South Suburbs

The Southland Development Authority describes itself as "a non-profit business organization designed to grow the economy of the south suburbs." It helps the 45 cities and villages the area with a range of initiatives, including workforce development, building development, and business promotion. One of its projects is semi-regular bus tours that give residents, stakeholders, and elected officials an overview of SDA's work. Streetsblog Chicago sat down with SDA CEO Bo Kemp to discuss tours, what the organization has learned from these trips, and which initiatives he’s currently excited about. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.