How can we cut red tape for small businesses through zoning?
In the City of Chicago, every business license, location expansion and change of location application needs to be reviewed and approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals before a business license application can be processed. For a business owner to submit proper documentation, they must identify which business use to classify their business. In the City of Chicago, there are over 22 pages of business uses - a portion of which are outdated and with a noticeable omission of modern ways to incorporate businesses into the city economy.
The SBAC believes in cutting red tape for small business owners. Simplifying and downsizing the list of business uses will make it easier for small businesses to obtain proper zoning credentials in a timely fashion. By identifying the antiquities in Chicago’s zoning classification system, we can further encourage entrepreneurs to look beyond the boundaries of traditional business structures.
Twenty-Eight Groups Send Letter to Chicago City Council Members on PTO Ordinance
City Council has passed a PTO ordinance that provides greatly expanded paid and sick leave for Chicago employees. The ordinance, however, subjects small businesses to crushing penalties and lawsuits. Many small businesses will also be unable to comply with the mandates of the ordinance by the end of the year. This is an open letter…
Empowering New Businesses: Illinois Launches Back to Business (B2B) NewBiz Program
Illinois Launches Back to Business (B2B) NewBiz Program The application window for the B2B NewBiz program opens on November 30, 2023, and will remain open until January 11, 2024. The Small Business Advocacy Council has advocated for a program that provides grant funding to businesses that launched in 2020 (prior to the pandemic) and in…
Giving Tuesday
As we move into 2024, we would be honored to have you engaged with EMPOWER as one of our supporters. Thank you again for your unwavering support; we look forward to staying connected in the future!
