Cook County Class 6b SER (Sustainable Emergency Relief)
A non-renewable 6b variant for industrial properties occupied by long-tenured industrial enterprises facing economic hardship. Requires both a municipal Special Circumstances resolution AND a Cook County Board resolution.
Check an Address — Free Snapshot
Compare the geocoded point for a Chicago address with the boundary used to screen Cook County Class 6b SER (Sustainable Emergency Relief). A match is a location signal; review the current program source for the boundary's role and remaining criteria.
Published criteria — confirm with Cook County Assessor's Office — Incentives
- Industrial property in Cook County
- Industrial enterprise occupying the same premises for 10+ consecutive years
- Documented economic hardship without incentive
Cook County Class 6b SER (Sustainable Emergency Relief) is administered at the county level. Depending on the program, eligibility may depend on the specific location, property type, or business activity rather than a single drawn boundary.
Boundaries are precise and change over time, so whether a specific address falls inside a mapped zone always depends on that exact address. The fastest way to check is to run a free snapshot for the parcel you have in mind — mapped coverage is a location signal, not an eligibility determination.
Range on file · 10% assessment for 10 years (non-renewable)
Current published terms as of 2026-08-09
- +10% assessment for 10 years, 15% year 11, 20% year 12
- +Preserves jobs at existing industrial facilities
- +Allows in-place expansion without losing existing operations
- 1Obtain municipal Special Circumstances resolution
- 2Obtain a second supporting resolution from the Cook County Board of Commissioners
- 3File 6b SER application with the Assessor with hardship documentation
- 4Assessor reviews and grants non-renewable 12-year incentive
Call Assessor Incentives at (312) 603-7529 to discuss SER hardship case
- Municipal Special Circumstances resolution
- Cook County Board resolution
- Evidence the occupying industrial enterprise has operated at the same premises for 10+ consecutive years
- Financial hardship documentation (tax returns, P&Ls)
- Employment and operational continuity evidence
This page is a starting point, not eligibility, legal, or tax advice. Verify current requirements, deadlines, and boundaries with the administering agency before applying or spending money — program rules and funding change over time.
- Municipal Special Circumstances resolution — Chicago City Council (or host municipality)
- Cook County Board resolution — Cook County Board of Commissioners
- Phone
- (312) 603-7529
- Web
- Visit site ↗
Last verified 2026-08-09
Cook County reduces property tax assessments for small commercial projects to encourage new construction, substantial rehabilitation, or reoccupancy of abandoned commercial buildings.
The Catalyst Grant provides up to $100,000 to established small businesses in Cook County for equipment, facilities, and hiring — funded through ARPA dollars.
C-PACE provides up to 100% upfront financing from private capital for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation improvements to commercial buildings, repaid through property tax bills.
Free one-on-one business advising through 13 Business Support Organizations and 30+ referral partners. No cost, no eligibility requirements beyond being in Cook County.