people through activities, shopping or just the experience of connecting to other people—and the power of a vibrant public place transcends geographic and demographic boundaries. Read MPC’s blog, The Connector, for a new series on the quantifiable and indisputable economic, environmental, physical and social benefits of Placemaking.

Blue Island gets day in the sun for innovative stormwater management

Watch this excellent ABC-7 coverage of the City of Blue Island’s ongoing efforts to energize community members to help reduce flooding. MPC is assisting with the Blue Island Blue Water initiative to showcase how communities can work with private property owners to install native gardens, rain barrels, and other green infrastructure to reduce costly sewer and basement back-ups and beautify their neighborhood.

Streetsblog launches in Chicago

At long last, Streetsblog has expanded to serve Chicagoans! Check out chi.streetsblog.org and visit the site daily for news about sustainable transportation and public space issues. MPC has been working behind the scenes to make this happen for years, and we put together a fun video to celebrate!

Blame it on no rain: How local communities are weathering the drought

Experiencing Drought is another new series on MPC’s blog, The Connector, featuring guest columns by public works officials on the impacts of drought on northeastern Illinois communities. First up: balancing river and groundwater in Aurora and low Mississippi river levels in Moline. Coming soon: Elgin, Crystal Lake and more.

Upcoming events

• Jan. 28 The Sixth William O. Lipinski Symposium on Transportation Policy & Strategy at Northwestern University
• Jan. 30 Single-Family Rental Housing Forum: Managing the Next Step of the Foreclosure Crisis
• Feb. 7 MPC and ULI Chicago Roundtable—Cook County Land Bank: Returning Vacant Land to Productive Use
• Feb. 7 New Partners for Smart Growth: Building Safe, Healthy, Equitable and Prosperous Communities in Kansas City, Mo.
• Feb. 25 Riders for Better Transit Summit: Building a 21st Century Transit System
• Feb. 27 MPC Roundtable—Two Anchor Institutions, One Story of Revitalization through Housing Investment