City In Review: Chicago

Clearing · 2026-02

Clearing logs just 10 new licenses after 82 in January

Clearing's new business count fell to 10 in February from 82 the month before—a drop that's steep even for the short month. Arrivals included Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, Giorginos Pizza, and a funeral home. Permit value shrank by half to $188k, with eight of nine permits filed through the express program. Service requests climbed 21%, paced by 118 rodent complaints and 126 tree-trim requests (a category the city stopped accepting but which still clogs the queue). Violent crime dropped 41%, from 22 incidents to 13.

By the numbers

Building permits9
Declared construction value$188,304
New business licenses10
Business closings (proxy)0
311 service requests732
Reported crimes69
Violent crimes13
Failed food inspections0

New businesses

Top permit types

Top 311 request types

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