33rd Ward – 2025 Year in Review

The Alderman’s Office serves as a liaison between city departments such as the Department of Water, the Department of Streets and Sanitation, the Department of Transportation, and more. Our office inputs and manages a number of requests through 311 each year that result in the general maintenance of the infrastructure in our ward. 

Our work is driven by the belief that community care starts with responsive services. From graffiti removal to rodent abatement, we worked hand-in-hand with City departments this year to meet the needs of residents, ensuring their voices were heard and their concerns addressed.

We’re proud of the over 1,000 rodent abatements, 1,500+ graffiti removals, and other critical services completed this year. Moving forward, we will explore additional data sources, such as 311, to deepen our understanding of where services are needed most and how we can be even more responsive to our neighbors.

Below is a list of some of our more common service requests from the past year:

• Rodent Abatement: 1,211 requests (+233 from last year)
• Tree Trimming Requests:
  The ward offices no longer have direct access to tree trimming requests, though we receive these requests very often. The Bureau of Forestry is no longer receiving individual tree trimming requests and has shifted to a grid-based maintenance schedule similar to the street sweeping schedule. You can view the map here. Each grid segment can take between three weeks and two months to complete. Tree trimming personnel will be in the ward weekly, weather permitting. Similar to street sweeping notifications, trees will be posted with signage in advance of tree trimming.
• Tree Planting Requests: 58 (+40 from last year)
• Yard Waste Pick-up: 1,008 (+35 from last year)
• Pothole Patching: 530 (+203 from last year)
• Sewer Cleaning Inspections: 77
• Garbage Cart Replacements: 966 (+247 from last year)
• Graffiti Removal: 1,670 (+90 from last year)
• Street Light Out Complaints: 365
• Street Sweeping Updates:
  Our ward superintendent worked to increase the number of passes of street sweeping through the regular sweeping season by designing a more efficient sweeping map and schedule. You can always review our annual interactive street sweeping maps on our Neighborhood Services Page.

In addition to working alongside city departments to care for the ward and provide routine services, our office connects with local organizations and the offices of other elected officials that serve the 33rd Ward to expand our neighbors’ access to additional resources.

We believe that community care is participatory and requires active listening to our community’s needs. From property tax appeals that bring financial relief to residents, to Narcan distribution as a harm reduction strategy for businesses, we have prioritized building relationships and uplifting the voices of our community.

Each request we manage—be it for a disabled parking sign or a block party application—is part of our commitment to making the 33rd Ward a place where everyone feels cared for and valued.

Below is a summary of the types of work our office engaged in through the year, with quantities of services provided where applicable:

• Drop-in Shelter for Unhoused Neighbors across the ward: Our office has been working collaboratively to support neighbors experiencing homelessness at Ronan Park and throughout the ward, and we have opened our office for shelter, rest, access to electricity and services, and companionship for anyone in need. We maintain a private community room for our neighbors to use as needed.
  
  This work has been led with care, coordination, and a shared commitment to dignity. We have partnered closely with City departments including the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) and the Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement Team (CARE), as well as sister agencies like the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Housing Authority. We are also deeply grateful for the ongoing support of neighborhood mutual aid groups and community organizations who continue to show up with compassion and consistency.
  
  Through these coordinated efforts, we have successfully connected many individuals to shelter and supportive services, while continuing to work toward longer-term housing stability and care. This is ongoing work, and we remain committed to meeting people where they are and supporting pathways forward.
  
  At the citywide level, DFSS has released a draft Five-Year Blueprint onHomelessness, which outlines a comprehensive strategy focused on homelessness prevention, improving access to shelter, accelerating transitions to permanent housing, and strengthening coordination across City departments and service providers. The plan also centers racial equity and prioritizes long-term, sustainable solutions over emergency-only responses.
  
  Our office will be engaging with this process and working to build even stronger systems of care within our ward so that all neighbors—housed and unhoused alike—can access the support they need.
  
  We also recognize that homelessness is rising nationwide due to deeply rooted structural issues, including rising rents, barriers to accessing housing, systemic racism, and growing economic inequality. These challenges are being compounded by federal cuts to social services at a time when support is needed most.
  
  Despite these realities, our values remain clear. We believe in responding to homelessness with care and compassion—not fear, punishment, or criminalization. Our approach is grounded in the understanding that everyone deserves dignity, safety, and the opportunity to thrive. We will continue this work in partnership with community members and agencies, and we thank everyone who has contributed to fostering a neighborhood rooted in care for one another.
  
• Bi-weekly Neighbor Night: To the best of our ability, the ward office maintains a Ward Night every other week either at the 33rd Ward Office or elsewhere in the community to provide neighbors an opportunity to meet directly with the alderwoman to address pressing concerns that cannot be resolved directly with our ward office team.
  
  This year we started hosting “Neighbor Nights” where the 33rd Ward Office hosts a local organization or campaign to provide a presentation to our community and help get people involved or connect neighbors to helpful information. We thank all of our partners for participating in this opportunity throughout the year!
  
• Individual Property Tax Appeals Cases: Approximately 40
  Our 33rd Ward Team has received training to process individual property tax appeal applications when a neighbor walks in and needs help.
• Property Tax Appeal Events:
  Our 33rd Ward Team has partnered with our local County Commissioners and the County Board of Appeals to host tax appeal events in the ward and at the 33rd ward office.
• Block Party Applications: 56
• Garage, Yard, and Apartment Sale Permits: 85
• Letter of Exception for Residential Permit Parking: 125
• Disabled Parking Sign Applications: 33
• Liquor Moratorium Lifts: 3
• Routine Parking and Infrastructure Ordinance Requests such as Residential Permit Parking Requests, Disability Permit Parking, Alley Access, and Building Signage

Like all of our work in the 33rd Ward Office, our approach to infrastructure and development projects in the ward prioritizes community engagement and direct participation. We proudly work to connect our neighborhood schools to funding that will improve the learning experience of our students, teachers, and school staff, while providing high quality gathering spaces for our school communities. Below is a list of some of the ways our ward office has provided funding directly to community partners through the year, as well as ways we engage our neighbors in conversations about how to spend our 33rd Ward Office’s discretionary funds of $1million each year:

Expansion of California #93 route:
Back in 2022, our office requested an extension of CTA services, especially to cover the areas of the ward with a high volume of commuters, especially our seniors. The #93 California/Dodge bus route south to the Logan Square Blue Line, closing a 1.25-mile gap in north–south service between Addison and Lawrence.

The extension is now active and improving transit access for over 57,000 residents and 36,000 jobs, strengthening connections to the Blue and Brown Lines, enhancing east-west bus connectivity, and expanding access along California Avenue through transfers to the #94. In the 33rd Ward, the route adds 35 stops total, using 17 existing stops and creating 18 new ones, with stops spaced about every 1/8 mile.

Money allocated by the Ward Office directly:

• TIF Money Distributed
  – Ronan Park Gateway Plaza
  – River Park Boat Storage Area
• Grants: Neighborhood Development grants
• Special Service Area #60: North River Commission serves as the service provider for the Albany Park & Irving Park Special Service Area (SSA #60) and supports local businesses and their customers.
  • Our office is proud to continue to maintain an SSA in our ward. Special Service Areas are local tax districts that fund expanded services and programs through a localized property tax levy within contiguous areas. The enhanced services and programs are in addition to those currently provided through the City. The City contracts with local non-profits, called Service Providers (such as North River Commission), to manage SSAs. Mayorally-appointed SSA Commissioners for each SSA district oversee and recommend the annual services, budget and Service Provider Agency to the City.

Major Development Projects completed this year:

• Bateman’s playground: Our office, alongside the school community, supported the funding of this project, much needed for the kids to have a safe area to play.

Additional Projects Funded by PB or through the 33rd Ward Office:

• Patrick Henry Playground: Funding for a new, completed playground was secured by the 33rd Ward Office in partnership with Chicago Public Schools.
• New Street Lights: Funding secured for new lights on Monticello between Wilson and Lawrence
• Bus Shelter Charging Stations: Completed this year, we celebrated the inauguration with RHS students in early fall 2025
• School Zone Pedestrian Safety Projects: at the Hibbard Elementary and Edison Gifted campus
• Bike Lane Neighborhood Greenways: Two new neighborhood greenways on Grace St. and Sacramento Ave.
• Radar Speed Feedback Signs on Elston, from Albany to Whipple: Results came from community concerns and traffic study from CDOT
• Alley apron installation
• Seven alley resurfacings
• Bollard installation
• Concrete/green alley installation
• Four curb and gutter repairs
• Eight sidewalk resurfacings
• Ten residential street resurfacings 
• Three blocks worth of new speed humps

Participatory Budgeting
In the 33rd Ward, the Participatory Budgeting program began in September 2019 with the guidance and collaboration of the UIC Great Cities Institute. Last year, we joined seven other wards engaging in the Participatory Budgeting process to allow residents to decide how their Alderman will allocate their annual “Aldermanic Menu Funds”. Menu funds are the only funds that Aldermen have for infrastructure improvements including all streets, alley, and sidewalk resurfacing.

What is Participatory Budgeting?
PB is a democratic process by which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. PB is a civic engagement initiative aiming to increase transparency and participation in our communities with greatest needs. Residents work together to generate ideas about infrastructure improvements they’d like to see in the 33rd Ward, then vote on which project they wish to see receive funding. You can read more about 33rd Ward PB by clicking here.

2025 Participatory Budgeting Work
Our Participatory Budgeting committee meets each week with the Roosevelt High School ChangeMakers Club. These young people form the backbone of our Participatory Budgeting project. Through this volunteer work, the students learn about how money is spent in their communities and have the opportunity to learn more about how our city government works. 

2025 Participatory Budgeting Vote:

• 1600 votes collected
• Educational Presentations to 8th grade students at Patrick Henry, APMA, Cleveland, and Haugan schools.
• Winning projects at: Cleveland and Patrick Henry schools
• 30 students with the RHS Changemakers Club, alongside community residents engaged in a bilingual weekly committee process to develop the ballot

2026 Participatory Budgeting Committee:

• Surveyed the ward, reviewed past project submissions that did not win, and organized new project proposals from the community
• Developing the 2026 Ballot
• 30+ students with the RHS Changemakers Club, alongside community residents engaged in a bilingual weekly committee process to develop the ballot
• Monthly All-Community meetings at a later time to accommodate more neighbors

Community Driven Zoning and Development (CDZD)

Zoning decisions shape the future of our community, which is why we are committed to a participatory process that centers residents’ voices. This year, we held two community meetings, engaged over 500 neighbors, and approved zoning projects that added 37 new dwelling units and three commercial spaces, fostering equitable development that reflects community priorities. We have also participated in housing-related policy proposals and supported ordinances to provide more affordable housing and slow displacement. You can learn more about our legislative work below. 

Zoning Announcements: 

• Groundbreaking of Jigzibik Affordable Housing: After much anticipation, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the new affordable housing development named the “Jigzibik” development.
• Community Engagement: 313 zoning feedback form responses received
• Public Zoning Meetings: 3 
• Additional Dwelling Units Added: 68
• Affordable Rental Units Added: 10
• Affordable Rental Units Under Construction: 50
• Added Commercial Units: 2

Zoning-related Policy Announcements:

• SO2025-0020513: Accessory Dwelling Units Expansion: Expanded ADU eligibility to the entire 33rd Ward with no restrictions. The ordinance allows both interior ADUs and coach houses, increasing flexible housing options for homeowners and supporting gentle, neighborhood-scale density. 
• SO2024-0011001:  Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) – Northwest Side Preservation Ordinance: The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, part of the Northwest Side Preservation Ordinance passed in 2024, went into effect on March 1, 2025, granting tenants the right of first refusal when their building is offered for sale. This policy creates a pathway to tenant ownership and helps preserve naturally occurring affordable housing. Currently, this policy only applies to the Avondale portion of the 33rd ward.

The 33rd Ward Office works to connect our local businesses to our neighbors and to the resources available through the city, the local Albany Park Chamber of Commerce, and the local Special Service Area (SSA) Provider, North River Commission. We understand the vital role that small businesses play in our local economy, such as providing opportunities for neighbors to come together.

This year has been incredibly challenging for our small business community and our local vendors. Much effort has been invested in staying connected with our local businesses, to share updated information and ensure everyone has the resources that they need. Below is a list of some of the ways we regularly engaged with our local business community throughout the year:

• Business Canvassing: 147 businesses reached
  Our 33rd Ward Office canvasses businesses throughout the neighborhood to connect them to resources.
  • Know Your Rights Distribution: KYRs signage, whistles, and general resources from organizations were distributed to nearly 150 local businesses through our office’s business canvassing alone. This does not include volunteer support or volunteer canvassing events!
  • Volunteer KYRs for Businesses Canvassing Events: Our office had received a high volume of calls from neighbors wanting to get involved and support KYR endeavors, so with the support of community members a Business KYR canvas took place. Over 20 volunteers showed up ready to share resources, flyers, signs,and whistles to all business corridors in our ward. All of Lawrence, Montrose, Irving Park, Belmont, Foster, Kedzie, Kimball, Elston, and Pulaski within the ward boundaries were canvassed by volunteers!
  • Narcan Distribution: Our local businesses regularly maintain first aid kits that can be used for guests in the store, but also in case of emergency for neighbors that need assistance in front of their business. We are proud to help connect local businesses with Narcan to keep in their first aid kits.
  • Connecting Businesses to Services and Grants: There are a number of programs available to local businesses through the city, including Neighborhood Development Grants and funding available through our local TIF districts. Our 33rd Ward Office regularly provides these updates in our weekly newsletter and engages impacted business directly to share this information.
• TacosCuh Block Party Activation
  • 5 days after ICE and CBP detained two people in our ward just down the corner of the Ward office, we collaborated with Juan Ortiz who runs TacosCuh as a means to provide free tacos for communities in need. A block party space activation was organized in a very short time right in front of the ward office. Over 350 people were fed that day. That means close to 1,500 FREE tacos were given to neighbors, along with free Live music from a local Albany Park band, Arma Blanca, and  DJ Escobae. During the event, our office was able to further distribute Know Your Rights signage, whistles, and ‘zines with the support of volunteers, local businesses, and our neighbors.
• 33rd Ward Business Mixer 
  • Our ward office organized its first ever Business Mixer for businesses in our ward to network, learn, and have a chance to speak directly with representatives of all city departments, including CDOT, DOB, BACP, CDPH. Cook County Assessors, the Albany Park Chamber of Commerce, and North River Commission. This allowed many of our local business owners to solve any issues that they have been struggling with as it relates to any permits, licensing, or building issues for their business as well as general networking.
• Business Openings and Ribbon Cuttings:
  • Luella’s Southern Kitchen
  • Shattaz Bar & Grill
  • Hey, I Thought of You
  • Nubar Cafe
  • Q’amaria
  • Uri Bakery
  • Doner
  • PBB Asian Express Kitchen
  • Somethin’ Sweet Donuts (Montrose Location)

• Daily community watch and walking-school bus efforts
• Two Resisting ICE Townhalls at Roosevelt High School
  • Hosting two “Resisting ICE” community assemblies at Roosevelt High School, which brought together hundreds of community members to protect each other
• Housing Outreach and Drop-in Shelter for Unhoused Neighbors
  • Supporting unhoused neighbors in the 33rd ward through outreach at Ronan and River Park, as well as sometimes daily check-ins and support at the 33rd ward office. We opened our space as a warming space to welcome neighbors and work with them on finding housing support. We were able to place 4 neighbors in shelters successfully. We coordinated with city agencies (CARE, CHA and DFSS) as well as our local organizations, Albany Park Mutual Aid, to provide multiple levels of support in addressing barriers and needs for unhoused neighbors. 
• Participatory Budgeting Committee
• Community Driven Zoning and Development Committee
• Sage Brigade – the 33rd Ward Seniors Program:
  • Monthly Meetings: to sign up for benefits, learn together, and be in community
  • Sage Brigade Food Distribution Program:
• Organizing Volunteers to help their neighbors most in need
  • Clean and Greens: Summer/Fall
  • Snow Shoveling Volunteer Program: Fall/Winter
  • Yard Work Volunteer Program: Spring/Summer
  • Maintain a volunteer list for other community events
• Partnership with our local schools and the Roosevelt High School “Changemakers Club”:
  Partnering with local schools and civic engagement projects is essential to building a  more connected community. Schools are not just places of learning, they are hubs where young people and their families come together, creating opportunities to foster a sense of shared wellbeing in our neighborhoods. We want young people to see themselves as active participants in shaping their community
• Mutual Aid and connecting neighbors to resources
  • Free store in the ward office through the holidays for warm clothing and healthcare supplies
  • Four food distribution events to provide hot meals to neighbors and seniors
• Hosting interns: The internship program in our office is an extension of our commitment to community engagement. Interns bring fresh energy, diverse perspectives, and expand our ability to serve the community effectively.  Interns engage directly with critical initiatives, from supporting residents with service requests to contributing to the development of transformative policies. Thank you to our interns for this year, Sabrina Rivera, Romel Allen, and Angel Delgado!

• Flyering local businesses with Know Your Rights information
• Flyering the community with Know Your Rights information
• Canvassing the community with information about how to contact our ward office and the services we provide
• Co-hosted a Know Your Rights Townhall at Roosevelt High School
• Co-hosted a Know Your Rights Townhall at Hibbard School
• Participatory Budgeting voting rally at Roosevelt High School
• Participatory Budgeting voting rally at Albany Park Multicultural Academy
• Biweekly Neighbor Nights
• Food Delivery to Seniors
• Ribbon Cuttings for Local Businesses
• Healing Village at  Roosevelt High School
• Clean and Green Community Clean Up events
• Israel’s Gifts of Hope Annual Peace Walk
• Hot Meals Food Giveaway
• Groundbreaking for Jigzibik Affordable Housing Development
• Block Parties
• Business Mixer
• Participatory Budgeting Meetings with youth
• All-Community Participatory Budgeting Meetings
• Resist ICE Emergency Townhall
• Bateman Playground Ribbon Cutting
• Turkey Giveaway
• Winter Supplies and Clothing Free Store 
• Halloween Decorations Contest
• TacosCuh Block Party in front of ward office
• Sponsored Lot Jams at Movement on Montrose

The alderwoman is not only responsible for the care and maintenance of the 33rd Ward, but also serves as a legislator for the city. The alderwoman’s approach to her legislative responsibilities closely matches her approach to connecting neighbors to resources in the ward. Through active listening and engagement with neighbors in the ward and Chicagoans across the city, she introduces and supports policies that uplift the needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities. This policy work often requires a great deal of creativity, pushing our staff and our stakeholders to think creatively to pull together results. 

Our office’s policy priorities continue to be focused on public health, community safety and violence prevention, affordable housing and addressing homelessness, and uplifting the needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities such as immigrants and the transgender community.  

At the start of this term, the alderwoman was appointed to chair the City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations, a committee which oversees policies related to the Department of Public Health, the Commission on Human Relations, the Department of Family and Support Services, and approves appointments to various boards and commissions. 

We are proud to share so many successes from this year, with the major initiatives led by our office in partnership with community organizations from the 33rd Ward and across Chicago:

Committee on Health and Human Relations: The Committee convened a total of 7 times through 2025, and co-hosted a total of 2 additional Joint Committee Hearings. Over the course of the year, the Committee helped to advance many important legislative matters and hosted Subject Matter Hearings and trainings on many important topics, some of which are listed below:

Legislative Matters:

• O2024-0014446 – Chicago Commission on Human Relations directed to establish working group to address issues impacting BIPOC transgender and gender-diverse community in Chicago and Cook County
• SR2024-0010989 – Calling for hearing and series of virtual trainings within City for officials, employees and availability for public access to foster collaborative action against hate in our communities and guide future policies and initiatives
• R2025-0017499 – Call on U.S. Congress to establish end date for Puerto Rico Financial Oversight and Management  Board and ensure transition toward Puerto Rican fiscal autonomy.
• R2024-0011018 – Call on U.S. President Biden to remove Cuba from State Sponsored Terrorism list and complete restoration of travel and trade 
• R2025-0015728 – Issuance of formal apology from City Council to Black citizens of Chicago for historical injustices of slavery

Subject Matter Hearings

• Calling for the release of Mahmoud Khalil by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents (ICE) and for investigation into circumstances surrounding his detention. 
• Calling for hearings on the impacts and reduction of single-use plastics in Chicago – Jointly held with the Committee on Environmental Protections and Energy
• Presentation from the Chicago Department of Public Health to provide an overview of its strategic plan including updates in the following areas of work: Infant and Maternal Health, highlighting the Family Connects program; Infectious Disease, highlighting respiratory virus and vaccination; CDPH’s Budget, threats to public health funding, and mitigating impact; and HIV Grant Funding Equity
• An overview of 2-1-1 and information about the impacts of reduced federal funding on the local social service landscape
• Presentation with Chicago Animal Care and Control on strengthening animal welfare services and community engagement in Chicago. 
• Presentation on implementation of gender-based violence prevention services and programming in Chicago with a focus on funding and equity.

The Committee also Participated in the Following Partnerships:

• Trainings
  • Opioid overdose and gun violence prevention programming with CDPH
• Joint Committee Hearings:
  • Impacts of Algorithmic Rent-setting softwares on Chicago Housing
  • Single use plastics in Chicago
  • Hemp product regulation
• Community Engagement:
  • Round table with community members and Chicago Animal Care and Control to discuss strategic partnerships
  • Participation in the Transfemicide Working Group hosted by the Chicago Commission on Human Relations

Policy Introductions
This year the 33rd Ward Office introduced the following non-routine policy matters:

• R2025-0021047 – Call on Governor J.B. Pritzker to direct Illinois Commerce Commission to cease all utility disconnections for non-payment universally and to adopt flexible, temporary credit and collection procedure
• O2025-0019991 – Establishment of Proactive Rental Inspection Working Group to regulate inspections, certifications, and testing criteria, and to establish registry to track data for rental housing in Chicago
• R2025-0019990 – Expression of support for resignation of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr from position of Secretary of United States Department of Health and Human Services
• R2025-0019988 – Call on federal government to submit Universal Periodic Review report for year 2025
• O2025-0018753 – Amendment of Municipal Code Section 2-92-330 to establish Chicago Construction Workforce Equity Advisory Board to monitor and report on participation of targeted populations in covered projects
• R2025-0017563 – Call for examination on recent alleged violations of free speech and due process rights
• R2025-0018757 – Condemnation of Lurie Children’s Hospital and Rush Medical Center for ceasing gender-affirming care

Policy Priorities
The following projects remain active priorities for the 33rd Ward Office’s legislative program:

• Mental Health Service Expansion (MHSE) Working Group Ordinance: Between October 2023 and May of 2024, the alderwoman, through her position as Chair of the City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations, participated on the Steering Committee of the Mayor’s working group to expand public mental health services and the CARE emergency public health response program. The working group convened several city departments, the budget office, and hundreds of community members in a series of meetings to develop a report for the expansion of the city’s public health clinic network and the CARE program through the remainder of Mayor Johnson’s administration.
  • Opening Public Health Centers with Mental Health Services: the Pilsen Clinic, the Roseland Clinic, and the layering of mental health services into public libraries
  • The CARE Program Expansion: new CARE teams established with more budgeted for the new year, shifting the CARE pilot program to a permanent program housed entirely within the Department of Public Health.
• Increasing Transparency for the Use of Algorithmic Rent Software: Software of this nature is under federal investigation for price-fixing, causing rising rents and forcing vacancies to raise rents. This resolution allows City Council to call in experts to learn more. 
• Protecting Our Trans Neighbors and preserving the Rights and Liberties of the LGBTQIA+ Community
• Expanding and Increasing Affordable Housing across the ward
• Directing Resources to the Department of Public Health and the Department of Family and Supportive Services
• Increasing Investment in Chicago Animal Care and Control
• Increasing Investment in Our Public Libraries
• Healthy Homes Ordinance: This year we look forward to helping coordinate a multi-department working group to research this ordinance and develop a feasibility study to implement a proactive rental inspection program for Chicago.
• Peacebook: Our office is actively supporting this series of policy initiatives focused on employing young people as “peacekeepers” and developing an application for young people to get connected to resources. 
• Workforce Equity Board: Our office is working to establish a new oversight board to review and evaluate contracts with the City through a lens of workforce equity.