From InBusiness/Chicago - June 12th, 2020 Plug into... The NW SIDE BUSINESS NEWS I n this Issue : Cook County Land Bank; Turning Abandoned & Vacant Properties Into Assets - Emergency Alerts to Protect Your Business - Favorite Places & Wide Open Spaces - Tax Credits

The Cook County Land Bank Authority... returning vacant land and abandoned buildings back into reliable and sustainable community assets .

The Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA), the largest land bank by geography in the country, addresses the large inventory of vacant residential, industrial, and commercial property in Cook County. The Land Bank acquires, holds, and transfers interest in property throughout Cook County, promoting redevelopment and reuse of vacant, abandoned, foreclosed, or tax-delinquent properties. It supports targeted efforts to stabilize neighborhoods and stimulate residential, commercial, and industrial development  Learn more about CCLBA; Check out the Interactive Property Viewer

From Abandoned Properties to Dream Homes: Buying a House Through Cook County’s Land Bank Click to read Sara Freund - Curbed Chicago, 3/11/2020 Mar 11, 2020

Protecting Your Business Chicago's Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP) and Office of Emergency Management & Communication (OEMC) urge businesses to sign up to receive targeted alerts via CHIBIZ . To sign up: Text CHIBIZ to 67283 or visit chicago.gov/chibizalerts   By completing the short registration form, you'll receive targeted mobile alerts for severe weather, fire, medical,or public safety disturbances that could impact your business.

OEMC also recommends these resources... Chicago Public & Private Partnership Portal (CP3) is a one-stop site to submit business contact information, floor plans, hazardous materials kept on site, and other essential information to Chicago's Fire, Public Health, and Police Departments for emergency purposes. Click to access O EMC's Private Sector Camera Initiative - I f your business is interested in providing public way access of external-facing cameras to the City of Chicago, email Jocelyne.Williams@cityofchicago.org NotifyChicago alerts residents and businesses, via mobile text messaging or e-mail, about conditions such as severe weather, hazardous materials, and traffic impacts. Click to access

Send Us Your Favorite Places Open for Business... A regular feature of the 'News is Let's Eat - suggestions for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or to check-out over a weekend. Chicago is a 'foodie's' paradise but the pandemic has taken its toll. I don't think you can live anywhere without having favorite go-to places. I base this on my twenty-something grandson's observation before moving to a major city in Texas. He wasn't sure he could "live" without  Johnnie's Beef in Elmwood Park . And time proved it. Every trip here, he flies back with at least a dozen 'beefs, not to mention White Castle Sliders and other gourmet fare. Click to email your favorite eateries open for business

Tax-Free Financial Assistance for Employees I n the wake of the COVID pandemic and shelter-in-place orders, there is a way for businesses to assist employees financially burdened by the crisis. One uncomplicated, tax-favorable action is to make disaster relief assistance payments under Section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code.  Learn more.

Exploring Wide Open Spaces .... 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe

The Chicago Botanic Garden is one of the world's great living museums and conservation science centers. You can engage your senses, body, and mind walking thru the themed gardens, and via some 1500 classes, workshops, programs, and events - from the life cycle of plants to painting and photography, butterflies to bonsai, and wilderness survival to yoga workouts - through the  Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School  in one of the largest blended indoor/outdoor learning environments in the area.  Visit website

Sponsored CHICAGO PROPERTY INVESTORS LLC Michael Goldstein - (773)504-1200 Hard-to-find Inexpensive space in Chicagoland 500’-150,000’ - short and long term leases

LEASING: 1840 N. LaCrosse Avenue, 60639 - 46,634 SF

Click here for specs on 1840 N. LaCrosse Avenue. F or other Chicago Property Investors properties - Click here

If you find yourself seeking employment, as everyday life starts to move forward in the coming months. Click to read...  10 Unique Questions To Ask An Interviewer Claire Hegstrom - Alliant Money Mentor, 4/21/2020

FOR SALE... 1928 N. Leamington, 60639 18,000 SF - Single story industrial building with mezzanine office - combine with 1925 N. Leamington for a combined space of 30,000 sf Click for flyer Contact - Deborah Smith,Strauss Realty Ltd. 773-885-3254 or email Deborah@straussrealty.com

Tax Credits for Businesses Hit by COVID-19 Employee Retention Credit - Click to learn more Paid Sick Leave and Family Leave Credit - Click to learn more

The IRS has several free enewsletters with tax tips, topics of use to businesses, and a wide range of resources. To subscribe, Click here

Mid-Year Benefit Changes New guidance from the Internal Revenue Service allows workers to make benefit changes midyear, pending employer agreement. The move - a mid-year open-enrollment period - applies to firms buying health insurance to cover workers and those that self-insure and pay claims on their own. Click to read article.

We welcome your Comments & Feedback... Click here to send us YOUR news... Follow InBusiness/Chicago on Facebook; and Check out our website HERE