Nedra Fears
Nedra Sims Fears is the executive director of the Greater Chatham Initiative of Chicago.
GCI supports housing stability, business and workforce development, and public safety in the Auburn Gresham, Avalon Park, Chatham, and Greater Grand Crossing Black neighborhoods. Under Nedra’s leadership, GCI created FoodLab Chicago, which stabilized and scaled 40 black-owned restaurants with $2.8 million in loans and grants. The initiative executed the 75th Street Boardwalk on Restaurant Row, which transformed a 2-block corridor and received the CNDA award, the Congress for the New Urbanism award, and the 2020-2021 Merit Award for Design from the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. CGI also marketed Chatham to attract new residents—Chatham’s population increased 2% from 2010-2020.
Previously Nedra financed low and moderate income housing for Fannie Mae, City of Chicago, and Community Investment Corporation. She is a Community of Practice co-chair for Middle Neighborhoods, and governor for the Metropolitan Planning Commission.