# Johnson's 'Market City' plan swaps a City grocery store for public markets. Here's what the Council has voted on for groceries

*An executive order sets up a steering committee and a food equity manager, and a call for market sites is due within a month. The Council's grocery votes have been tax breaks and TIF deals, including the Save A Lot deal that collapsed.*

By Chicago Politics · Updated Oct 24, 2026

Mayor Brandon Johnson on Thursday, Oct. 22, announced a Market City Action Plan to expand food access, with priority for the South and West sides, the [Chicago Sun-Times reported](https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2026/10/22/mayor-johnson-expand-food-access-create-indoor-public-markets). He signed an executive order creating a steering committee of City departments and community members to carry it out, and named a manager of food equity to lead it.

Why it matters: the Sun-Times cited a 2026 Greater Chicago Food Depository report finding that about half of South Side households and 45% of West Side households are food insecure. Johnson first floated a City-owned grocery store in 2023. This plan replaces that idea with support for farmers markets, help for food entrepreneurs and a network of year-round indoor public markets, according to the Sun-Times.

## What the plan does, and doesn't yet say

The Sun-Times reported no budget figure for the plan. The Mayor's office plans to issue a public request for information within a month to find possible market sites and operators. Johnson said the City has not decided whether it would own or run the markets or only support them. The first visible results would likely be more support for farmers markets in the 2027 season, a Food Depository official told the paper.

Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) appeared with the Mayor at the signing.

The plan arrives about three months after a City-backed deal with Save A Lot operator Yellow Banana fell apart when the company closed its stores, the Sun-Times reported. In August, the City announced $450,000 in microgrants for existing grocers and markets.

## What our records add

Because the plan was set up by executive order, it has not come before the City Council. But the Council has voted on grocery deals many times, almost always unanimously:

- **The Save A Lot deal.** In November 2022, under Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Council approved TIF assistance for Yellow Banana LLC to buy, rehab and run full-service groceries at six South and West Side addresses ([O2022-3605](/matter/O2022-3605)).
- **A co-op grocery.** The Council approved a deal with the Chicago Market community co-op in December 2022 ([O2022-3797](/matter/O2022-3797)), and in March 2024 passed Johnson's revised TIF payout terms for it, 48 to 0 ([SO2024-0007864](/matter/SO2024-0007864-revised-redevelopment-agreement-adjusting-payout-terms)).
- **Tax breaks for single stores.** In September 2024, the Council passed, 48 to 0, a Class 7(d) property tax incentive for a grocery at the former Dominick's at 3250 W. 87th St. ([O2024-0011037](/matter/O2024-0011037-support-class-7-tax-incentive-establish)).

How each ward voted: [O2024-0011037](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2024-0011037-support-class-7-tax-incentive-establish)

**More are in the pipeline.** On Oct. 8, City staff presented the Economic Development Committee with a Class 7(d) incentive for Central Fresh Market at 5567 W. North Ave. in Austin, describing it as a store operating at a loss in a food desert, with an estimated $380,000 abatement over 12 years ([watch](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/251A0456-0CB9-F111-AAAC-001DD80FDAD3?t=4087)). A year earlier, the same committee heard a $13.2 million Class 7(d) project for 40 Acres Fresh Market in Austin ([watch](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/7C84E40F-F997-F011-B4CB-001DD8054936?t=3043)), which Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) praised for bringing fresh food to the neighborhood ([watch](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/7C84E40F-F997-F011-B4CB-001DD8054936?t=3417)).

**Liquor licenses come up too.** In May, Taliaferro asked the License Committee for a package goods license that he said would let a Black woman-owned full-service grocery open on the West Side ([watch](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F6EA9CCA-4B42-F111-88B4-001DD8033B18?t=5091)).

## What's next

- The request for information on market sites is expected within the next month, according to the Sun-Times.
- Any City spending on the plan would show up in the 2027 budget. The Department of Planning and Development and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection appear before the Budget Committee on [Nov. 4](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A97D1CA-92C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5).
- If the City decides to buy or lease buildings for markets, those deals would need Council approval.

*Sources: [O2022-3605: Yellow Banana LLC grocery redevelopment agreement](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2022-3605); [O2022-3797: Chicago Market co-op agreement](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2022-3797); [SO2024-0007864: revised Chicago Market TIF payout](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/SO2024-0007864-revised-redevelopment-agreement-adjusting-payout-terms); [O2024-0011037: Class 7(d) grocery incentive at 3250 W. 87th St. (roll call)](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2024-0011037-support-class-7-tax-incentive-establish).*


## Legislation in this story

- [Tax Incentive 7(d) regarding development or retention of a grocery store at 3250 W 87th St](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2024-0011037-support-class-7-tax-incentive-establish) (O2024-0011037)

## Sources

1. City Clerk: [O2024-0011037: Tax Incentive 7(d) regarding development or retention of a grocery store at 3250 W 87th St](https://chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Matter/?matterId=13D59F48-7644-EF11-8409-001DD80545D4)
2. City Clerk: [O2024-0011037, Exhibits: O2024-0011037 Redev Agree EXH E Construction Compliance.pdf](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/matterattachmentspublic/12611d71-6da7-4b35-aec8-cee05ddda3bd.pdf)
3. City Clerk: [O2024-0011037, Exhibits: O2024-0011037 Redev Agree EXH B MBDWBE.pdf](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/matterattachmentspublic/22cf1f41-d28a-438b-a06c-46bae1b02a2b.pdf)
4. City Clerk: [O2024-0011037, EDS: 3520 W 87th St_EDS Form - Midwest RE Group LLC - with beneficiaries_Redacted.pdf](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/matterattachmentspublic/22cf63f7-ec70-4631-94b0-8ca2dfe3bfac.pdf)
5. City Clerk: [O2024-0011037, EDS: O2024-0011037 d  signed - updated beneficiaries (1)_Redacted.pdf](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/matterattachmentspublic/50ec40e1-b372-4be4-bf1e-6a8c2129f2c4.pdf)
6. City of Chicago: [City Council, Sep 18, 2024: meeting video](https://vimeo.com/1010371269)
7. Chicago Sun-Times: [Chicago Sun-Times reported](https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2026/10/22/mayor-johnson-expand-food-access-create-indoor-public-markets)
8. Chicago Politics: [O2024-0011037: votes, timeline and summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2024-0011037-support-class-7-tax-incentive-establish)
9. Chicago Politics: [City Council, Sep 18, 2024: transcript](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1010371269.txt)

On the map: [29th Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/29), [37th Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/37)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/chicago-market-city-plan-public-markets-executive-order-grocery · Chicago Politics, an independent tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt