The SBAC provides small businesses with a powerful and unified voice at the local, state, and federal levels. Once enacted, the local reforms below will dramatically improve the small business climate in Chicago.
Chicago’s small businesses drive our economy, create jobs, and foster economic development within their communities. We are calling on politicians to endorse and champion the Chicago Small Business Bill of Rights. The adoption of these guiding principles will support small businesses and their employees across Chicago. Click above to read the full Bill of Rights.
Chicago’s debt check process is built on outdated data, disconnected software systems, and manual processes that lead to errors. Unlike every other major city, Chicago requires debt checks before issuing permits, business licenses, or city contracts, applying them not only to applicants but also to property owners. Small debts and mistakes cause delays, which negatively impacts the small business community and property owners, stalls construction, and stymies the economic development Chicago needs. Modernizing the debt check process will cut red tape, reduce errors, and enhance revenue collection– clearing the way for stronger economic development, business expansion, and job growth across the city.
Alderman Matt Martin has taken compelling action to improve the process by which small businesses can operate in Chicago. Recognizing the crucial role small businesses play in our economy and the numerous challenges they are facing at this moment, Alderman Martin has proposed an Order that, if adopted by City Council, will direct the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) to formulate an implementation plan for a “One-Stop Shop Business Licensing and Permitting Portal” through which small businesses in Chicago can apply for or renew all licenses or permits, request inspections, coordinate directly with City Department liaisons, and find personalized information, including the status of their permit or license application, the status of their inspection request, and inspection requirements.
Chicago’s zoning code requires an additional level of scrutiny for particular businesses and activities that the code names as “special uses” in certain zoning districts. Designating a type of business as a special use does not block that business from opening. Instead, the vast majority of applications pass through a process that favors prospective businesses with more resources. We are collaborating with the Metropolitan Planning Council to update the special use process. Based on input from a wide array of business organizations across the city, we propose that Chicago transition four special uses to by-right status in select zoning districts–while instituting objective standards for those uses.
The Small Business Advocacy Council, alongside a dedicated coalition of stakeholders, has united with a common goal: to revitalize Cook County’s commercial corridors, ushering our community into a thriving economic future. This collaborative initiative is driven by grassroots engagement, policy advocacy, and educational initiatives.
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