Illinois governor signs legislation to address food deserts in the state

Today, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 850, which establishes the Illinois Grocery Initiative — a multi-pronged policy designed to address food deserts across the state. It will support existing grocers and encourage new grocery stores to open through incentive opportunities. The legislation also allows grocery stores receiving grants as part of the program to be designated as High Impact Businesses, providing them the opportunity to receive tax credits and other incentives. 

"The Illinois Grocery Initiative is the latest expansion of our holistic approach to ensuring Illinois families can reach the big building blocks of a good life," said Pritzker. "When our residents struggle to keep a roof over their head, can't put food on the table, or have to choose between paying for basic medical care and keeping the lights on — that's a failure of the system. That's why I'm proud to sign into law the Illinois Grocery Initiative—a first-of-its-kind $20 million investment to open or expand grocery stores in underserved rural towns and urban neighborhoods."

Through the Illinois Grocery Initiative, $20 million will be invested in addressing food deserts, with the majority supporting grocers in these areas. The program will provide wrap-around support to local governments and independent grocers opening grocery stores in food deserts, which includes providing technical assistance, feasibility studies and marketing, support with operational costs, and access to capital funding for the acquisition of land, facilities, or equipment. Up to 20% of program funding may be used for grants for energy-efficient equipment upgrades to existing independently owned, cooperative, and for-profit grocery stores.

In order to gather a full understanding of the proliferation of food deserts and food insecurity in Illinois, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will commission a study to explore reasons for market declines, historical disparities for access to food, potential policy solutions, geographic trends, the role of independent grocers, and more. The study is designed to inform potential future iterations of program resources. 

Grocers receiving grant support from the Illinois Grocery Initiative will be eligible for the High Impact Business Program to bring down their costs of operations. This includes tax exemptions on utilities and building materials.