OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
LORI E. LIGHTFOOT
November 18, 2021
Anna Valencia City Clerk
Room 107, City Hall Chicago, IL 60602
Dear Ms. Valencia:
I transmit herewith for filing Executive Order No. 2021-3. Your prompt attention to this matter is appreciated.
Sincerely
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
LORI E. LIGHTFOOT
MAYOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2021-3
WHEREAS, in Chicago, low-income people of color are disproportionately impacted by arrest and incarceration, and over 11,000 individuals return to Chicago each year upon their release from prison; and
WHEREAS, many of these Chicagoans lack an adequate education and job skills, and, upon their release, are likely to struggle with limited housing and employment options, and with physical and behavioral health issues; and
WHEREAS, returning residents—and their families and communities—are not provided with the supports, services, and investments needed to succeed, and this contributes to high rates of recidivism; and
WHEREAS, the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council ("SPAC") estimates that, ofthe people released from Illinois prisons each year, 17% recidivate within one year and 43% recidivate within three years; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago recognizes that persistent recidivism is fueled by structural barriers and inequities within the healthcare, housing, and workforce systems, which are shaped by systemic racism, gender discrimination, and discrimination based on one's arrest and conviction record; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago recognizes that the disruption families experience when a loved one is incarcerated can lead to generational cycles of trauma and poverty, which can be disrupted through meaningful investments; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative that the City supports returning residents through trauma-informed, evidence-based programs with track records of success and policies that remove barriers to opportunity for people with arrest and conviction records; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago likewise recognizes the need to create a "Second Chance City" that addresses the root causes of incarceration and recidivism and creates wraparound responses that enable all Chicagoans to thrive; and
WHEREAS, management of services and policies impacting returning residents in the City of Chicago is currently highly siloed and involves multiple City departments and sister agencies; and
WHEREAS, Chicago aspires to have City departments and sister agencies working together through a "whole of government'" approach to measurably improve short-term and long-term outcomes for returning residents; and
WHEREAS, a coordinated system of governance to support returning residents is in concert with the goals and strategies of existing City plans, including We Will Chicago, INVEST South/West, Healthy Chicago 2025, the Mayor's Solutions Toward Ending Poverty Agenda, and Mayor Lightfoot's Transition Team recommendations on Returning Residents; and
WHEREAS, in Spring and Summer 2021, Mayor Lightfoot convened a multi-sector Returning Residents Working Group consisting of community leaders, advocates, and people with lived experience as returning residents to shape the City's policy and programmatic agenda around healthcare, housing, and workforce access, as well as the corresponding internal governance structure to promote accountability; now, therefore,
I, LORI E. LIGHTFOOT, Mayor ofthe City of Chicago do hereby order as follows:
1. The establishment of an Interagency Reentry Council ("Council"), coordinated by the Office ofthe Mayor, the purpose of which shall be to:
Convene City departments, sister agencies, and community partners around a shared goal of promoting positive reentry and life outcomes for returning residents in Chicago;
Advance the priorities ofthe 2021 Returning Residents Working Group around healthcare, housing, and workforce development systems and policies;
Collect and analyze data on Chicago's returning resident population, including using data to identify communities disproportionately impacted by recidivism, set shared goals, and track progress of outcomes;
Engage government, non-profit, business, and philanthropic partners to build a coalition committed to building a Second Chance City;
Identify and remove policy barriers and regulatory burdens that contribute to disparities in Chicago's safety net for returning residents;
Review and make recommendations on best practices and new, innovative policies, programs, and funding opportunities that could advance equitable opportunities for returning residents;
Serve as a focal point for community feedback and solicit support from external organizations and subject matter experts;
h. Serve as the new coordinating body for implementation and monitoring progress
toward department-specific returning resident services and other departmental
goals; and
i. Identify funding streams and sources to support the above work.
The Office ofthe Mayor shall invite participation in the Council by relevant City departments, sister agencies, and other entities including: Office of the Mayor; Chicago Department of Housing; Chicago Transit Authority; Department of Procurement Services; Chicago Housing Authority; Department of Streets and Sanitation; Chicago Department of Transportation: Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership; Department of Family & Support Services; Chicago Public Schools; Chicago Department of Public Health; Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection; Chicago Commission on Human Relations; Department of Human Resources; Chicago Police Department; and other entities as appropriate.
The Office of the Mayor may also invite participation on a quarterly basis, or more often as deemed appropriate, by non-City organizations and individuals whose work directly impacts the lives of returning residents, including, but not limited to, representatives from the 2021 Returning Residents Working Group, including community-based organizations that provide wrap-around supports to returning residents; advocacy organizations designing policy solutions; academic research partners; coalitions led by returning residents; private sector partners prioritizing the hiring of returning residents; State and County government agencies; and others.
The departments named in paragraph (2) may utilize existing authority as appropriate to enter into intergovernmental agreements or memoranda of understanding with other invited participants as needed to achieve the purposes stated in subsections (a) through (i) of paragraph (1).
The Council may form working groups to help inform and advance the purposes stated in subsections (a) through (i) of paragraph (1).
As necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes ofthe Council as stated in subsections (a) through (i) of paragraph (1), the Council may work with the Department of Law to identify available pathways to entering into intergovernmental agreements or memoranda of understanding with the relevant governmental entities.
The Council shall convene no later than March of 2022 and meet on at least a monthly basis.
The Council shall publish a report within 365 days after initial convening, and then annually thereafter.
This Order shall take effect upon its execution and filing with the City Clerk.