The rise of e-commerce precipitated the decline of storefront small businesses, particularly retail businesses. Add the Covid-19 pandemic to the mix in 2020, and many other small businesses and restaurants closed as well. These closures affected the entire city, from the humblest streets all the way to the Magnificent Mile. As a result, the City of Chicago has a large number of vacant storefronts. Earlier this month, however, the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection announced a plan to combat this. As part of this Small Business Storefront Activation Program, the city is giving 15 community groups approximately $3 million in funds to support small businesses. Each community organization may identify vacant storefronts in their respective communities and then attempt to bring in small businesses. The idea is to fund retail areas and help bring in pop-up shops, indoor farmer’s markets, art galleries, and other new retail sites.… read more →
Popular culture has thrown the phrase “power of attorney” around to comedic effect in the past few decades and, in its pursuit of humor, has given some of those among the general public who hear this phrase the impression that someone who is granted this legalese-styled authority can routinely perform tasks anywhere from representing another person in a court of law all the way to selling away another person’s organs, both at their own discretion and with legal impunity. But, of course, even acknowledging the gulf between the joke and the actuality, misconceptions still abound. When it comes to Powers of Attorney in Illinois, what parts are fact and what parts are fiction? The average person is only likely to encounter a power of attorney in property law, specifically real estate transfers or estate planning, rather than in an everyday or random capacity. And, even then, the abilities and responsibilities… read more →
Illinois law makers passed over a whopping 300 new laws that have recently taken effect or will take effect in 2024. Are you a residential landlord or a residential tenant? Are you looking to get into the residential leasing business? Here are a few of the changes that may interest you. 1. The Illinois Human Rights Act already protects individuals in various situations from discrimination based on religion, race, ancestry, sex, color, disability and a host of other reasons. Effective January 1, 2024, immigration status has been added to the list of protected classes. If you are a landlord, you cannot deny a tenant solely because of their immigration status, whether it is their actual immigration status or what you perceive their immigration status to be. There has been a flood of refugees and undocumented immigrants coming into the Chicago area in recent years. This change will make it a… read more →
Illinois law makers passed over a whopping 300 new laws that have recently taken effect or will take effect in 2024. Are you in the construction business? Here are some of the changes that may interest you. The real estate market has been on the up and up the last few years with unprecedented home sales and a spike in prices fueled by a shortage in inventory. This situation has been a boon to the construction industry and spurred all kinds of construction-related work. Many people who wanted to move decided not to because of the hike in sales prices, leading to a rise in remodeling work. Contractors also realized that the current climate created a great market for new construction of residential properties. Various new laws recently passed in Illinois affect residential and commercial construction. If you are in the business of building, you should know the following:… read more →