As you may have heard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidance for fully vaccinated people this week. With new data and information emerging with the more contagious B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, the CDC is now recommending that fully vaccinated people wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission.
As of now, that includes suburban Cook County, as you can see in the CDC’s heatmap of community transmission, available on their website. Suburban Cook County has brought back an indoor mask mandate this week, and while Chicago has not yet taken this step, there’s substantial reason for concern. We have seen new cases and positivity rates spike in recent weeks, with 316 confirmed cases of the Delta variant just in the past day.
The CDC is also recommending that fully vaccinated people get tested within 3-5 days if they have known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 and wear a mask in indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test results. Finally, the CDC is recommending universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.
Vaccines are still the best protection we have against the variant, and are still very effective at preventing serious illness and death from Covid-19, including the Delta variant. However, preliminary data is showing that fully vaccinated individuals may experience a breakthrough case and be at risk of transmitting the highly contagious Delta variant. Therefore, even if you are vaccinated, it’s important to protect immunocompromised individuals and those unable to receive a vaccine by returning to practices like indoor masking.
Otherwise, the most important step we can all take is to get vaccinated, and encourage those around us to do so — it’s easier than ever! The City of Chicago now has pop-up locations throughout the city, and other special events. Check out upcoming events where you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine! Let’s continue to protect and care for those around us as we move through these very uncertain times. 
P.S. Thanks to Israel’s Gifts of Hope, Moms Demand Action, the Kedzie Center, Alliance of Local Service Organizations, and other community partners who put together an anti-violence community chalkwalk this evening at Byron and Albany! We love to see our community coming together in creative, proactive ways.
In This Week’s Newsletter
- Submit your infrastructure ideas by Aug. 8!
- Sat, July 31: Albany Park urban market + diaper drive
- Sun, Aug. 1: Space activation + skate workshop
- Aug. 3: Accessory Dwelling Unit workshop
- Aug. 7: North Branch Works bike ride
- Aug. 12: Rezoning meeting for 4500 N Spaulding
- Aug. 12: Milkweed & Monarch workshop
- Aug. 31: Back to school resource fair
- Resources for tenants & homeowners – Illinois’ eviction moratorium ending
- Local School Council opening at Edison
- Summer markets & concerts in the 33rd Ward
- Community bulletin board – click here for more events, job listings, and resources!
Quick Links
Submit Your Infrastructure Ideas by Aug. 8!
Participatory budgeting for our 2022 cycle is officially underway!
In 2019, we began using participatory budgeting in the 33rd Ward to allow neighbors to propose and decide democratically how they want to spend the $1 million in infrastructure funding allocated to our ward annually. We are one of nine wards citywide that uses this process, which allows any resident of the ward 14 or older to vote.
In the past two cycles, neighbors have come up with some truly creative ideas for projects to enhance the safety, beauty, and functionality of our ward for all of us. We can’t wait to hear your ideas this year! Read on for more details about how to submit them this month.
The Participatory Budgeting committee designs and executes a democratic process where neighbors help determine how $1 million are spent on repairs and upgrades in our Ward’s streets, alleys, parks, gardens, and more!
Our PB committee will be collecting ideas through August 8! Learn more and submit your ideas at http://33rdward.org/participatory-budgeting/.
July 31: Albany Park Urban Market & Diaper Drive
Tomorrow, Saturday July 31, join us again for Albany Park Urban Market from 11AM – 1PM at 4433 N Kedzie! Vendors this week include El Capitan Snacks, La Canastita De Laura, Atomic Lunchbox, Anchor Baby Vintage, Macramentadas, Tejiendo Wooven Words, Authentic Poser Vintage, Avy Blue, Variety by Liz, Artesanias Mexicanas Marlen, and music by DJ Fu!
This week, Albany Park Mutual Aid will also be holding a diaper drive at the market. Donate diapers and formula if you can, or pick up these supplies if you need them!
Aug. 1: Space Activation & Skate Workshop at Drake Gardens
This summer, our office has been working with violence intervention workers through the Alliance of Local Service Organizations (ALS), as well as neighbors in the Transforming Community Safety Collective, to hold a series of community “space activation” events.
Space activation is an evidence-based violence reduction strategy makes use of public art, education and community-building and programming to transform how residents engage with public spaces, including those where violence has recently occurred. This is also an important avenue for residents to become active participants in building safer communities.
Join us for a free bike, skate & dance workshop, plus art-making and snacks, this Sunday, August 1st from 4-6PM at Drake Gardens, 4643 N Drake.
Aug. 3: Accessory Dwelling Unit Workshop
Last year, my City Council colleagues and I voted to establish a pilot program legalizing accessory dwelling units, often called coach houses, in approved areas of the city. Join our office, our 35th Ward colleagues, and the North River Commission as we explore how to create ADU’s to increase affordable units in Albany Park communities. The informational webinar on the City’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Pilot Program will take place Tuesday, August 3rd, at 6:00 pm via Zoom.
Learn how you can take advantage of the new ADU ordinance and hear from 33rd Ward Alderwoman Rodriguez, 35th Ward Alderman Rosa, Daniel Hertz from the Department of Housing, and from two local property owners who have gone through the ADU application process.
Tuesday, August 3rd at 6 pm
RSVP to Dalia at dalia@northrivercommission.org
Aug. 7: North Branch Works Bike Ride
Join North River Commission and North Branch Works for a leisurely bike ride on Saturday, August 7th from 10 a.m. to noon. $20, suggested donation.
The ride includes tours of the Morton Salt project and the Hideout as well as stops at Guild Row, Rockwell on the River, Green Exchange, and Ravinia Brewing’s new taproom. This is a great way to learn more about local businesses, their plans for re-opening, and how we can support them.
We’ll hear from business owners and talk about the area’s rich industrial history and future plans. For most of the roughly five-mile bike ride, we’ll use bike lanes on Elston Avenue. We’ll meet at the Morton Salt project site located at 1357 N. Elston Avenue. The ride will end at Ravinia Brewing Company’s new taproom in Logan Square (2601 W. Diversey Avenue) near the CTA’s #76 Diversey Bus stop.
Register here: northbranchworks.org/news/bike-the-north-branch-on-august-7th/
Aug. 12: Community Rezoning Meeting for 4500 N Spaulding
A community meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, August 12th at 6:00 pm for a proposed development project at 4500 N Spaulding. The developer has requested a zoning change from our office, which triggers our community-driven zoning and development process. To review the proposal, click here https://33rdward.org/zoning-proposals/
To keep health protocols under COVID, the 33rd Ward Office will host the meeting with the developer and community members via Zoom and not in person. Please register to join by following this link: https://bit.ly/4500NSpauldingPCM.
To facilitate transparency and participation, we’re collecting questions ahead of August 12th meeting. To register your question and speak during the meeting visit https://bit.ly/4500NSpauldingQuestion
Spanish verbal translation and closed captions will be available for this meeting. instructions will be provided prior to the start of the meeting. If you have questions about accessibility, contact Vicko at vicko@33rdward.org or call the 33rd Ward Office at 773.840.7880 ext 407. You can also call by dialing + 1 1361. 312 and entering webinar ID: 853 7668
Aug. 12: Milkweed & Monarch Workshop
Thursday, August 12th, 6pm-7pm @ Drake Community Garden NeighborSpace community gardens are partnering with the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Budburst Program to bring milkweed, monarchs, and monitoring to Chicago families this summer. Several community gardens are hosting community garden workshop and planting days in early August of 2021 — including the 33rd Ward’s very own Drake Gardens at 4643 N Drake Ave.
DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM:
*This project is a part of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Budburst program.
*Participants will attend a community garden workshop, where the first part of the workshop will train participants on how to monitor monarchs on milkweed, using a specific phone app, called the Budburst app. (It’s a good idea to download this app in advance.)
*On the day of the workshop, participants will also help plant milkweed plants in the community garden (milkweeds will be planted in garden areas based both on recommendations from a horticulturist and with input from community garden leaders.)
*Participants will be invited back to monitor the monarchs over the summer- each family will receive a $25 gift card and a planting kit at the workshop as a thank you for future monitoring activities. (Participants should plan on monitoring as much or as little as their schedule and appetite allows. Once a week is a great goal, and the monitoring takes approximately 15-20 minutes.)
*We ask that participants sign up AS SOON AS POSSIBLE- spaces are limited!
SIGN UP HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP
Aug. 31: Back to School Resource Fair
Save the date for our back-to-school resource fair at Avondale-Logandale School! We’ll have free backpacks, Covid-19 vaccines and flu shots, food, and more.
Resources for Tenants and Homeowners
Illinois Eviction Moratorium Ends Sunday
Barring any extension in the federal eviction moratorium, courts in Illinois will begin hearing eviction cases again next week. Beginning on August 1, landlords will be able to seek evictions from courts for tenants unable to pay rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eviction orders will be allowed to be enforced beginning on August 31.
Last year, the Chicago City Council passed the Evictions Protection Ordinance. This ordinance protects tenants who have suffered financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis. The ordinance will be in effect 60 days following the expiration of the State’s eviction moratorium.
The ordinance provides tenants with an additional seven day-notice to engage in good faith negotiations with their landlord after a five-day eviction notice has been filed. These negotiations could, for example, entail a repayment plan between the landlord and the tenant, and the landlord must offer the tenant at least two months to make up for each month of a missed payment.
If you or someone you know is facing eviction, visit EvictionHelpIllinois.org, or call (855) 631-0811 for free legal aid, landlord-tenant mediation services, and connections to rental assistance programs.
Dealing with an old eviction on your record that makes it difficult to find new housing? A new Illinois law makes sealing old eviction records less difficult for tens of thousands of tenants statewide. You can use the website https://rentervention.com/ to help with this process.
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 Services at 800-831-7949 or email EmergencyAssistance@nhschicago.org.
LSC Opening at Edison
The Edison Regional Gifted Center Local School Council (LSC) is currently seeking a community member to serve on the LSC until the end of this LSC’s term in June of 2022. Interested parties should contact Dr. Karen Valentine, Edison’s principal (kevalentine1@cps.edu), or John Martini, LSC Chairperson (johnamartini-ergclsc@hotmail.com), to obtain more information as well as to submit candidacy forms.
A community member is eligible to serve as a community representative if they:
- Are 18 years of age or older
- Reside in the attendance area or voting district of that school
- Are not the parent or legal guardian of a child currently enrolled at that school; and
- Are not an employee of the Chicago Board of Education
Please see the map below showing the voting district of Edison Regional Gifted Center. You must live within these boundaries in order to be eligible to serve as a community representative.
Summer Concerts & Markets in the 33rd Ward
Albany Park Urban Market
Have you checked out our area’s newest pop-up market yet? Join us again tomorrow, this time with food vendors and a DJ!
Markets will be here for the rest of the summer! Here’s when you can catch them:
July
Saturday the 31st – 11am-3pm
August
Friday the 6th and the 20th – 5pm – 9pm
Saturday the 14th and 28th – 11am-3pm
Night Out in the Parks
This great tradition has returned for 2021! We compiled a list of the events in the 33rd Ward–including at Brands, River, and Horner Park–here. Check out the full list of events at www.nightoutintheparks.com.
Lot Jams
Join us this summer for evenings of free, family-friendly entertainment in our community. Mark your calendars and check back for more details soon! ALL SHOWS take place between 7:00pm-9:00pm. Thanks as always to the North River Commission for coordinating this great series of events, and to our local businesses for hosting. Find more info on the line-up here.
Next lot jams is this Thursday, Aug. 5!
Farmer’s Markets
The Horner Park Farmers Market has now kicked off its 7th season! The market will be at the corner of California and Montrose every Saturday, open from 9:00am-1:00pm. Come by for fresh produce, baked goods, coffee, meat, live music and more! For more information, check out the Facebook page, follow them on Twitter and on Instagram, or go to the webpage. The HPFM is every Saturday morning through October 2.
While you’re there, explore the flora and fauna of Horner Park with a great audio tour for families! From Block Club Chicago:
Monday: 12:00 PM – 7 PM
Tues – Thurs: 10 AM – 5 PM
Friday: 9 AM – 4PM
️E-mail info@33rdward.org anytime for service requests or general queries
️ Call us at 773-840-7880 during business hours
Follow us on Facebook or Twitter
Check out our ward website for info on services and events: https://www.33rdward.org/
Best,
Rossana Rodriguez