Metropolitan Mayors Caucus

10/26/2026

We’re honored to be selected for the Organizational Emerald Award by Illinois Green Alliance! We look forward to celebrating at Illinois Green’s Limelight event on Nov. 12, with other professionals who are advancing sustainability and green building practices.

In the award announcement, Illinois Green wrote that the Caucus was chosen for this honor because of its many sustainability initiatives over the years, including the Greenest Region Compact sustainability framework, helping half of its members with energy-saving retrofits, assisting communities in streamlining solar and EV codes and policies, and more.

“The impact of their work is tangible … By providing tools, expertise, peer connections, and capacity many communities would not otherwise have, the Caucus has transformed a collection of individual local efforts into a coordinated regional movement and a model for municipalities across Illinois.”

Find out more:

CHICAGO (Oct. 26, 2026) — The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (Caucus) will be recognized by Illinois Green Alliance at the organization's annual Limelight Celebration on Nov. 12. Illinois Green Alliance is honoring the Caucus with the Organizational Emerald Award for its "decades of impact made possib...

10/20/2026

The Caucus and ComEd are thrilled to announce the fifth cohort communities in our EV Readiness Program! Fifteen municipalities and one regional organization are participating and joined a recent kickoff meeting: Village of Cary, Illinois, City of Crest Hill, IL, Village of Elmwood Park, Village of Franklin Park, City of Highland Park, Illinois - Government, Village of Homer Glen Municipal Government, Village of Lincolnshire - Government, Village of Mount Prospect, Village of Orland Park, Illinois - Government, City of Park Ridge, Village of Riverside, Village of Westchester, and Blackhawk Hills Regional Council. Four communities previously earned EV Ready designation and plan to level up to Silver or Gold: Aurora, Darien, Downers Grove, and Highland Park.

Through the EV Readiness Program, the communities will make it faster and easier for residents and businesses to install EV charging stations. By supporting widespread EV adoption across the region, the program and communities' policies will help us drive toward a clean energy future.

Read the article on the fifth cohort starting the program:

Newest cohort of EV Readiness Program announced to help meet growing demand for electric vehicles The EV Readiness Program fifth cohort communities play a short icebreaker game during the kickoff meeting on Oct. 16, 2026.

10/01/2026

Our recycling mascot, Loop the Cart, met the Low-Income Energy Efficiency Outreach & Engagement grant's Energy Vampire mascot, created by RR Trade Schools, at the Community Action Partnership of Lake County's Resource Fair and Health Summit. The mascots are helping to educate residents about proper recycling and reducing energy waste at home!

09/29/2026

We’re speaking at the American Planning Association - Illinois Chapter Conference this week and hope to see you at our sessions!

Friday at 2:15 p.m.: Can homes and buildings be both sustainable and affordable? Find out during a town hall debate set in Pawnee. What “Parks and Recreation” characters might show up during this entertaining and educational session? Join us on Friday afternoon to see who makes an appearance!

Senior Sustainability Specialist Cheryl Scott will speak with partner organizations from the Caucus’ Advanced Building Energy Efficiency Policies (ABEEP) Task Force, including Slipstream, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, and Illinois Green Alliance.

Thursday at 4:45 p.m.: Caucus Director of Environmental Initiatives Edith Makra will join ABEEP Task Force partner organizations and the City of Evanston Illinois Government for “Bite-Sized Strategies for Communities,” a session on aligning planning practices with long-term sustainability, energy, and resilience goals.

09/28/2026

Thank you to Argonne National Laboratory for helping us plan and organize a successful quarterly meeting on Friday!

Attendees learned about innovations at the laboratory in infrastructure planning and resilience, in integrating AI to double the productivity and impact of science and engineering, and advances in energy storage. They also heard an update from the Illinois EPA.

More photos from the meeting and tours will be coming soon, but we wanted to share a few pictures today and thank Argonne National Laboratory for hosting, all of the speakers for contributing their time and expertise, and everyone who attended!

09/17/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined our Environment Committee meeting on green roofs and living walls, including those who stayed for a tour of The Meadow, the green roof atop the Old Post Office in Chicago. And thank you to our speakers for sharing their expertise!

We heard from the project leaders behind The Meadow, Principal Stan Szwalek and Associate Principal Ann Weiland of Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects. They shared how the green roof was designed, installed, and maintained, and led our rooftop tour. The presentation and tour offered a deeper look at the engineering behind this remarkable urban oasis.

The Committee also learned about designing, installing, and maintaining living walls from David Bishop, founder of Elevation, Living Walls & Vertical Gardens, and Mark Woolbright, CEO, inventor, and founder of Verdtech, Inc., which manufactures Varden Vertical Gardens.

Bradley Roback of the City of Chicago Department of Planning & Development discussed the City’s Sustainable Development Policy, how it supports innovative sustainable development like green roofs, and provided an overview of green roofs in the City.

Missed the meeting? View the recording and presentation slides on our meeting webpage: https://mayorscaucus.org/environment-committee-9-15-26-green-roofs-and-living-walls/

09/14/2026

Thank you to City of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and City staff for hosting the Caucus’ Executive Board meeting this morning at the Chicago Cultural Center. Mayor Johnson welcomed members and highlighted the importance of continuing to advance shared priorities for communities across the region, including the successful collaboration in the spring to oppose cuts to the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) revenues.

“That is a win worth recognizing, and it shows what is possible when municipalities stand together,” Mayor Johnson said. “As we head toward the fall veto session, we will continue building on that momentum, protecting the resources our communities rely on, and advancing shared priorities for municipalities across Illinois.”

Today’s Executive Board meeting also focused on other issues affecting local governments, including statewide housing initiatives, environment and energy policy, and housing and community development. Thank you to everyone who attended the hybrid meeting.

08/31/2026

We're hiring! The Caucus is seeking a Manager of Housing and Community Development Initiatives.

Are you a dynamic leader, strategic thinker, and exceptional communicator with experience in housing, community development, planning, or a related field? Are you ready to make a meaningful impact across the Chicago metropolitan region?

Learn more and apply by Sept. 18: https://mayorscaucus.org/were-hiring-manager-of-housing-and-community-development-initiatives/

Know someone who would be a great fit? Please share this opportunity with your network!

CHICAGO (Aug. 31, 2026)- The Caucus is hiring a Manager of Housing and Community Development Initiatives. Interested candidates should apply by September 18, 2026. Help Shape the Future of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Region Are you a dynamic leader, strategic thinker, and exceptional communicator...

08/12/2026

Congrats to the Powering Safe Communities grant recipients!

In partnership with ComEd, $170,000 in grant funding has been awarded to 24 communities to support public safety and clean energy projects that will make our region safer, stronger, and more sustainable.

Learn more about the community initiatives and equipment funded through the grant program: https://mayorscaucus.org/caucus-comed-award-over-170000-for-clean-energy-projects-and-public-safety/

08/11/2026

An article in the Evanston RoundTable featured Climate Action Evanston , one of 37 organizations that received a Low-Income Energy Efficiency Outreach and Engagement (LIEEOE) grant from the Caucus. Climate Action Evanston is encouraging residents to explore energy efficiency and low-income energy assistance programs through events, home consultations, one-on-one coaching, handouts, and more. Their work and other LIEEOE grantees’ outreach helps residents throughout the region save money and energy.

“Sometimes there’s a disconnect between those energy efficiency services and programs, and the people that can especially benefit from them,” said Briana Moore, who helped the Caucus facilitate the grant. “So this program is really all about trying to bridge that gap by having trusted community partners.”

Read the full article to learn more about Climate Action Evanston’s work and to find an overview of energy efficiency and low-income energy assistance programs:

As part of its energy equity campaign, Climate Action Evanston is encouraging Evanston residents to explore programs — particularly for low-income