Equity and Empowerment Commission Reparations Recommendations - Wealth and Opportunity Gaps

For City Council Meeting of September 9, 2019 Item A27
Business of City by Motion: Equity & Empowerment Commission Reparations
Recommendations. For Action:
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Equity & Empowerment Commission
Subject: Reparations Recommendations - Wealth and Opportunity Gaps
Date: September 9, 2019
Background
At its June 2019 meeting, Alderman Rue Simmons requested that the Equity and
Empowerment Commission assist with identifying ways to address the historical wealth
and opportunity gaps that African American residents of Evanston experience. Ald. Rue
Simmons sought a “Solutions Only” process to identify actions that the City of Evanston
could take to implement a meaningful repair and reparations policy.
The Commission created an ad hoc subcommittee and convened community meetings
on July 11 and July 13 to include residents and gather public input on why Evanston
should address repair and reparation, who should be involved, what actions could be
taken, and what revenue sources should be considered. Both meetings were well-
attended.
Attendees identified five priority categories for action (History/Culture, Finance,
Education, Institutions/Systems, and Power Structure) and then broke into smaller
groups to prioritize actions within each category. Notes of both meetings are
attached; they also include public input for a related, but separate, community
reconciliation initiative. City staff also provided attendees with a partial list of existing
City programs and ordinances that already address specific priorities regarding policies
and actions to begin to remedy the City’s role in historical and institutional racism and
discrimination.
Acknowledging that additional research and data collection that are beyond the scope of
this commission are necessary to create a fair and equitable process that is sustainable,
the Commission makes no specific recommendations as to how these policies would be
implemented.
Livability Benefits:
Equity & Empowerment: Provide for meaningful community engagement; Ensure
equitable access to community assets.
Memorandum

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Recommended Action:
The Equity and Empowerment Commission recommends the City Council receive this
report and directs the City Manager to do the additional research and data collection
that would determine the feasibility of these recommendations.
Housing:
 Provide property tax relief to African-American, long-time owners of
residential property in Evanston.
 Provide housing repair and rehabilitation assistance to African-American
property owners in Evanston.
 Provide down payment assistance to income-qualified, African-American
home purchasers in Evanston.
 Provide housing rental assistance to income-qualified, African-American
residents in Evanston.
Economic Development:
 Re-purpose the Gibbs-Morrison Center to provide co-working or work
cooperative space for African-American entrepreneurs.
 Invest in workforce training for African-American Evanston residents.
 Provide low-interest loans for African-American Evanston entrepreneurs.

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