CUPPA Subject Matter Experts in the News Spring ’26
Introduction
CBS News Channel 2 / April 27
In a follow up to a recent report from CBS News Channel 2 Investigators, reporter Tara Molina interviewed UTC Director P.S. Sriraj regarding the recent increase in the number of derailments of CTA rapid transit trains. Dr. Sriraj noted the need for addressing ongoing infrastructure maintenance to keep trains operating safely and on time.
WTTW / April 27
Urban Planning and Policy Associate Professor Kate Lowe was a panelist on Chicago Tonight regarding the story, Local Agencies Adjust Their Approaches Amid Concerns Over CTA Crime.
Chicago SunTimes / April 26
Nik Theodore, Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Policy, was extensively consulted in a Chicago SunTimes story on April 26 on immigration raids. In the story, Immigration raids upending Chicago's construction industry amid worker shortage, higher costs, Theodore said, "“The industry has been struggling for skilled labor for years now, and immigrant workers in particular have been filling a number of the gaps, especially in occupations like drywall, plaster or roofing here in Chicago.”
Times Standard / April 26
The Times Standard of Humboldt County, CA, covered a McKinleyville, CA public meeting on Amazon's plans to build a last mile 40,290 square foot delivery station in McKinleyville and cited a Center for Urban Economic Development report on Amazon workers, "Regarding quality of jobs, a study from the University of Illinois Chicago’s Center for Urban Economic Development found that 53% of Amazon warehouse workers experience food insecurity."
WTTW / April 28
Urban Planning and Policy Associate Professor Kate Lowe was a panelist on Chicago Tonight regarding Local Agencies Adjust Their Approaches Amid Concerns Over CTA Crime
CBS Chicago / April 27
In a follow up to a recent report from CBS News Channel 2 Investigators, reporter Tara Molina interviewed UTC Director P.S. Sriraj regarding the recent increase in the number of derailments of CTA rapid transit trains. Dr. Sriraj noted the need for addressing ongoing infrastructure maintenance to keep trains operating safely and on time.
CBS Chicago / April 24
In a CBS news segment on Friday, April 24, director of the Urban Transportation Center, P.S. Sriraj, shared his expertise in the lead story on the 5 p.m. news regarding a CTA yellow line train derailment in Rogers Park on Thursday, April 23. ""This is a system that's at least 80, 90 years old. It's, as is the case with any large system, the needs are aplenty and the resources are few," said P.S. Sriraj."
Ark Valley Voice / April 21
A Center for Urban Economic Development report by Beth Gutelius and Sanjay Pinto, Handling Hardship: Data on Economic Insecurity Among Amazon Warehouse Workers, was referenced in the ArkValley Voice regarding Amazon annexation.
UIC Today / April 20
Amanda Lewis, director or the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, was featured in UIC Today for her UIC’s Faculty Mentor of the Year Award. The article stated that "her approach [to mentoring] is rooted in high expectations paired with deep support. Drawing from her research on race, gender, class and education, she sees mentoring as a counter to systems that may too often overlook talent."
Rockford Star / April 14
P.S. Sriraj, director of the Urban Transportation Center, was quoted in the Rockford Star on the challenges for self-driving vehicles in Chicago.
Medill Illinois News Bureau / April 7
In a recent article published by Medill Illinois News Bureau, UTC director, P.S. Sriraj, noted that autonomous vehicle services like Waymo one day may be available in Chicago and throughout Illinois.
WBBM / April 6
CUPPA's urban studies and public policy majors were referenced in a story on WBBM-AM News Radio on April 5 about former Chicago mayor, Lori Lightfoot, teaching her course, Leadership in Times of Crisis, in CUPPA this spring semester.
Daily Commercial News / March 31
Urban Planning and Policy Professor Kheir Al-Kodmany was featured in Daily Commercial News discussing the Foundry Park development in Chicago. He noted that the project’s scaled-down, phased approach reflects both the site’s industrial legacy and evolving post-COVID economic conditions, including shifting office demand, rising construction costs, and tighter financing.
Fox 32 Chicago / March 31
In a story on why we pay Cook County property taxes, director of the Government Finance Research Center and professor of Public Administration, Deborah A. Carroll explained that taxes are one of the oldest forms of taxation, "Carroll said such a revenue source is necessary for government bodies to provide essential services that the private sector traditionally does not. "Local governments provide a lot of services that the private sector won’t provide because it’s not profitable to do so. That’s why we have intervention of government into the market to provide things that we think are necessary for people to have access to or to consume, like public education.""
WBEZ / March 27
Kate Lowe, associate professor of Urban Planning and Policy, appeared on WBEZ's In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simonson Thurs., March 26 discussing the CTA Red Line extension.
WBEZ / March 21
Amanda Lewis, director of the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, spoke to WBEZ regarding a new study she helped write outlining Illinois state policies and legal systems that excluded the descendants of enslaved people. According to WBEZ, she "says Illinois has never reckoned with how much ithas limited the access of Black residents to high-quality education. We have never provided equitable education opportunities in the country or in the state...."
WBEZ / March 10
A Great Cities Institute 2025 study was referenced in a story by WTTW and the Medill School of Journalism on Latino Arts funding and philanthropic support decreases. "According to a 2025 report by the University of Illinois Chicago Great Cities Institute, Latinos make up about 30% of the city and the majority of CPS students, yet only around 6% of philanthropic arts funding is directed toward Latino arts."
Chattanooga Times Free Press / March 7
David Merriman, Stukel Presidential Professor in the Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics spoke with the Chattanooga Times Free Press regarding two redevelopment projects in Chattanooga, debt incurred by the city, and its impact on tax payers.
BlockClub Chicago / March 5
A 2024 study by Joseph Hoereth, director of the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement, and Ryan Fulgham, was referenced in a BlockClub Chicago story, "As Uptown Loses Another SRO, Low-Income Renters Forced To Leave Area: ‘Rent Is Skyrocketing.’"
Chicago Contrarian / March 2
The Great Cities Institute was referenced in the Chicago Contrarian's story by Paul Vallas, "Stemming Violence in Chicago Requires Closing the Pipeline of Future and Repeat Offenders," for GCI's report on youth joblessness. "90,000 16 to 19-year-olds in Chicago are jobless."
Chambana Today / February 27
The Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy's "Taking Account: A History of Racial Harm & Injustice Against Black Illinoisans" report for The Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission was covered in Chambana TODAY.
NBC5 Chicago / February 26
David Merriman, Stukel Professor in Public Policy, Management, and Analytics, spoke to NBC5 Chicago, regarding Illinois property tax reform. "Illinois is … compared to all states in the country, I think we're the second from the most reliant on property taxes," said Merriman.
Chicago Tribune / February 26
Urban Planning and Policy Professor John Betancur spoke to the Chicago Tribune regarding residents of Jackson Park near the Obama Foundation and Presidential Center being displaced by the new investments in the neighborhood. "Obama “argued he was doing a favor to the South Side by bringing development, as if development is something good, disregarding the shakeup that these places do to that area and of course the displacement of the most vulnerable households,” Betancur said."
ABC 7 / February 23
On Feb. 23, Urban Transportation Center director, P.S. Sriraj, discussed on ABC 7 Eyewitness News, the Federal Transit Administration letter sent to the Chicago Transit Authority requiring the CTA to develop an improved safety plan for riders and staff or face. The loss of federal funding.
Mass Transit / February 18
UTC director, P.S. Sriraj, discussed the Urban Transportation Center's study highlighting the value of rural transit in Mass Transit magazine on Feb. 18. The study, "Return on Investment for Rural Demand-Response Transit in Illinois, is available on the UTC website.
Earth911 / February 19
The CUED study, "Pain Points: Data on Work Intensity, Monitoring, and Health at Amazon Warehouses," was referenced in an Earth911 story on the Sustainable Consumer's Guide to Amazon Shopping.
Yahoo News / February 11
The Great Cities Institute's new data brief, "A Normalized Crisis: Youth and Young Adult Joblessness and Disconnection in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois and the U.S., 2019–2024," by Matt Wilson, GCI associate director for economic and workforce development, examines persistent youth and young adult joblessness in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and the United States from 2019–2024. The report argues that youth unemployment is not a temporary or cyclical issue, but a longstanding structural crisis that has been normalized in the U.S. labor market. The report was mentioned in several media outlets including Yahoo Finance, CBS New Chicago, WBBM-AM, and WGN Midday News.
City of Chicago / January 22
The Nathalie P. Voorhees Center's Point in Time Homeless count was referenced in a City of Chicago news release on Jan. 22. The release stated that on the night of the Count, about 550 trained City staff, homeless shelter staff, street outreach teams and volunteers conduct a tally and survey of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in both sheltered sites and unsheltered locations not meant for human habitation (e.g., parks, encampments) in Chicago. Mayor Brandon Johnson said, "The point-in-time count is a vital part of the City’s data-driven approach to understanding and addressing homelessness in Chicago."
Injustice Watch / January 15
David Merriman, Stukel Presidential Professor in the Department of Public Policy, Management and Analytics, was quoted by Injustice Watch in their story, "Cook County allows tax foreclosures by municipalities. Poor oversight led to misuse by local officials." He said, “The county has an obligation to ensure that any public resources it controls are used for legitimate public purposes.”
Streetsblog Chicago / January 9
Streetsblog covered Urban Planning and Policy Associate Professor Kate Lowe's new project website, "Black Perspectives on Public Transit." "Black Perspectives on Public Transit" is a new interactive website based on datacollected through Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and CTA surveys, along with community-based research. It's described as "a mixed methods analysis of views... centered in North Lawndale to better understand the perspectives of Black residents."
Newcity / January 8
A Great Cities Institute study was referenced in a Newcity Music story on the impact of ICE on Chicago's music community. "According to a University of Illinois at Chicago and Great Cities Institute report, Chicago’s nonprofit arts sector generates roughly $1.7 billion in annual economic activity, supports about 11,000 jobs, and produces more than $250 million in local and state tax revenue."
Chicago Tribune / January 2
In a Tribune story on Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's city hall hiring freezes, Stukel Presidential Professor David Merriman said, “In general, hiring freezes are a blunt tool to reduce spending,” Merriman wrote in a statement. “A much better approach is to prioritize city services and to curtail those that are least essential and most readily able to be cut.”
Chicago Sun-Times / December 28
A story on immigration referenced a 2024 Great Cities Institute Study on Latinos in Chicago, "A 2024 study by the University of Illinois Chicago Great Cities Institute found that Latinos in Chicago, who predominantly are of Mexican descent, contribute nearly $100 billion annually to the GDP of the Chicago metropolitan area."
Chicago Tribune / December 26
Associate professor of Urban Planning and Policy, Kate Lowe, was quoted in a Chicago Tribune story on CTA safety. Among her comments, she said, “There’s a lot of things that cause people distress, but it’s really hard to untangle what is really a risk to someone’s physical safety."