CNN/Money ranks Chicago No. 4 on 'Innovative Cities' list

Chicago ranks No. 4 on the “Most Innovative Cities” list published Tuesday by CNNMoney.

The top three are New York at No. 1, followed by Boston and Portland, Ore.

Rounding out the Top 10 behind Chicago are Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Cleveland.

The list is described as a “snapshot” of what’s happening in America’s urban environments, focusing on how to innovate around gentrification “without displacing the people who had lived there for decades.” Another factor was the ability of activists, nonprofits and corporations to work together with local governments to empower cities, according to CNNMoney’s introductory article, “How to build an innovative city.”

Here’s what CNNMoney had to say about Chicago‘s standing:

Chicago was the first city in the country to appoint a Chief Data Officer, and it’s a leader when it comes to harnessing open data as a way to improve the lives of city residents. It’s also good at leveraging relationships. City programs like Skills for Chicagoland’s Future match the needs of businesses with unemployed workers and offer training programs with direct pathways to employment. A partnership with the MacArthur Foundation has helped to provide more affordable housing in the city, and its Center for Neighborhood Technology has contributed to innovations on the local level, like car-sharing and energy efficiency in homes. The city has also turned many of its alleys into small greenways, and redeveloped existing land into public parks, like the Navy Pier and The 606, a mile-long railroad. More green is on the way for this city — an infrastructure trust was established to facilitate the building and greening of buildings.

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