City In Review: Chicago

Clearing · Then vs Now

Clearing: 2025-05 vs 2026-05

A side-by-side look at how Clearing shifted between two periods.

2025-05 2026-05 Change
Building permits 11 0 -100%
Construction value ($) $285,704 $0 -100%
New business licenses 9 6 -33%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 656 0 -100%
Reported crimes 85 0 -100%
Violent crimes 21 0 -100%
Failed food inspections 1 0 -100%

2025-05

Clearing logs $286k in permits, mostly express work

Clearing pulled 11 permits in May, down from 15 the month before, but their total value climbed to $286,000—up 10% from April's $261,000. Ten of those permits were express-program jobs. The other was a renovation or alteration. No new businesses opened this month.

2026-05

Clearing logs six new licenses, no permit activity

Clearing issued no building permits in May after logging four worth $77k the month before. Six new business licenses appeared: VGS Diesel, Kerry's Auto Body, Highend Motors, Aim Productions, and Top Notch Sewing Solutions, a manufacturing shop. Service-request and crime counts both hit zero—down from 281 and five, respectively—suggesting incomplete data reporting rather than a genuinely silent month.

New businesses — 2025-05

  • AIRPORT HEATING AND COOLING (Regulated Business License)
  • SPARKLE AND BOHO (Regulated Business License)
  • XINHUAXIN INC. (Limited Business License)
  • ELY'S FLOWERS & PERFUMES (Limited Business License)
  • Healthylilly Nutrition Club (Retail Food Establishment)
  • ELLA BEAUTY STUDIO (Limited Business License)
  • WALGREENS # 06297 (Tobacco)
  • SSP AMERICA, INC. (Retail Food Establishment)
  • TWISTED SHAMROCK (Public Place of Amusement)

New businesses — 2026-05

  • VGS DIESEL (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • AIM PRODUCTIONS (Regulated Business License)
  • HIGHEND MOTORS (Limited Business License)
  • KERRY'S AUTO BODY INC. (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • KERRY'S AUTO BODY INC (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • TOP NOTCH SEWING SOLUTIONS, LLC (Manufacturing Establishments)