I’ve noticed that many of our rural Illinois communities have a vacant or derelict building in the heart of their downtown or on main street. While the missed opportunities of a property sitting vacant seem basic, the concept is complicated. Intent, code, statute, and insurance classification may...
In Illinois, we’re familiar with the phrase “A winter weather advisory is in effect for your region.” Snow has blanketed the state from north to south and more snow is predicted.
Winter storms can bring bitterly cold temperatures, heavy snow, and icy roads. We rely on...
Many rural areas in the U.S. Midwest have been experiencing net population losses for years, raising concerns about the survival of these communities.1 Fewer people mean not only a reduced workforce and diminished taxpayer base, but also fewer customers for local businesses, lower participation...
The Opportunity Zones incentive is a new community investment tool established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide....
Many voices, one vision
The USDA Rural Economic Development Innovation (REDI) Initiative planning process started with a two-day countywide community-building event, held...
The massive mid-February 2021 winter storm brought dangerous cold, snow and ice to a large portion of the country. The effects were felt from southeast Texas to northern Ohio as the storm lifted from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley. “This brutal winter weather, and our ability to withstand it,...
In the fall of 2019, the communities of Canton and Havana were hit with the shocking news that Vistra Corp. planned closing the local coal-fired power plants within three months. Community leaders were left to navigate the detrimental impacts to their tax base and workforce and they turned to each...
Streator is a forward thinking city. Successful incubation programs operate like the businesses they help launch, whether they’re located in rural areas or more urban areas. When budgets are tight, best practice programs identify efficiencies to conserve scarce resources. But they also develop new...
