Chicago Alderman Newsletter Tracker

In the 43rd Ward, Ald. Timmy Knudsen reports City Council advanced three zoning/housing-related items: final approval for a 100% affordable, accessible housing development at 754 W. Belden; approval of the Francis W. Parker School expansion/field lighting project; and passage of his ordinance allowing religious institutions to rent unused off-hours parking spaces. He also describes the Committee on Finance’s action toward an amended Chicago parking meter deal (with final City Council consideration deferred to next week), and notes his continued push on bridge closures/traffic mitigation in the wake of prolonged Cortland Bridge shutdowns. Other updates include a call to attend a Diversey Community Coalition rally opposing a proposed ComEd substation at 1111 W. Diversey, plus his receipt of the Power Hope Award from Care for Friends and office announcements for fall/winter internships and upcoming community events (including an Oct. 15 VCDP session at Gunny’s).

Alderman Matthew J. O’Shear (19th Ward) newsletter primarily highlights the 13th Annual Beverly Art Walk tomorrow, Sept. 26 (11 a.m.–5 p.m.) and associated Art Walk Afterparty (5–9 p.m.) across Beverly/Morgan Park. Other major 19th Ward updates include registration details for the Beverly Hills Turkey Trot 5K on Nov. 28, plus a call for sweatshirt/t-shirt sponsorships by Oct. 26. Additional announcements include a community steak fry hosted by Historic Bethany Union Church on Oct. 2 and general information on the Illinois Secure Choice retirement program.

33rd Ward Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez reports City Hall hearings and progress on the Chicago Construction Workforce Equity Ordinance, which she sponsors, and notes a City Council vote on the Protecting Renters Ordinance that was deferred and published for the next meeting. She also shares ongoing housing-related updates tied to the Ronan Park/Legion Park encampment relocation, plus zoning/development information including a pending Type 1 map amendment at 3256 N Elston Ave (RS-3 to B2-2). Other notable items include updates on street/sidewalk and alley reconstruction projects, resources for immigrant and deportation defense, and several upcoming community events (e.g., Vital Records Fair on Sept. 26 and Neighbor Night on Oct. 5).

47th Ward Ald. Matt Martin reports that Chicago City Council unanimously passed amendments to the Chicago Ethics Code ahead of municipal elections, and he chairs the Ethics Committee; he also introduced legislation requiring audits of automated license plate reader vendors for improper data sharing and clearer paid social media disclosures. He says his office’s Youth Council met to plan the ward’s annual participatory budgeting and discussed improving e-scooter safety. The newsletter also promotes weekend events including Midnight Circus in the Parks in Welles Park, Andersonville Arts Weekend along Clark St., and the 5th annual Sustainability Fair in North Center, plus other community announcements and upcoming office hours with Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s team.

Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) notified residents that “Good Behavior” will be filming in Gold Coast on Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with parking restrictions and two short periods of full street closure/traffic control. The notice also states the Chicago Police Department will supervise traffic control, with details to contact the location manager or the Chicago Film Office for questions. No zoning, housing, transit, budget, or street-safety policy changes were announced in this newsletter.

This newsletter from the Aldermanic Office of Chicago’s Third Ward mainly promotes upcoming community events, including the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 11, and the “2nd Police District Community Conversations,” plus a Bronzeville Bus Tour. Other items include the Great Promise, the South Side Good Memories Choir, and a Park District M/W/DBE Vendor Networking Event. No zoning, development, housing, transit, budget, or policy/ordinance decisions are mentioned in the text provided.

Alderman Debra L. Silverstein (50th Ward) shared reminders that property tax bills are due October 1 and highlighted ward events including the annual 50th Ward Job Fair. The newsletter also lists a Workforce Solutions reimbursement grant for eligible businesses (with information webinars starting October 6), voting updates for the Nov. 3 General Election (including early voting expanding on Oct. 19), and a free Shred Day/meds disposal event on Oct. 11. Other announcements include alerts to sign up for street-sweeping notifications through late November, National Hispanic Heritage Month and Sukkot greetings, and SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance for Cook County storm damage.

16th Ward Alderman Stephanie D. Coleman’s newsletter mainly focuses on encouraging residents to submit City service requests (311) for issues like street light outages, tree limbs, and chronic fly dumping, along with office contact hours and general service office information. The email does not include any specific meetings/hearings, zoning/development or housing policy/ordinance actions, budget decisions, or long-term transit/street safety projects. It also references upcoming 16th Ward community events with an invitation to register to attend.

In this September update, Alderman [name not provided] highlights City Council action including an ordinance introduced to crack down on data centers (zoning/planning, community review, and environmental enforcement) and support for advancing a change in control for Parking Meters, plus passage of an amended plan for 23 S. Sangamon (a 70-unit development with community benefits such as public restrooms). The newsletter also calls for hearings on Amtrak’s proposed Midwest Maintenance Facility at the Canal Street Rail Yard and notes West Loop infrastructure work and construction impacts such as the State/Lake CTA station closure (new accessible station expected by 2029) and ongoing Canal Street and Lake Street bridge projects. Other major announcements include SBIF small business grant applications for the LaSalle Central TIF district (through Sept. 30), voting for Grant Park Participatory Budgeting (through Sept. 30), poll worker recruitment for the Nov. 3 election, and upcoming National Hellenic Museum events like “The Odyssey Reimagined” (opening Oct. 1) and Homerathon (Oct. 29–30).

Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) announced a community vaccine clinic with Jewel-Osco on Monday, September 28, 2:00–6:00 p.m. at Lake Shore Park, offering flu, COVID-19, shingles, RSV, pneumonia, TDAP, and multiple other vaccines by free appointment. The newsletter does not mention any zoning, housing, transit, budget, policy changes, development approvals, or street safety/utility projects; it only highlights the clinic and its co-sponsors.

Alderman Ronnie L. Mosley (21st Ward) announced a 21st Ward monthly townhall on housing and development resources at the Woodson Regional Library (9525 S. Halsted) on Sept. 26, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with special guests and information on city services, council matters, and ward developments. No specific zoning, development approvals, policy/ordinance actions, budget decisions, transit changes, or street safety projects were detailed in the message.

Alderman Silvana Tabares (23rd Ward) introduced a resolution to advance the City and Cook County Violence Against Women Task Force, establishing quarterly meetings and implementing recommendations from the first phase; the second phase is set to begin in January 2027. The newsletter also notes Ald. Tabares raised $19,500 for Chicago Police Department bulletproof vests. Other items include an agreement to strengthen CTA security and local community updates/events such as the Rhine VFW annual picnic.

6th Ward Alderman William E. Hall’s newsletter is a reminder that the 2nd Annual “Bike the King Drive” ride is this Saturday at Tuley Park (9100 S. King Drive), with registration at 8:00 AM and the ride beginning at 9:00 AM. It notes the event is a rolling bike ride (not a full street closure), with brief traffic holds as the group passes. The email mainly promotes this community event and does not mention any zoning, housing, transit, budget, or street policy/approval decisions.

In Alderman Desmon Yancy’s Fifth Ward newsletter, there are no zoning, development approvals, transit/budget hearings, or housing/parking/street policy changes reported. The main announcements focus on non-policy items: Yancy’s nomination for SBAC small-business awards (with winners announced Nov. 12), disaster-loan/voting-assistance resources, and local events and services at the Obama Presidential Center, plus health/resource fair information and community programming. Other key updates include the Hazel Crest SBA disaster loan outreach center details, a Legal Aid Chicago property tax redemption help desk reminder, and a school supplies giveaway and volunteer/community safety opportunities for Fifth Ward residents.

In Alderman Jim Gardiner’s 45th Ward newsletter, the focus is on constituent services and citywide issues rather than specific ward-level zoning/development or budget hearings; key items include reminders about property-tax exemptions and appeals, plus ward updates on funding for a turf field at Onahan School and renovation plans for the Portage Theater. The newsletter also highlights public-transit safety policy discussions citywide, including a proposed $75M CTA safety plan that would add officers, and notes additional community announcements such as school “bike bus” participation, local business updates, and upcoming ward beat meetings and events (e.g., shredding and Movies in the Park).

Alderman Bennett Lawson (44th Ward) reported attending a community meeting opposing the proposed ComEd substation at 1111 W Diversey and reiterated the push for alternative locations; he also introduced/ cosponsored housing- and zoning-related measures, including an ordinance letting qualifying adult-use cannabis dispensaries sell medical cannabis without a ZBA return, an ordinance encouraging bay windows, and a resolution to remove the Zoning Code’s minimum lot area (MLA) per unit requirement. He also covered public safety/budget-adjacent civic meetings (CCPSA’s meeting on officer wellness and policing impacts, and the 19th District Council meeting) and noted local infrastructure updates like Kelly Park construction progress and the Dog Park being in the bidding phase, plus ongoing street/alleys resurfacing timelines. Other major announcements include Clark Street Live and East Lake View’s Oktoberfest this weekend, and Chicago Marathon street-closure/towing notices for October 11.

No zoning, development, housing, transit, budget, ordinance, or street-safety policy items are mentioned in Alderman Matthew J. O’Shea’s (19th Ward) newsletter. The main announcements are the 13th Annual Beverly Art Walk on Saturday, September 26 (11 a.m.–5 p.m.) and updates for the Beverly Hills Turkey Trot 5K on November 28, including registration deadlines and a $5 breakfast after the race. Other listed items include a community steak fry hosted by Historic Bethany Union Church and an informational note about the Illinois Secure Choice retirement savings program.

No zoning, development, housing, transit, budget, or street-safety meetings or policy changes were mentioned. The newsletter from 9th Ward Alderman Anthony A. Beale focuses on correcting a phone number and provides a last call to schedule required mobile DMV appointments by calling 773-785-1100.

In the 9th Ward, Alderman Anthony A. Beale shared a reminder that there are “last call” Mobile DMV appointments, with appointments required and scheduling available via his office at 773-3-785-1100. No zoning, development, housing, transit, budget, or street-safety items were mentioned in this newsletter.

This newsletter for Maria Hadden (49th Ward) does not mention any aldermanic meetings, hearings, ordinances, development/zoning approvals, or budget/transit/street safety decisions. It primarily promotes two campaign events on Saturday, Sept. 26—a “Fighting Fascism Fall Fundraiser” (4–6pm at Jarvis Square Tavern) and a free “Election Protection Festival” (3–6pm at Jarvis Square Alfresco Space) with local organizations focused on voter registration and election protection.