Newsletter – December 15, 2023

Posted on December 15, 2023December 15, 2023 by 33rd Ward Staff

Dear 33rd Ward Community,

Two years ago my office began working alongside two of the most respected affordable housing developers in the city – Full Circle Communities and Visionary Ventures – as well as the Department of Planning and Development and the Department of Housing to develop a 100% affordable housing proposal that is responsive to the increasing housing pressures that are facing Chicago’s Native community, Irving Park and the 33rd Ward.

Full Circle Communities initially planned to submit a Type One zoning change application and went through our 33rd ward Community Driven Zoning Process, which received 79% support from ward residents. However, after consulting with the Zoning Administrator’s office, we made the decision to introduce a B3-3 rezoning ordinance for 2907-2923 W Irving Park Road because all of these properties were previously affected by a zoning change submitted by the previous alderman in 2018. This Aldermanic rezoning allows all of the properties included to be more in line with the neighboring zoning. The new B3-3 would ensure that businesses would be able to continue to operate at 2919, 2921, and 2923 W Irving Park Road. It will allow for Full Circle Communities and Visionary Ventures to create affordable and dignified housing for Native American Families at 2907-2917 w. Irving Park. It would also future-proof the majority of the block by ensuring that any future development with 10 or more units would be subject to the 20% Affordable Requirements ordinance.

This past Wednesday, December 13, this zoning change ordinance went before the City Council and was approved. I am so excited to finally welcome 45 units of affordable housing to the 33rd ward! More details on the project, including our community engagement process, can be found by clicking here.

The People’s Music School at Hibbard Elementary in Albany Park had its winter concert this past Tuesday. We are so proud of our young musicians and so grateful for the loving work that The People’s Music School does in our community making music education accessible to our children. You can learn more about the music school by clicking here. We also joined the Moogoon Terrace community to celebrate their 40th anniversary as a model of what senior housing should be in our community. We are so lucky to have them! We are wishing you all many more years of service.

Lastly, on Thursday we were up before sunrise to continue the tradition of a holiday breakfast for our streets and sanitation workers who do so much for our community year round. We were also able to deliver beautiful holiday cards made by the third graders from rooms 201 and 305 at Hibbard Elementary. A big thank you to our Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation workers and our amazing Ward Superintendent Eric Ramos for putting so much care into keeping our community clean and healthy!

Please reach out to our office for any assistance. We are here to help.

– Rossana, 33rd Ward Alderwoman

Our office will be closed in observance of the holiday season for the following dates: Friday, December 22 – Tuesday, January 2. We will resume regular office hours on Wednesday, January 3. In the meantime all city service requests can be referred directly to the Chicago 311 hotline or we will be happy to assist you on our return.

Holiday trash and recycling pickup: Scheduled trash cart service will not be interrupted as Streets and Sanitation crews will be working Friday, December 22 and Friday, December 29. However, Streets and Sanitation will not be working on Monday, December 25 or Monday, January 1. For these two weeks, please leave trash carts out through the week starting on December 25 and January 1 as some crews may perform early collections. Recycling collection will not be interrupted due to the holiday. Follow these links for your trash collection schedule, recycling schedule, and street sweeping schedule.

Snow Removal Volunteer and Request form You can fill out the form by clicking here. You can also reach out to our office during business hours at 773-840-7880 of by email at info@33rdward.org

Rincon Family Services Mental Health Crisis Line: (773) 640-9803

Make an appointment for your free Covid or flu vaccine from a city clinic: Location information can be found by clicking this link. You can see a list of flu clinics by clicking here.

USPS opened another round of orders for (4) free Covid tests.You can order by clicking here.

33RD WARD OFFICE INFORMATION

Address: 4747 N Sawyer Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 10am – 5pm; Friday 9am – 4pm
Phone: 773-840-7880
Connect with us and access resources by clicking here.

Our office has space for children to play while waiting for their parents to receive help. Please don’t hesitate to bring your children if you need help.

WARD OFFICE EVENTS

Ward Night
Our Ward Night calendar for the new year will be posted soon. Stay tuned!

Participatory Budgeting
Next meeting: Thursday, December 14 from 4:30pm – 6:00pm at Roosevelt High School
Upcoming: Thursday, December 21

The PB committee is nearly finished finalizing the ballot for this year. Stay tuned for the ballot to go live!

You can enter the doors off of the parking lot on Leland. Ring the doorbell and the security guard will open the door for you. Each meeting is open to the public. You can participate as you are able. We do not hold the expectation for you to attend every meeting. Please come join us to learn, share your thoughts, and eat some snacks! The PB Committee will meet weekly unless otherwise noted.

SAGE Brigade Meeting
Sage brigade is a group of volunteers along with Councilwoman Rossana Rodriguez’s office, to help seniors with benefit information and fill out some applications in case they need help. Anyone can attend, but we focus on providing information regarding benefits or programs for seniors.

Sage Brigade met this week for their annual Holiday Art Board-making Party to bring art from our local schools to seniors around our community.

Snow Removal Volunteer and Request form
The 33rd Ward Alderman’s office helps coordinate support efforts with our neighbors to keep our Ward safe and walkable for our community after heavy snowfalls. We invite you to let us know if you are in need of help with shoveling your snow OR if you are someone who is able to help your neighbor with shoveling their snow. Our office will reach out to match volunteers with an individual in their area, who is in need of support. You can fill out the form by clicking here. You can also reach out to our office during business hours at 773-840-7880 of by email at info@33rdward.org

COUNCIL CORNER

We will use this space to share updates on legislation coming through the Committee on Health and Human Relations and City Council.

A special meeting of the City Council was called on Thursday morning to vote on supporting the city’s Welcoming City Ordinance. We are grateful that Council did not vote in favor of placing this question on the ballot because of the long and very difficult fight our immigrant rights organizations have fought to make Chicago a sanctuary for all. This ordinance draws its origins from Mayor Harold Washington’s efforts to extend sanctuary to migrants seeking refuge in Chicago. You can learn more about the history of the Welcoming City Ordinance and the current political climate around the ordinance by clicking here.

Mayor Johnson announced this week that the plans for the Brighton Park migrant shelter encampment contracted with GardaWorld have been put on hold due to the success of efforts to expand the brick-and-mortar shelter program in partnership with churches across Chicago that have begun to help provide shelter. This announcement comes after the reduction in time migrants are able to spend at shelters, now limited to 60 days after a new partnership with the state to help with case management.

Two weeks ago, our office met with Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) staff to learn about a program called Family Connects Chicago. Family Connects Chicago is a program that provides a free, in-home nurse visit to families that live in Chicago and deliver babies at participating hospitals. As long as the mother or birthing parent is a Chicago resident and gives birth at one of the currently seven hospitals participating in the program, they can arrange an in-home check up from a nurse three weeks after birth, all before they even leave the hospital. At this visit, the nurse will perform a general health and weight check on the baby and the birthing parent and help connect the family with resources they may need, such as scheduling future doctors appointments, giving them referrals to childcare options, and answering any other questions they may have. Once again, this postnatal nurse visit is offered completely free of charge to all Chicago families, regardless of what community you live in, how much money you make, or what your family looks like. Research has shown that postnatal visits such as this can significantly reduce rates of child emergency medical care, as well as reduce cases of maternal anxiety and depression among participants.

City Council this week approved a referendum question called Bring Chicago Home. This question will appear on the March 2024 Primary Elections ballot and will list a series of changes to Chicago’s real estate transfer tax code. Currently in Chicago, anytime a property is sold there is a one-time sales tax applied. This tax is currently that same rate for any property regardless of value. Bring Chicago Home would amend this tax so that properties worth more than $1million would see an increase in their tax rate, and the 95% of properties sold below that value would see a significant decrease in their tax rate. This is not a property tax, and it will only affect our public if they are selling their property. You can learn more by reading the following from Bring Chicago Home Coalition and WBEZ.

WARD OFFICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sign up to volunteer professional services to neighbors in need
Our office is putting out a call to local professionals, businesses, and consultants that would like to be on a list of resources for neighbors in need. Our office regularly needs advice regarding architecture, building construction, and many other areas of professional expertise. This will not be a business directory. We are specifically seeking members of the community that are willing to provide professional advice to our team and members of our community in times of extreme need. We will not be connecting our constituents to these professionals for the purpose of providing contracts or expanding their business. If you would like to help, you can fill out this contact form and our team will be in touch before adding you to our directory.

Traffic Notice:

Upcoming: Our Lady of Mercy Parish at 4432 N Troy will be having holiday events. Please expect heavy traffic along Troy, Sunnyside, Kedzie, and Montrose in the area on the 11th from 6pm-10pm and the 12th from 5pm-10pm. Traffic may spill over to Barry and Nelson on the 12th.
Ongoing: Please reduce your speeds and stay patient during periods of heavy traffic during school drop-off traffic at Hibbard, Edison, and Albany Park Multicultural Academy schools. This area is a safety zone for our young neighbors and pedestrians. Please consider alternate routes for your commute if school drop off traffic is challenging for your schedule.

Infrastructure Improvement Projects:

Upcoming: Road Closure Monday-Friday 7am-3pm, December-March – Peoples Gas will be performing maintenance work on Sacramento, north and south sides of the intersection at Montrose. Road closure of 4300 and 4400 Sacramento during weekdays from 7am-3pm. The road will be open outside of those posted times. Work will begin mid-December and is expected to be complete by mid-March of 2024.
Current: Road Closure – Department of Water Management private contractor will begin installing an underground sewer structure at the intersection of N Albany Ave and W School St. Due to the nature of the work, this intersection will be closed to traffic for the duration of construction. Work at this location is expected to last approximately 4-6 weeks. Upon completion by the contractor, a City of Chicago In-House sewer crew is expected to continue installation of sewer pipe along W School St between N Albany Ave and N Elston Ave.

The Department of Family and Support Services has launched their new Rental Assistance Program. You can learn more and apply by clicking here.

The Department of Family and Support Services has launched their 2023 Winter Senior Connected Program.
DFSS provides programs and supports to older adults aged 60 and better to keep them healthy, active and engaged. You can see their full program list and learn more by clicking here. Some of the key events featured in the brochure include:

Brain Health Series 1-6 provides techniques to support healthy cognitive development and possibly reduce the risk of dementia.
Passport to the World Congregate Dining Program features culturally diverse meals to seniors, representing the rich cultural and ethnic diversity found across the city. Menus and the site listing are included in the Winter Brochure. To date, 10,000 meals have been provided through this program.
What’s in Your Closet? An outreach program to discuss services and strategies to help organize items and discard clutter within homes. This feeds into our virtual winter sessions of Buried In Treasures providing facilitated peer discussions on clearing and cleaning spaces to support the ability for seniors to age safely within their homes and communities.
Programmatic opportunities available both virtually and in-person including fitness, recreational classes and health and wellness sessions (e.g., dietitian presentations such as Healthy New Year, Healthy New You on dietary changes and improved health as well as pharmacist presentations on stroke awareness and controlling diabetes).

Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) New Re-entry Programs You can locate a list of all Chicago’s Reentry Support Centers by visiting Chicago’s Resources for Returning Residents website, or by calling 2-1-1/3-1-1 for additional resources and support.

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
CEDA’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides heat and electricity assistance, offering support for natural gas, electricity, oil, or propane, with cash aid available for renters and qualified homeowners eligible for vouchers for heating system repairs. Find a partner organization to enroll here.

Winter Overnight Parking Ban is now in effect
The overnight parking ban which is now in effect. The ban is enforced on 107 miles of arterial streets throughout the city from 3am-7am regardless of if snow is falling or on the ground. You can visit the website of the Department of Streets and Sanitation for more information and a map of streets that are included in the ban.

Emergency Heating Repair Program is now Open
The Department of Housing’s Emergency Heating Repair Program is now open from Nov. 1, 2023 to April 1, 2024. The process for submitting a service request is outlined in the attached letter, as well as other general information about the program. You will also be able to find the same information on the webpage chicago.gov/ehrp.

Chicago Launches Composting Pilot Program
The City of Chicago is launching its first-ever citywide Food Scrap Drop-Off Program, and all Chicago residents are welcome to drop off their household food scraps for composting at one of 15 locations across the city– for FREE! Composting keeps food scraps out of landfills, reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and recycles nutrients that enrich soil. You can learn more here. See this article by The Triibe for information as well.

Our ward has two nearby sites: the Irving Park location at 4605 W Lawrence Ave, and the Avondale location at 3143 N Rockwell St. Images showing the cart locations can be found on the website. Use this Food Scrap Drop-Off Form to sign up for one of the drop-off sites.

Grid-Based Tree Trimming
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.

Current grid section: N040 W028, which covers Montrose to Irving Park Rd from California to Kedzie

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. Upon the completion of each grid segment, we will make an announcement about which grid will be completed next. If you’re worried about the immediate safety of the area around a given tree due to its conditions, you can reach out to 311 or our office so the appropriate service request can be made.

Having trouble filling a vacant apartment? Chicago Rents can help:
Ariel Parrella-Aureli reported on the Chicago Rents program for Block Club. Chicago Rents is a program that offers guaranteed rents and additional incentives for landlords interested in providing affordable housing for tenants.The program has already housed more than 2000 Chicagoans. Chicago Rents provides support to both the tenant and the landlord throughout the duration of the lease. If you’re a landlord who’s interested in learning more, click here. Landlords can also fill out a survey by clicking here and Chicago Rents staff will reach out to you.

Local School Playground Improvements
There are several active school playground improvements in the ward.

Cleveland’s new playgrounds and outdoor classroom have funds from the state. Those funds were approved recently as noted in our newsletter. Construction is expected to be complete by the new school year. We will share updates in our newsletter as the project advances.

Bateman has funds from our Participatory Budgeting program and additional grant funding to come from CPS and the state. The applications are being processed and we will share updates in our newsletter as the project advances.

Von Linne has funds from our Participatory Budgeting program and additional grant funding from CPS and the state. The playground is in its design phase and we expect construction to begin in the summer.

The Roosevelt High School turf field is under construction and received funding from a variety of sources including the Kedzie/Lawrence TIF.

It is very challenging to secure funds for our school improvements, and we are very proud of the organizing work everyone at the schools has done to make these projects happen. We understand this process has taken a long time, but we are very close to celebrating all of these new projects together.

ZONING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Current Zoning Proposals Under Review:

3448-62 W. Lawrence Ave
Neighborhood: Albany Park

The applicant is seeking a zoning change from B1-2 to B1-3 to permit five (5) residential units (2 two-BR, 3 one-BR) to be located on the second floor of the existing building. The first floor will remain commercial. The two-story building height will remain unchanged. For full details on this project, click here. To submit feedback, click here.

3316-28 W. Montrose Ave
Neighborhood: Albany Park

The applicant is seeking to redevelop the site with a new four-story mixed-use building, that would contain a meaningfully-sized commercial space on the 1st Floor, and a total of twenty-four dwelling units on and between the 2nd through 4th Floors. For full details on this project, click here. To submit feedback, click here.

3331 – 3325 N Whipple St.
Neighborhood: Avondale

The applicant owns a multi-unit property at 3331 N Whipple on a wide 34-foot lot. The house is set on the north edge of the property line. The client also owns a multi-unit building at the adjacent property at 3325 N Whipple on a wide 37-foot lot. The building is set on the south edge of the lot leaving an open plot of land sitting unoccupied between the buildings. The applicant is seeking a zoning change to allow for a legal lot division so the middle lot can be developed. There are multiple proposal options that have been presented. Details for the building design were submitted for the single family home and can be reviewed here. For full details on this project, click here. To submit feedback, click here.

Option 1: Utilize the available space, approximately 27 feet by 125 feet, between the 2 buildings, all on land owned by the client to build a Single Family home. Current buildings will remain.

Option 2: Utilize the available space between the 2 buildings, all on land owned by the client to build a 3 unit building. Each floor would be a simplex unit. Current buildings will remain.

SUPPORTING NEW CHICAGOANS

Volunteer Opportunities
Members of our community have formed the Community Care Collective to direct mutual aid efforts in the 33rd Ward. You can learn about volunteer opportunities by following this link.

Chicago announces new timeline for migrant resettlement in partnership with the state. You can learn more by reading this press release.

Migrant Mission Website
Chicago has added an official Frequently Asked Questions page to their website dedicated to the Migrant Mission. This FAQ details the process for welcoming migrants and responds to many of the questions that have been asked by the public. Check this page for information.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Donate to the Irving Park Community Food Pantry
All toys need to arrive by Monday the 18th

Irving Park Community Food Pantry (4256 North Ridgeway) is hosting its annual Holiday Gift Drive this December, with selected items packed into Christmas stockings by volunteer Pantry elves. Children ages 12 and under in the service area of 60641 and 60618 are eligible to receive a stocking at the Pantry during December. Please see the links below and make a contribution if you are able:

Amazon wishlist HERE.
Irving Park PayPal HERE

FREE COMMUNITY HEALTH DAY
When: Saturday Dec 16 from 11am-2pm
Where: Trellus Welcome Center, 2424 W Peterson Ave, Chicago

Apna Ghar, ICNA Relief, and Trellus are excited to invite you to the FREE COMMUNITY HEALTH DAY at Trellus Welcome Center. We are dedicated to promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being of those we serve, and for that we have a fantastic lineup of activities, workshops, and experts.

The Friendship Center Holiday Box Giveaway
December 16 from 2-5pm
The Friendship Center at 2711 W Lawrence

The box contains potatoes, onions, green beans, corn, mixed fruits, and either pork loin, chicken, or ham. Limit 1 per household. Please do not line up before 12pm.

Grief support for Maggie Anderson’s Family

Please help contribute support for Maggie Anderson’s family by clicking here to connect with their GoFundMe.

Student-led Refugee Youth Support Organization forms

A group of students at Walter Payton College Prep created a nonprofit this year named the Chicago Student Refugee Coalition. They are a student-led organization aimed at supporting refugee youth in their transition to their new homes through peer-peer connection. To learn more about them and to support their work, check out their website by clicking here.

Since July, they have been able to impact over 850 students through a variety of different events. Most recently they hosted their first annual CSRC WindyCity SportsFest, an event where students could come and play a variety of outdoor games, share pizza with their new friends, and choose from a handful of donated athletic clothing. Almost 200 students attended this event!

Cleveland and Von Linne Schools win Openlands Bird Educational Programming for 2024
Birds In My Neighborhood (BIMN) is a volunteer-driven program that connects elementary age students to nature in their communities. Through engaging classroom visits and field trips, students gain an understanding of birds and foster passion for nature in their homes. You can read the full press release here.

Horner Park Jazz Band Holiday Concert
Monday, December 18, from 7-9pm @ Borelli’s Pizza: 2124 W Lawrence

Holiday events with Our Lady of Mercy Parish

Free Winter Weekdays at the Art Institute
This holiday season, we are happy to announce the return of Free Winter Weekdays from November 27 to December 22, 2023. Illinois residents can enjoy free admission on Mondays (11:00–5:00), Thursdays (11:00–8:00), and Fridays (11:00–5:00). Their new gallery tour is available in Spanish and American Sign Language.

YOUTH RESOURCES

Amtrak Scholarship Program

Amtrak is providing (11) eleven scholarship opportunities for next year. Applications are due by January 31, 2024 at 10:59pm Central Standard Time. You can learn more and apply by clicking here.

BUSINESS RESOURCES

Submit to be a vendor at the 2024 Democratic National Convention

The 2024 Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago from August 19 – 22 next year. You can submit an application to be a vendor at the convention by clicking here.

Chicago Parks District Vendor Applications Open

The 2024 concession program application is available at www.parkconcessions.com. Please see attached the Notice of Availability (NOA) and the advertisement. Vendors interested in joining the concession program should contact UCG Associates. website: parkconcessions.com | email: parkconcessions@unison-ucg.com | phone: (312) 988-3360.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection is hiring!
There are 7 openings for the Nights and Weekends “Business Compliance Investigator” position. BACP investigators perform a full range of investigative duties to enforce and ensure compliance with the City’s ordinances governing businesses, consumer protection, and public vehicles. Find complete details and application here: Chi.gov/BACPJobs

CPS Hiring Paraprofessionals
The Chicago Public Schools Talent Office is hosting the monthly CPS Job Paraprofessional Fair for paraprofessional positions with Chicago Public Schools. CPS will continue to host these community job fairs monthly throughout the city at various locations on the second Thursday of every month. We want to encourage members of the community to apply for positions within CPS in the area in which they live at www.cps.edu/careers.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Below is a list of Mental Health resources that are available locally here in the City of Chicago.

CDPH Resources
City of Chicago STI Specialty Clinics
City of Chicago Mental Health Centers
Illinois Department of Human Services
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call 988
Rincon Family Services Mental Health Crisis Line: (773) 640-9803

Make an appointment for your free Covid or flu vaccine from a city clinic
Location information can be found by clicking this link.

You can see a list of flu clinics by clicking here.

Safer Use Society
Weekly on Wednesdays at 5:30pm. RSVP for location.

Thrive for Change is providing a weekly event as social support for individuals actively using drugs, on MAT, those seeking an alternative to a 12-step program & everything in between. No abstinence required, no expectations, no judgment, just compassionate understanding & support. This is a hybrid style meeting, meaning that you can show up in person or online via zoom.

We fully embrace harm reduction based programming and activities, we will host monthly skill shares, peer-peer community-based development, & culturally competent facilitation. This is not a 12-step group. More details can be found in the RSVP form or at social media @thrive_4change

Narcan and Fentanyl Test Strips Available at Our Ward Office
Our office has been certified to distribute Narcan and Fentanyl testing resources to our community. You can stop by during our open hours or reach out to info@33rdward.org for more information.

Free Asthma Services from American Lung Association
Do you know a child, adult or family member that has uncontrolled asthma? The American Lung Association in Greater Chicago has a program where a skilled healthcare professional will visit your home and provide an asthma assessment. The healthcare professional will provide health education and any materials and products needed to mitigate your asthma symptoms. Products include, but are not limited to, green cleaners, HEPA vacuum cleaners, air cleaners, beds, bed and pillow covers. More information by clicking here.

COMMUNITY SAFETY UPDATES

My office believes that the best approach to community safety requires us all to participate in conversation together, to learn about each others’ needs and find ways to support each person. We encourage everyone to participate in the CCPSA, attend your regular beat meetings (CAPS), and your local CCPSA District Council local meetings.

Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability
Last year, Chicagoans elected their first ever Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA). The CCPSA is a city-wide elected body of three representatives from each police district. These representatives have a wide range of responsibilities that you can learn more about by clicking here.

CCPSA Announced Meeting Schedule for 2023.

17th District CAPS Meetings: 17th District CAPS Webpage with schedule.
Please contact the 17th District Community Policing Office / CAPS, if there are any questions or concerns.
Email: caps.017district@chicagopolice.org Telephone: 312-742-4588

Click here for information about beat meetings.

33RD WARD OFFICE INFORMATION

Address: 4747 N Sawyer Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 10am – 5pm; Friday 9am – 4pm
Phone: 773-840-7880
Connect with us and access resources by clicking here.

33RD WARD STAFF

Veronica Tirado-Mercado, Chief of Staff
Stacy Erenberg, Deputy Chief of Staff
Jonathan Nagy, Director of Communications and Engagement
Rebecca Rios, Director of Infrastructure and Zoning
Abraham Espino, Neighborhood and Business Services Coordinator
Eric Ramos, Ward Superintendent
Elizabeth Espino, Neighborhood Services Representative
Ariana Aguilar, Neighborhood Services Representative
Charlie Billingsley III, Neighborhood Services Intern
John Cruz-Barcenas, Legislative Assistant

Do you have news to share?

We are always trying to improve our communication! If you have information to share with the community, we would like to know! To submit an item for our weekly newsletter, please send an email with the event details including date, time, and location, and a brief written description. Any photos should be submitted in .JPEG format. Please submit by 5pm on Thursday.