Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has unveiled a proposal for a city-owned grocery store in response to the departure of several supermarket chains from the South Side neighborhood due to rising crime. The plan includes a feasibility study to combat the “food deserts” created by these store closures which have “exacerbated inequities” in the area. Chicago has lost six grocery stores in crime-affected South and West Side neighborhoods since 2021. Johnson has been criticized due to Chicago’s crime surge under the first few months of his administration. The mayor has blamed car companies for the rampant theft in the city by failing to install anti-theft technology in their vehicles. Citywide theft in Chicago has gone up 98% since 2020, according to police data.
