Tonya Love Trice

With a passion for equitable development and a deep commitment to community empowerment, Tonya Trice is an accomplished leader in commercial real estate development, economic revitalization, and property stabilization in historically marginalized neighborhoods. Her work centers on implementing large-scale, multi-million-dollar revitalization strategies that reposition disinvested commercial corridors as vibrant, community-serving economic hubs. These strategies integrate streetscape beautification, small business recruitment, cultural activation, and customer attraction to drive inclusive and sustainable growth. 

Through her leadership, Tonya has played a pivotal role in shaping the economic landscape of Chicago’s South Shore community, advancing a long-term vision that prioritizes local ownership, reduces commercial vacancy, and preserves neighborhood character. She has led successful efforts to stabilize underutilized commercial properties, attract mission-aligned tenants, and forge strategic partnerships across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors—work that has been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business. 

Under Tonya’s direction, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce became the founder of South Shore’s first shared investment strategy, We the People Community Investment Vehicle (CIV). This innovative model allows residents to pool financial resources to collectively invest in neighborhood assets, creating a community-driven wealth-building strategy that centers resident needs, promotes shared ownership, and ensures that development benefits those who live and work in South Shore. The CIV is intentionally designed to preserve the legacy of South Shore as one of the last predominantly African American waterfront communities in the country, while building pathways to long-term economic stability and intergenerational wealth. 

Tonya’s academic studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago laid the foundation for a career grounded in real estate development and community building. She brings extensive experience in grassroots engagement, small business support, coalition-building, and policy-informed development to every initiative she leads—advancing a bold vision of economic justice, neighborhood self-determination, and community-led growth.