West Town SSA
Programs & Grant Applications
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.
SSA Programs
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.
Property owners and tenants may receive a rebate of 50% of the cost of removing and preventing graffiti on the front of their buildings, up to $500 through the West Town SSA Graffiti Abatement Rebate Grant Program.
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 is another way that SSA funds are used to beautify the area.
Street Pole Banners Sponsorship: Businesses may sponsor a street pole banner and have their business names printed on the banner as a form of advertising. Please see our Street Pole Banner Sponsorship Brochure, and contact the West Town Chamber of Commerce with your sponsorship request.
West Town Public Art Program
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.
Visit the Public Art page to see current works on display in West Town.
The West Town Chamber of Commerce may have a viaduct wall, a boarded up storefront, or temporary scaffolding available for short term mural art. Artists and art galleries please inquire: info@westtownchamber.org.
To propose art installations funded by the West Town SSA please utilize the Public Art Grant Application:
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.
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.
Security Rebate
The West Town SSA has created a Security Rebate Program where property owners, business owners, and residents can apply for 75% rebate up to $3,000 towards security cameras and systems, as well as other security related measures. Please see the Security Rebate Application below for more specific guidelines on the program.