Posted on November 19, 2021November 23, 2021 by 33rd Ward Staff

Voting for this year’s participatory budgeting process closes November 30, which means there’s still a week and a half left to weigh in on the neighbor-proposed projects you want to see funded in the 33rd Ward.

One of the goals of participatory budgeting is to open up civic decision-making to those who are sometimes otherwise shut out of it. All ward residents age 14 and up, regardless of citizenship, can vote in PB!

To facilitate as much participation as possible, we’ll be holding an in-person voting day next Monday 11/22 from 5-7PM at our office (3001 W Irving Park).

Join me and our Participatory Budgeting (PB) Committee to cast your PB Ballot and enjoy some refreshments! Please help us spread the word.

Can’t make it? You can also still sign up to vote online. Read more about this year’s proposals on our website, or access our paper ballot here.

P.S. Our ward office and City of Chicago offices will be closed Wed – Fri next week for Thanksgiving. Due to the holiday, refuse collection may happen a day early next week for Monday – Wednesday pick-ups. Please have your garbage cans out early!

In This Week’s Newsletter

Community safety updates
Israel’s Gifts of Hope basket drive
Roosevelt High School pie sale
Nov. 20: Vaccine clinic at Boys & Girls Club
Nov. 20: Blood drive at Christ Lutheran Church
Nov. 25: Thanksgiving meal giveaway at St. John’s
Nov. 30: Indigenous Peoples’ Day conversation
Dec. 4: Bateman craft fair (vendors needed!)
New rental assistance program opens Dec. 6
Winter weather tips and assistance

Resources for residents
Community bulletin board – click here for more events, job listings, and resources!

Quick Links

Request services	33rd Ward Calendar
ChiStreetWork construction portal	Senior Services

Review Zoning Proposals	Resources for Renters

Community Safety Updates

Early on Thursday morning, a woman suffered a gunshot at the intersection of Wilson and Sacramento. She was being picked up by her boyfriend and upon entering the car, someone opened fire against the vehicle.

She is currently in stable condition.

After communicating with 17th District and neighbors in the area, our office organized a canvass with outreach workers from the Alliance of Local Service Organizations (ALSO) and two clinicians from the Kedzie Center to check on our neighbors and ensure that people knew where and how to get support when needed.

The outreach workers are in the process of making contact with the victim to continue the work of preventing retaliatory violence. We will continue working with the street outreach team and communicating with 17th District to share any new updates. Feel free to reach out to our office if you have questions or concerns.

Advocating for Violence Prevention in the 33rd Ward

When faced with violence in our community, our office makes use of all available tools. But there’s a dire need for more resources to prevent violence and address its root causes.

Thanks to the advocacy of community organizations citywide, the City of Chicago next year will invest $85 million from federal COVID-19 relief funding into violence prevention initiatives.

Here in the 33rd Ward, we have been working with neighbors and community partners to support expand critical violence prevention work—including ALSO, which expanded its street outreach program into our community just last year, and Israel’s Gifts of Hope, which supports families in our community who have been impacted by violence.

Consistent funding and resources are critical for this work. Please join us in urging the city to include our neighborhoods in violence prevention funding by signing this petition.

Israel’s Gifts of Hope Basket Drive

Our community partners at Israel’s Gifts of Hope are commencing their annual basket drive to support survivors and families impacted by violence. This is a great way to contribute care and build towards stronger, safer communities.

RHS Pie Sale

It is that time of the year again! The culinary program at Roosevelt High School is ready to bake pies for Thanksgiving.

There will be only 50 pies set aside for the neighbors, so don’t wait to order if you want some! Each one is $15 and ALL the money collected will be given back to the school. You have the choice between pumpkin pie or sweet potato pie.

Please note that the pie will be available to you for PICK UP ONLY at the school Monday, November 22nd (noon to 7pm) and Tuesday, November 23rd (8am-7pm). Entrance at the main door on Wilson: 3436 W Wilson Ave.

To order simply send $15 per pie to the Friends of Roosevelt Venmo account @FriendsofRoosevelt and specify in the comment what kind you would like.

Nov. 20: Vaccine Clinic at Boys & Girls Club

The Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club will be offering free vaccinations on Saturday, November 20 from 9am – 2pm at the Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club (2501 W. Irving Park Road).

Booster shots, shots for children and adults will be available.

Saturday is also the Thanksgiving Day Classic from 9am – 2pm. The building will be transformed into a mini museum filled with pictures and archives from the 1930’s until today. There will also be a flag football game, soccer games, cheerleaders, free coffee, hot chocolate, donuts, and their Lucky Date Raffle at 11am.

Nov. 20: Blood Drive at Christ Lutheran Church

Christ Lutheran Church in Albany Park will hold its next blood drive Saturday, Nov. 20 from 10AM – 3PM.

Save a life, donate blood! Sign up here.

Nov. 25: Thanksgiving Meal Giveaway at St. John’s

St. John’s Episcopal Church (3857 N. Kostner) will be giving away free, home-cooked Thanksgiving take-home meals from 1 – 2PM on Thanksgiving Day!

No reservations needed, but please wear a mask.

Nov. 30: Indigenous Peoples Day Conversation

Join in on a live conversation to discuss the nationwide movement to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day in honor of Native American Heritage Month.

This event will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/PresidentPreckwinkle. More info here.

Dec. 4: Bateman Craft Fair

Save the date for Bateman Elementary School’s Winter Craft Sale on December 4!

They are looking for artisans and vendors to participate. If interested, please use the application here to sign up before November 29.

New Rental Assistance Program Opens Dec. 6

The llinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) announced that it will now be opening its rental assistance application process on December 6. If your household or your tenant has experienced hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for rental assistance through IHDA or IDHS. To see eligibility requirements and for the latest updates on the new program launching Dec 6, you can visit illinoisrentalassistance.org.

Winter Weather Preparations

It’s getting colder outside! See below for tips about staying warm this winter and keeping heating bills lower.

Higher Gas Bills Anticipated This Winter As we head into winter, Peoples Gas is informing customers that their heating bills will likely rise as the temperatures fall due the price of natural gas, which has more than doubled this year. The increase is due mainly to tight supplies and a worldwide increase in demand for natural gas. An analysis done by Peoples Gas predicts the typical residential customer will pay $60 more a month this winter compared to last winter.

In order to help customers in the greatest need, bill payment assistance is available through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Share the Warmth program. To see if they are eligible and apply, Peoples Gas customers can call the Community Economic Development Association (CEDA) at 800-571-2332, or go to cedarorg.net. Peoples Gas will also work with any customer to arrange a payment plan that best fits their needs, and to set up Budget Billing that keeps bills stable from month to month. Customers can call Peoples Gas or go to peoplesgasdelivery.com to discuss options.

Customers can take steps to manage their energy use by turning down their thermostats, using programmable thermostats, sealing gaps around windows and doors, and scheduling an annual furnace tuneup. Peoples Gas also offers free energy efficiency consultations. For more low and no cost energy-saving tips, go to peoplesgasdelivery.com/savings. Residents who purchase an Energy Star smart thermostat through December 31, 2021 can receive a $100 rebate from ComEd. For more information on receiving this rebate, go to the ComEd Smart Thermostat Rebates page. Click here to read more about your rights as a utility customer and ways to save on heating costs this winter courtesy of the Citizens Utility Board.

Chicago Residential Heat Ordinance Chicago’s Heat Ordinance requires that buildings keep residential units at or above 66 degrees overnight (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and 68 degrees during the day (6 a.m. to 8 p.m.). Violations of the heat ordinance are taken very seriously. Please call 311 to file a complaint and arrange for an inspector to investigate.

City Warming Centers When temperatures are at 32 degrees or below – warming areas are available at the City’s six community service centers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. City-operated libraries and park facilities also may activate warming areas, if needed, including during evening hours, weekends and holidays. View locations and more information here.

Emergency Heating Repair Program The Chicago Department of Housing (DOH) Emergency Heating Repair Program provides a grant up to $24,999 to low-moderate income, owner-occupied residential building of one to four (1-4) units. Interested homeowners can download an application package through April 1, 2022 at www.chicago.gov/ehrp. Funding is limited and available on a first-come-first-service basis. Homeowners can call the Department of Housing’s customer service line at 312.744.3653 for more information.

Resources for Residents

Eviction Support for Tenants

The eviction moratorium entered by Governor Pritzker is scheduled to end this Sunday, Oct. 3rd. The City of Chicago Department of Housing is working to support Chicagoans who will no longer be protected by the moratorium. Even though the eviction moratorium is coming to a close, there is help, both legal and financial, to keep residents in their homes.

Here are some key things to remember when facing an eviction.

Don’t self-evict. A notice of eviction from your landlord does not mean you need to leave your home right away. Only the Sheriff can legally remove you from your home.
Get legal help. Free legal assistance is available to Chicago renters. Go to www.Rentervention.com , which is provided by the Lawyers Committee for Better Housing, a Department of Housing delegate agency.
Get financial help. The Department of Housing maintains a current list of places residents can apply for emergency rental assistance at Chicago.gov/RentHelp.

You can find more details on renters’ rights and other resources at Chicago.gov/Eviction.

Mortgage Assistance Program – Applications Ongoing

The Mortgage Assistance Program, provides assistance to low-to-moderate-income homeowners who have suffered an economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are having difficulty paying their mortgage.

The maximum amount of assistance available is $3,300. Grant amounts awarded will be based on the amount needed to bring your mortgage current.

Please note: Eligible homeowners will have the assistance paid directly to their mortgage servicer. If you received assistance in 2020 you are not eligible for this round of funds.

To be eligible you must:

Be a resident of the City of Chicago
Live in the home (single-family up to 4 units) for which you are applying for assistance. It must be your primary place of residence.
Demonstrate your total household income was 120% or below the Area Median Income (AMI) prior to March 1, 2020. (Click to see table)
Have a mortgage on your home that was current as of March 1, 2020, and is now delinquent. You may be on a forbearance plan.
Have experienced a change in your financial status after March 1, 2020, due to the COVID-19 crisis

If you need assistance applying for mortgage assistance, you can also contact Neighborhood Housing Servicesat 800-831-7949 or email EmergencyAssistance@nhschicago.org.

Free Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic