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SOUTHLAND REACTIVATION ACT

The Southland Reactivation Act is a tax abatement incentive to property developers who purchase tax-exempt commercial and industrial property within Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Rich, Thornton or Worth Townships in Cook County.

Is the Southland Reactivation Act the right incentive for me?

The Southland Reactivation Act (P.A. 102-1010) offers an economic incentive to private developers who work with municipalities to bring eligible non-tax generating commercial and industrial parcels back to productive use.

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Eligible parcels must be:

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  • Located in Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Rich, Thornton, or Worth Townships in Cook County

  • Tax exempt—owned either by a municipality, the South Suburban Land Bank Development Authority, or the Cook County Land Bank Authority

  • Zoned commercial or industrial

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Click here to search for a specific parcel to determine if it meets the program's initial eligibility requirements (based on township, zoning, and ownership).

SRA intro

What does the incentive do?

The Southland Reactivation designation reduces a parcel's property tax bill for 12 years.

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For municipalities, the Southland Reactivation designation brings tax exempt parcels back on to tax rolls, and the proceeds benefit all taxing districts.

 

For developers, it provides a predictable tax bill that doesn't fluctuate with assessments.

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  • Qualifying parcels are assessed at 50% of the last known equalized assessed value.

  • For the first year a parcel is certified as a Southland Reactivation property, the aggregate tax bill liability cannot exceed $100,000.

  • Discounts on the liability would decrease gradually, but continue for a total of 12 years. The incentive is nonrenewable.

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Click here to calculate the 12 year tax bill on a prospective parcel.

How does the process work?

To designate a parcel as a Southland Reactivation site and initiate the incentive, the municipality must: 

 

  • Pass a resolution through the local legislative body designating the site.

  • Provide notification to the Cook County Assessor’s Office and SSMMA of the designation.

  • Provide Notice of Abatement of Tax Bill to the Cook County Clerk’s Office.

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Click here to download the full submission toolkit and checklist for municipalities. 

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