CUPPA Subject Matter Experts in the News Fall ’25
Introduction
NPA / November 6
Nik Theodore, Center for Urban Economic Development director and Urban Planning and Policy professor, spoke to All Things Considered on National Public Radio on Nov. 6 regarding labor shortages in the construction industry and President Trump's immigration crackdown. "The roots of the labor shortage go back at least 25 years. In the early 2000s, as the labor shortage grew amid a building boom, immigrants were filling many of the openings, especially in residential construction. "Undocumented immigrants became a key source of profitability in the industry,"" he said.
Moneywise / November 6
A Center for Urban Economic Development report by Beth Gutelius and Sanjay Pinto was used in a Moneywise story on Nov. 6, "White House says SNAP will receive partial funding in November after Trump’s defiant post creates confusion — here’s what’s at stake for Americans."
The Daily Northwestern / October 29
Urban Planning and Policy Professor Kheir Al-Kodmany was featured in The Daily Northwestern discussing the role of public space design in revitalizing downtown Evanston. He noted that fountains enhance placemaking, but frequent programming and strategic low-cost improvements may have a stronger economic and social impact than extensive infrastructure repairs.
WHYY / October 17
WHYY of Deleware reported on a presentation given by Great Cities Institute senior fellow, Juan González, at the Delaware History Museum on Oct. 17. “There is a huge Latino population in the United States — over 68 million people today,” González said. “But there’s very little knowledge by most Americans as to how and why the Latino community of the United States developed because it’s a very complex community, more than 20 different nations and ethnic groups.”
CNN / October 16
Teresa Córdova, director of the Great Cities Institute, was quoted on CNN's "It’s killing business’: Trump’s mass deportation push is crushing local economies."
Investigate Midwest / October 6
Investigate Midwest spoke to Nik Theodore, professor of Urban Planning and Policy and director of the Center for Urban Economic Development (CUED), regarding the end of the Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE) program. He noted the uncertainty this has caused for workers in food and beverage manufacturing, in particular, and its impact on the food supply chain.
Storage Cafe / September
Urban Planning and Policy Professor Kheir Al-Kodmany was featured in an interview on trends shaping Chicago’s self-storage market, highlighting how urban density, smaller living spaces, and high population mobility are fueling demand across the city.
WalletHub / September
Urban Planning and Policy Professor Kheir Al-Kodmany shared practical advice with WalletHub on how drivers can reduce the cost of SR-22 insurance, emphasizing the importance of shopping around, maintaining a clean driving record, and asking about discounts to keep premiums low. He also cautioned that letting coverage lapse or failing to inform insurers about SR-22 requirements are costly mistakes that can lead to penalties or policy cancellation. Al-Kodmany noted that careful planning, transparency, and safe driving habits are key to managing insurance expenses and restoring one’s record over time.
Smoky Mountain News / October 10
The Smoky Mountain News referenced a Center for Urban Economic Development (CUED) report from 2024, "most front-line Amazon workers report making between $16 and $20 an hour, and that 45% earn less than $45,000 a year. Consequently, a third of Amazon workers have used one or more publicly funded assistance programs, including 23% who have used the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program."
Fox13 Now / October 9
Urban Planning and Policy Professor Kheir Al-Kodmany was quoted on Fox13 Now regarding the Wallet Hub study comparing how all 50 states keep their residents safe, analyzing a list of factors including crime, financial safety, climate disasters and more. He explained what constitutes a "safe" community could vary, in reaction to the report.
WFLD-TV - FOX 32 Chicago / October 8
Teresa Córdova, director of the Great Cities Institute and professor of Urban Planning and Policy, was interviewed on Fox 32's The Chicago Report segment on how immigration raids make private contractors wealthy. The seven plus minute interview notes Córdova's research and Crain's Chicago Business commentary focusing on how immigration crackdowns disrupt Chicago’s economy while fueling corporate profits for private detention companies.
Illinois Policy / October
The 2022 "Red-Light and Speed Cameras" final report by Urban Planning and Policy Associate Professors Stacey Sutton and Nebiyou Tilahun was referenced in an Illinois Policy story, Chicago Speed Cameras Hit 3-Year Ticket High In July.
CBS Chicago / September 20
CBS Chicago Saturday on Sept. 20 reported on the need to address water infrastructure in Cook County. CBS noted that the county will be teaming up with the Government Finance Research Center to address future water infrastructure funding, with recommendations expected in 2027.
UPI / September 20
On Sept. 20, UPI noted Rob Paral's quote in the New York Times from early September, "There are at least 150,000 undocumented immigrants living in Chicago." Paral is a senior research specialist in the Great Cities Institute.
Chicago Sun-Times / September 15
Kate Lowe, associate professor of Urban Planning and Policy, commented on a Chicago Sun-Times story on the transit 'fiscal cliff' in comparison to the same issue experienced n Philadelphia. "State lawmakers put the funding discussion on the “back burner” while focusing on transit reform.“Regardless of one’s perspective on reform, more work on funding needed to come earlier,” she said."
MSN.Com / September 9
In an Associated Press story appearing on MSN.com, Nik Theodore, director of the Center for Urban Economic Development and professor of Urban Planning and Policy, discussed the trend of workers waiting outside of Home Depot. Theodore said, “Home Depot is not an innocent bystander in all of this. Their sources of success were instrumental in catalyzing this change.”
New York Times / September 9
In the NYT story, "Who Are Chicago's Immigrants," Rob Paral, a demographer at the Great Cities Institute, was quoted, "Chicago has been very chill about immigration. It’s not a radioactive issue here.” Paral's research provided figures on Chicago's resident populations.
WGN Radio 720 / September 6
"Mike Stephen learns about a new way to explore Illinois finances through the Fiscal Futures Data Hub with UIC professor David Merriman."
NPR's MarketPlace / September 5
Beth Gutelius, a senior research fellow in the Center for Urban Economic Development (CUED) was interviewed in a story on "Quarterly demand for industrial warehouses sees first drop in 15 years." She said, "more often than not, the way warehousing goes, so goes the rest of the economy."
The Times Weekly/ September 4
A Great Cities Institute report released last year, was cited in a Sept. 4 The Times Weekly story, "Gov. Pritzker Braces for ICE Actions in Chicago, Warns Against Trump’s National Guard Deployment." The report, Fuerza Mexicana: The Past, Present, and Power of Mexicans in Chicagoland, noted that "Chicago has one of the largest Latino populations in the nation, and 74% of that group are of Mexican heritage."
Crain's Chicago Business / September 4
Immigration crackdown deals a blow to Chicago's Latino business corridors
Great Cities Institute director and Urban Planning and Policy professor, Teresa Córdova, discussed GCI's research and data analyzing the economic effects of Trump’s crackdown on immigrant retail corridors in Crain's Chicago Business on Sept. 4. The research was used for the article,
Crain's Chicago Business / September 4
Let's consider who's profiting from the detention center business
Great Cities Institute director and Urban Planning and Policy professor Teresa Córdova's commentary appeared in the Sept. 4 Crain's Chicago Business.
Block Club Chicago / August 27
AI Use And Data Centers Are Causing ComEd Bills To Spike - And It Will Likely Get Worse
"The Great Lakes region’s cooler climate and abundant water supply have drawn data centers since the servers require tons of energy for cooling, so milder climates reduce the need for power, said Christelle Khalaf, associate director at the Government Finance Research Center at the University of Illinois Chicago."
Chicago Sun-Times / August 25
A decade ago, the city committed to eliminating traffic deaths by 2026. It's not even close.
"But Chicago has not made similar progress, in part because it’s not invested enough at redesigning its dangerous roads, says Kate Lowe, a professor at University of Illinois Chicago’s urban planning and policy department.
PA Times / August 22
Understanding the Current Crisis in Public Administration: Part 4 – Aging Infrastructure
Erik Devereux, teaching associate professor, in the Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics, penned a series, which "invokes plate tectonics as a metaphor for thinking about what has transpired with the federal government since January 20."