Supermarket Gentrification: Part of “the Dietary Divide”

Supermarket Gentrification: Part of “the Dietary Divide” Peter Zelchenko http://zelchenko.comhttp://ward43.blogspot.compete@printchicago.com

Formalized policy/research initiatives CSU Department of Geography NAC Chicago Food System Collaborative Children: CLOCC and Healthy Schools Campaign MCIC’s “Chain Reaction” Study Family Farmed Institute for Community Resource Development Policy Research Action Group: Loyola + CSU, DePaul, NLU, UIC Food planning: Unprecedented interdisciplinary activity

Food planning... • Activists and local organizations • CCCP, CDPH • Claire Pentecost • Dock Walls and CFABC: Reform Dominick’s • Pat Dowell-Cerasoli and NWSCDC • West Town and the war for “independents”

Food planning... • Officials • Alds. Laurino and Flores’ Supermarket Task Force • Minority legislators for CLOCC’s Consensus Agenda • Ald. Flores’s anti-restrictive covenant ordinance • City’s increased promotion of farmers markets

Food planning... • Farms and CSAs • Growing Home • Ken Dunn’s City Farm • Regional CSAs and farms

The trouble in West Town • Gentrifying community losing last independent supermarkets • Observations • Prices: Found Jewel and Dominick’s prices significantly higher • Store size: Found Jewel and Dominick’s obsessed with much larger stores...

The trouble in West Town... • Observations... • Why are they so big and why do they cost more? • The land value hypothesis • But many shoppers prefer multiple medium-size markets nearby, not one big megastore • Draw a connection to the high and low ends

Solution: Core services initiative • Obtain land • Establish special occupancy conditions • Incentives: Rent, taxes artificially reduced • We did it backwards in West Town

Solution: Core services initiative... • Implementation • Roll out immediately in identified emergency areas • Ultimate goal is to have walkable competition for services

Supermarket Gentrification: Part of “the Dietary Divide”