Chicago Alderman Newsletter Tracker

Alderman William E. Hall of the 6th Ward announces that the ward office is temporarily closed due to a sewage issue. Residents can continue to submit inquiries by emailing ward06@cityofchicago.org, and all messages will be reviewed once the office reopens. For non‑emergency city services, use 311, and dial 911 for emergencies.

Alderman Andre Vasquez of the 40th Ward invites residents to the first town hall of 2026 on March 11 at Swedish Hospital, where he will review 2025 accomplishments and 2026 plans and answer community questions. The meeting will be held 6‑8 pm, and residents are encouraged to bring concerns. Additional information includes office hours, a weekly Ward Night, and upcoming events listed on the ward website.

Alderman La Spata of the 1st Ward has launched a Participatory Budgeting survey to gather residents’ infrastructure priorities, including funding for an all‑way pedestrian scramble at North, Milwaukee, and Damen and improved pedestrian infrastructure at Cortland and Western. The 1st Ward is also moving forward with a city‑wide pilot for an automated public toilet at the Polish Triangle, funded through menu money, and has announced that the Chicago Park District will accept PB submissions until March 31. Additional community updates include a March 22 cleanup event, limited‑time affordable‑housing waitlists at several apartments, and a $1 million scholarship fund from the Chicago City Council Latino Caucus Foundation.

Alderman Walter Red Burnett (Ward) announced that tonight’s Ward Night was postponed, with Ward Nights scheduled to resume on March 10, 2026. No zoning, housing, transit, budget, ordinances, or development decisions were mentioned; the only other item was the opt-out link for email notifications.

The 47th Ward Alderman Alondra reminds residents that today is the final day to vote in the ward’s Participatory Budgeting process, which allocates $200K to community‑chosen projects such as accessibility upgrades at Welles Park Playground, new fitness equipment at Clark Park, a music‑themed crosswalk outside Old Town School of Folk Music, and a flashing pedestrian signal at Western and Byron. Residents aged 14 or older who live in or attend school in the 47th Ward are eligible to vote. The ballot is available online for casting votes.

Alderman Byron Sigcho‑Lopez invites 25th Ward residents to participate in the 2026 MENU participatory budgeting process, with an Infrastructure Townhall on March 19 at the Rudy Lozano Library to discuss project selection. A TIF Review Committee meeting will be held March 31 to update on the Pilsen Industrial TIF. Additional community events include a Café con el Concejal on March 7 and an International Women’s Day celebration on March 6.

Alderman Pat Dowell of the 3rd Ward highlighted several budget and infrastructure actions, including a $1.925 million traffic signal modernization program at key intersections and the start of a CTA 43rd‑Street Greenline station upgrade that will close an alley from March 5 to August 2026. The ward also secured a $2 million federal grant for the Bronzeville Regional Senior Center and received Illinois Environmental Protection Agency approval for remediation work at The 78, while Dowell co‑sponsored resolutions to have Cook County reimburse the city and CPS for delayed property‑tax proceeds and to enforce the 2026 budget package. Other announcements included early‑voting sites for the March 17 primary, a memorial resolution honoring Rev. Jesse Jackson, and community‑policing CAPS meetings, with additional events such as the Shamrock Shuffle and South Loop parking restrictions noted for residents.

Alderman Timmy Knudsen of the 43rd Ward announced that early voting has begun at the Lincoln Park Library and is available at all 50 ward early‑voting sites through March 16, with the same locations serving as vote centers on Election Day. The newsletter also provides detailed voting‑by‑mail instructions, ID requirements, and contact information for the ward office, emphasizing that residents can vote at any early‑voting site regardless of their precinct. Additional resources and links to voter registration, election results, and social media are included for residents seeking further information.

The 6th Ward Community Zoning Meeting on February 2, 2026, saw strong resident turnout and resulted in votes against Henry Sober Living for Women (88‑10) and the 75th & Lafayette Gas Station (19‑0), while the 75th & Indiana Gas Station expansion remains under discussion. Alderman William E. Hall will bring the non‑approved proposals to the Zoning Board of Appeals to advocate for the community’s interests. The newsletter serves as a recap of the meeting’s outcomes and the alderman’s next steps.

The 16th Ward Service Office, led by Alderman Stephanie D. Coleman, will be closed on Monday, March 2, 2026, in observance of Pulaski Day, with no refuse or trash collection that day. City‑collected trash will resume on Tuesday, March 3, and recycling services will continue as scheduled throughout the week, including private recycling carts. The office will reopen on Tuesday, March 3, at 9:00 a.m.

Alderperson Jessie Fuentes of the 26th Ward announced a March 9 town hall at Iglesia Emanuel to discuss 311 use, infrastructure updates, and participatory budgeting, and highlighted a proposed zoning change for 44 affordable housing units at 3251 W. Division. The ward also announced the start of a CDOT Arterial Street Resurfacing Project on Humboldt Drive, featuring ADA sidewalk upgrades, bike medians, raised crosswalks, and refuge islands to improve street safety. Additional community events include a March 4 blood drive with Rep. Lilian Jiménez, a March 7 C3 Housing Fair, a March 9 community tree‑planting day on April 25, and a gender‑based violence training for the Community Safety Committee.

Alderman Nicole T. Lee announced that the 11th Ward will host a Moving Archer Forward Study open house and that the next City Council meeting on March 18 will address transit and infrastructure topics. The ward is also advancing a $325 million federal loan program for lead service line replacement and sewer installation along Parnell and Pershing, while a street resurfacing and ADA‑compliant corner project between Cermak and 24th Pl on Wentworth is underway, and new parking decals for Sox Residential Parking will be distributed for White Sox opening day. Additional updates include a blood drive on March 9, a Vote‑By‑Mail application push, and ongoing construction closures on Parnell, 35th, and 33rd Streets.

Alderman Byron Sigcho‑Lopez invites 25th Ward residents to participate in the 2026 MENU participatory budgeting process, with an Infrastructure Townhall on March 19 at the Rudy Lozano Library to discuss project selection. A TIF Review Committee meeting will be held March 31 to update on the Pilsen Industrial TIF. Additional community events include a Café con el Concejal on March 7, an International Women’s Day celebration on March 6, and a Constituent Card program offering free museum admission.

The 49th Ward newsletter, issued by Alderwoman Maria Hadden, announces that early voting for the March 17 primary election opens on March 2 across all 50 wards, with specific locations in the 49th Ward at Willye B. White Park. It also details updated vote‑by‑mail rules, including postmark deadlines and secure drop‑box options, and invites residents to become election judges. No zoning, housing, transit, or budget matters are addressed in this edition.

Alderman Anthony Napolitano of the 41st Ward informs residents that garbage collection will be suspended on Monday, March 2, 2026, in observance of the Pulaski Day holiday, with the ward office also closed that day. The newsletter encourages business owners to seek weekly features on the ward’s Facebook page, promotes a campaign to ban online “hotel‑houses” in the ward, and highlights free business workshops and job opportunities available through city and local chamber resources.

Alderman Samantha Nugent of the 39th Ward reports a shooting on the 4900 block of N. Harding Ave, where two people were shot and one died. Police are investigating and are asking residents for witnesses or evidence. No meetings, policy changes, development approvals, budget decisions, transit changes, or street redesign projects were mentioned in this newsletter.

Alderman Matthew J. O'Shea of the 19th Ward informs residents that the Polar Plunge Chicago will be held on March 1 at North Avenue Beach, and that there will be no garbage collection on Monday, March 2, but recycling will be collected. The office will be closed in observance of Casimir Pulaski Day, and residents are advised to ensure their carts are accessible for the March 3 garbage pickup. Additional announcements include a free online aviation career course starting March 3, the Illinois Secure Choice retirement program, and employment opportunities posted on the 19th Ward website.

Alderwoman Maria Hadden reports that the 49th Ward will host a virtual public hearing on March 6 for the City of Chicago Department of Water Management to discuss lead service line replacement loans, and Mayor Brandon Johnson will hold a budget town hall on March 5 to review the city’s approved budget. The ward continues to bolster public safety with 24/7 police on Howard L. and ongoing CP4P initiatives, while residents should note demolition at 1224 W Loyola, Chicago Fire filming no‑parking restrictions, and a street‑lighting project on Chase and Paulina. Additional updates include early voting for the March 17 primary, SNAP work‑reporting changes, and a range of community events such as the March 4 town hall, the 49th Ward’s own town hall, and various cultural and volunteer opportunities.

Alderman Scott Waguespack of the 32nd Ward reports that the City Council has approved the Foundry Park project and that two lots on a Bucktown block could become 60 apartments if separate developments are approved, while Bickerdike Apartments is opening affordable housing waitlists. He also highlights ongoing budget implementation challenges, noting that the 2026 budget includes borrowing for operations and settlements, and that the city’s credit rating has been downgraded, which could raise borrowing costs. Other announcements include a March 3 water‑main project meeting, the office’s closure for Pulaski Day, early voting sites opening, and community events such as the Burley School Spring Fling and a reuse & recycling pop‑up.

Alderman Desmon Yancy of the Fifth Ward announces that the office will be closed on Pulaski Day, March 2, a city and state holiday. No meetings, policy changes, or development updates were mentioned. Residents are advised to plan accordingly for any in‑person requests during that day.