At the start of Summer 2021, Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced a package of ordinances into Chicago City Council known as the Chi Biz Strong recovery package. The package contained small business-centered policies among which were reforms the SBAC had long been fighting for including the elimination of full city council approval for public way use permits.

Chicago Alderman narrowly voted to remove the other public way use permit reform contained in the Chi Biz Strong package and put it up for a separate vote in the July City Council meeting. The SBAC spent the weeks ahead of the July meeting rallying Chicago business organizations behind the cause to eliminate full city council approval for public way use permits. With 36 business organizations and chambers of commerce formally endorsing our letter to Chicago Alderman - on July 21st, Chicago City Council stood with small businesses by eliminating full city council approval for the public way use permits.

Ordinance SO2021-332 expands the limit on home based business operational space to 300 square feet or to 25 percent of the total floor area in any single-family residence, and more than 15 percent of the floor area of a unit in a building containing multiple dwellings. This allows business owners to unleash their productivity and work from home during the pandemic. The ordinance represents a successful collaboration of partnerships between Elliot Richardson, Co-Founder and President of the Small Business Advocacy Council;  Beth Kregor, the Director of the IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Law School; and the Departments of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, Buildings, and Planning and Development.

When the CARES Act was originally passed in March of 2020, Congress intended to make PPP loans deductible. However, in April, the IRS published Notice 2020-32 saying that under section 265 of the Internal Revenue Code business expenses paid for from a class of tax-exempt income – a forgiven PPP loan – are taxable. This would have been absolutely devastating for small businesses that were already struggling to stay afloat. Urgently, with the aid of our members and Chamber partners, we used our voice in the nationwide effort demanding a legislative solution. That solution was reached with Section 276 of The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021. This amended the original CARES Act to clarify that PPP loans are in fact tax-deductible – a major victory for the grassroots effort to save small businesses.

While the complex situation on the tax deductibility of PPP loans is where most small business owners focused their legislative concerns, we understood the unique role 501(c)6 organizations - local Chambers of Commerce - play in the advancement of small business oriented interests. Chambers are often the first stop business owners and entrepreneurs make when looking for help. When the pandemic hit and 501(c)6 organizations were excluded from all legislative relief efforts, we immediately galvanized support. In our letter to the IL congressional delegation, we assembled 58 chambers of commerce, from all across the state, behind one unified message. This is a true testament in our ability to tailor advocacy initiatives in the most non-partisan and effective manner.