Greater Chicagoland Black Chamber of Commerce Urges Pritzker to Declare Disaster Emergency After Severe August 11 Storms (Chicago, IL) – The Greater Chicagoland Black Chamber of Commerce is urging Gov. JB Pritzker to issue a gubernatorial disaster proclamation for Chicagoland communities affected by the severe storms that swept across northern Illinois on Aug. 11.
The storm system brought tornadoes, destructive winds, flooding, downed power lines, widespread power outages and extensive damage to trees, homes, businesses and public infrastructure throughout the Chicago region.
The chamber described the aftermath as an economic and community emergency for families, homeowners, renters and small-business owners facing potentially significant uninsured losses.
The organization acknowledged Pritzker’s Aug. 14 signing of Senate Bill 3925, which allows participating local home-equity assurance programs to provide eligible homeowners with rebates for certain flood-related expenses. However, chamber officials said the measure does not address the full scope of damage caused by the storms.
“A $1,000 flood rebate cannot replace a damaged roof, reopen a business forced to close, remove fallen trees, replace destroyed inventory, repair public infrastructure or make whole a family facing thousands of dollars in uninsured losses,” the chamber said.
Under Illinois law, the governor can issue a disaster proclamation when a disaster exists. Such a proclamation activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and allows state resources to be deployed to support affected communities.
The chamber is calling on the governor to issue a disaster proclamation covering Chicagoland counties and communities substantially affected by the Aug. 11 storms, while continuing to update the affected areas as additional damage assessments are completed.
It is also asking the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security to expedite coordination with county and municipal emergency-management agencies to document residential, commercial and public-infrastructure damage.
Among the chamber’s other requests are the creation of a centralized process for residents and businesses to report storm damage, immediate deployment of available state resources when local capabilities are overwhelmed, and publication of a timetable for damage assessments and determining eligibility for state, federal and Small Business Administration assistance.
Small businesses are a particular concern for the chamber.
Officials said businesses can face significant financial losses from damaged inventory and equipment, structural repairs, utility interruptions and reduced customer traffic following a major storm. For many small-business owners, prolonged closures can threaten the survival of companies that have taken years to build.
“There are employees who still need to be paid, insurance deductibles that must be met, customers who must be served and families whose livelihoods depend upon those businesses reopening,” the chamber said.
The organization noted that Pritzker has previously exercised Illinois’ disaster-proclamation authority following severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, including a June 30, 2026, proclamation covering multiple Illinois counties after destructive weather earlier this year.
The chamber emphasized that its request is not intended as criticism of emergency managers, first responders, utility crews or local officials working to restore affected communities.
“We thank them for their extraordinary efforts,” the organization said. “It is a call for the full weight of state government to stand behind those efforts.”
The Greater Chicagoland Black Chamber of Commerce said it is prepared to work with the governor, IEMA-OHS, county and municipal officials, community organizations and business leaders to identify affected businesses, document economic losses and help ensure recovery resources reach communities most in need.
Greater Chicagoland Black Chamber of Commerce Urges Pritzker to Declare Disaster Emergency After Severe August 11 Storms
