West Town SSA

Programs & Grant Applications

SSA Programs & Rebates

600 block of Milwaukee Ave building facades.JPG

Facade Rebate Program

Helps property owners and tenants beautify the front of their buildings with rebates of 50% of the cost of improving the front of their buildings, up to $15,000.

PDF Application

Online Application

Graffiti Rebate Program

Helps property owners and tenants remove, repair, or prevent graffiti on their building facades, with rebates up to $500.

PDF Application

Online Application

Public Art Grant

The West Town Public Art program values cultural diversity and takes art out of designated space and places it in the public context to create full accessibility. Through highlighting local, emerging, and established artists, the program purpose is to culturally invigorate the vibrant West Town community by enriching the neighborhood with pieces of public art, which will help to stimulate the local economy and establish West Town Chicago as a unique cultural destination. Grants of up to 100% are awarded.

PDF Application

Online Application

Security Rebate Program

Helps property owners, business owners, and residents improve the safety of their building and surrounding area with rebates of 75% of the cost of installing security related measures, up to $3,000.

PDF Application

Online Application

Advertising & Promotion

SSA funds are used to promote area businesses by sponsoring special events and by advertising through both public and social media. The West Town SSA sponsors the following annual events: West Fest Chicago, West Town Art Walk, West Town Winterfest, and other local shopping initiatives.

Advertising & Promotion

Other Services include:

Public Way Maintenance

Cleanslate, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides paid transitional jobs in neighborhood beautification keeps the area sidewalks clean, litter-free, and trash cans emptied on a daily basis.

In the winter, sidewalks are plowed and salted whenever the snow is 2" or more. Sidewalks are professionally power washed when needed, and a graffiti removal team spends 4 days a month removing graffiti throughout the entire SSA.

Public Way Maintenance

Public Way Aesthetics

To beautify and give the area a neighborhood presence within the City of Chicago, SSA funds are used to create and hang street pole banners, as well as to purchase and display holiday decorations. Streetscape elements, like artist-designed trash cans, are installed and kept in good repair using SSA funds. Public Art and Street Pole Banners are another way that SSA funds are used to beautify the area.

Public Way Aesthetics

Tenant Retention & Attraction

The West Town SSA maintains a property vacancy list and work to link property owners, developers, realtors and entrepreneurs.

West Town Chamber of Commerce staff are also available to provide technical assistance to those who are looking to start or expand a business within the SSA and can assist in finding City services, licenses, permits, as well as linking them to other valuable resources.

Tenant Retention & Attraction

Facade Improvement

Planning & District Improvement

In addition to analyzing demographic and statistical data, area businesses, property owners, and consumers are canvassed and asked about their vision for the neighborhood and the need for specific services.

Key findings, such as the area's cleanliness, walkability, traffic patterns, public transportation, safety issues, building conditions and vacancy rates, provide the information needed for program development and long-range planning. Click here for the West Town MASTER PLAN.