City In Review: Chicago

South Chicago · Then vs Now

South Chicago: 2025-04 vs 2026-04

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

2025-04 2026-04 Change
Building permits 30 24 -20%
Construction value ($) $3,379,461 $707,392 -79%
New business licenses 4 5 +25%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 985 1,162 +18%
Reported crimes 289 180 -38%
Violent crimes 122 58 -52%
Failed food inspections 7 2 -71%

2025-04

South Chicago permit value jumps 1,415% to $3.4M

Thirty permits totaling $3.4 million in April—a fifteenfold increase over March's $223k. Express permits led the pack with 18 pulled, followed by seven renovation/alteration jobs. No new businesses or closures logged. Service requests ticked up 10% to 985, paced by 87 tree trim requests and 85 streetlight complaints. Violent crime rose 17% (122 incidents, up from 104). Seven food inspections failed, more than double March's three.

2026-04

South Chicago crime falls 41% in April

Crime dropped hard in South Chicago last month — 180 incidents, down from 304 in March. Violent offenses fell 53%. At the same time, 311 calls jumped 19%, driven by 141 tree trim requests (a category the city no longer accepts). Permits edged up to 24, worth $707k combined, mostly express permits. Five businesses opened, including Rainbow Shop #297 and Chicago Fashion Buyers. Two food inspections failed, half as many as the month before.

New businesses — 2025-04

  • STALWART MARKET (Mobile Food License)
  • ZEDEDEE CENTER (Limited Business License)
  • BEAUTY PLAZA MART, INC. (Limited Business License)
  • BERT'S JERK GRILL AND SEAFOOD LLC (Shared Kitchen User (Long Term))

New businesses — 2026-04

  • RAINBOW SHOP #297 (Limited Business License)
  • CHICAGO FASHION BUYERS (Regulated Business License)
  • MILES STRATEGIC EQUITIES, LLC (Regulated Business License)
  • Supreme Solutions, Inc. (Limited Business License)
  • STUDIO1819 (Limited Business License)