Volume 4, Number 1 - Urban Economic Development - Spring 2000

Title: The Chicago Empowerment Zone: A Holistic Approach to Community Development in the Inner City

Authors: Stephanie Niccole Alexander and Hilda M. Rodriguez

Abstract: The ultimate goal of Empowerment Zones is to serve as a catalyst for social, economic, and cultural revitalization of depressed neighborhoods through the interplay of public, private, and nonprofit partnerships. EZ legislation boasts a forum to provide solutions to widespread community problems from the neighborhood up, rather than from Washington down. However, is this actually possible? This paper presents an overview of the three clusters that comprise ChicagoÕs Empowerment Zone Ð the West Side, Pilsen/Little Village, and the South Side Ð and the impact the designation is having on those communities. This report begins by tracking the history of Empowerment Zones and the need for this initiative in Chicago. Are Empowerment Zones a viable development strategy that not only will rebuild neighborhoods but also a sense of community.

About the Authors: Stephanie Niccole Alexander has studied issues concerning disenfranchised populations for most of her academic and professional life. As a 1999-2000 Arthur Quern Fellow, she researched the health needs of impoverished African American adolescent women in the West Cluster of ChicagoÕs Empowerment Zone. She recently received a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago and is currently, a Consultant for the Tiber Group. Hilda M. Rodriguez recently received a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Her areas of interest are economic development, community empowerment, and the impact of social programs, specifically welfare, on low-income communities. She currently is a Consultant with the Public Sector Division of Deloitte Consulting.

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