Mayor Brandon Johnson wants to increase food access by creating a community-based “market city” framework, with priority attention given to the historically underserved South and West sides.
Johnson’s new plan, called the Market City Action Plan, was announced Thursday and would further his 2025 idea to establish a public market. It calls for creating administrative infrastructure to provide resources for food entrepreneurs, supporting existing farmers markets and building a network of year-round indoor public markets.
He also signed an executive order to establish a steering committee that would bring together city departments and community members to implement the plan. Johnson appointed Aaliayah Romer as manager of food equity to head the initiative.
“Our Market City strategy is about building a food system that responds to what communities need while creating more opportunities for local entrepreneurs to grow and succeed,” Johnson said in a news release. “This Executive Order moves that vision into action so we can deliver lasting solutions shaped by the needs of our neighborhoods.”
Johnson first floated the idea of expanding food access in 2023 when he proposed a city-owned grocery store. Following a feasibility study on the idea, he pivoted to opening public markets.
“After a very thoughtful and a more thorough engagement over the last several years, listening to people, we heard loud and clear that the entrepreneur spirit of Chicagoans wanted their efforts to be strengthened, and especially Chicago’s existing food ecosystem. So it was important that we’re building on the innovative work that’s already happening in our neighborhoods,” Johnson told the Sun-Times on Thursday.
Residents in the South and West sides statistically have much lower access to grocery stores than other neighborhoods. A report released this year by the Greater Chicago Food Depository found 51% of South Side homes, 45% of West Side homes and 41% of Southwest Side homes are food insecure and don’t have consistent access to enough food.
Johnson’s announcement comes three months after the city-funded redevelopment deal with the operators of Save A Lot fell apart after the owner, Yellow Banana, closed its seven stores one year after opening.
Following the Save A Lot closures, the city announced in August that it would provide $450,000 in microgrants through its Neighborhood Market Grant Program to help support existing grocers and markets.
Johnson’s new plan was developed over the last year in collaboration with the Chicago Food Equity Council and the Greater Chicago Food Depository, as well as community stakeholders such as residents, entrepreneurs, farmers and market operators.
The mayor’s office said the next step will be to release a Request for Information to the public in the next month, with the goal of identifying potential sites and operators for a market.
Residents would likely see the first results from the plan through additional support to farmers markets during the 2027 season, said Ruby Ferguson, senior director of community engagement at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The support could be financial or through marketing help.
Johnson said the city is still considering whether they will own or operate the public markets and that it may instead provide support.
Mayor Johnson announces plan to expand food access, create indoor public markets 2026
IUSTITIA.BG – Investigations 2009-2026 2026-10-22 22:31:40
Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
