Dear Neighbors,
A few weeks ago, my office alerted neighbors to three armed robberies in our community. Since then, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Area Three detectives have increased patrols and conducted targeted robbery missions. I'm pleased to report that the suspect has been apprehended. You can read the charges and case details here. Neighbors interested in becoming court advocates can contact the 18th District CAPS Office at CAPS.018District@chicagopolice.org or 312-742-5771.
I want to thank the officers and detectives who worked tirelessly on this case. As we look toward 2027, I also encourage neighbors to help shape our community's public safety priorities through three opportunities:
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CAPS Beat Meetings: Our local 18th and 19th District Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) teams host regular meetings where residents can speak directly with neighborhood officers, raise concerns, and help shape policing priorities. We often hear from neighbors who want to be more involved in public safety, yet attendance at these meetings remains limited. If you have not attended a CAPS meeting before, I strongly encourage you to make it a priority. Find the meeting schedule here and identify your police beat here.
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2027 Strategic District Plans Community Conversations: CPD will host community discussions to gather input on neighborhood safety and crime-reduction priorities for next year. Your feedback will help shape these plans.
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3. Chicago Police District Councilor Meetings: Our elected 18th (south of Fullerton Ave) and 19th (North of Fullerton Ave) District Councilors hold monthly meetings where residents can raise concerns and provide input on policing priorities. Next meetings for both can be found below or on their website.
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18th - 10/27 Location and to be determined.
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19th - Wednesday, October 21st, 6:30 p.m. at 4455 N Lincoln Ave.
Proposed Divvy Expansion Could Bring More Organized Parking & Safer Sidewalks
Today, the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety voted to allow more time for discussion before advancing a proposed expansion of Chicago's Divvy bike and scooter program. The agreement would extend the City's contract through 2033. The proposal follows record-breaking ridership, with 6.8 million Divvy trips in 2025. Notably, the 43rd Ward leads all neighborhoods outside downtown in Divvy ridership, with nearly 650,000 trips starting here this year alone.
One of the most important proposed improvements for our Ward is the expansion of designated parking areas for Divvy bikes and scooters. Similar to approaches used in European cities like Paris and Madrid, new virtual stations and overflow parking areas would give riders more places to park properly, reducing sidewalk clutter and improving pedestrian accessibility. I believe this could make a real difference in Lincoln Park, Old Town Triangle, and the Gold Coast, where ridership is high and open sidewalks space is limited.
The proposal also includes a membership price freeze, discounts for South and West Side rides, limits on future price increases, and more than 100 new union jobs. As discussions continue, I'll focus on getting the best deal for Chicago while improving Divvy and keeping our sidewalks safe and accessible.
Remembering Chef Royce of Soul Prime
I am deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Shonya Williams, known to so many as “Chef Royce”. Chef Royce was the beloved owner of Soul Prime on Halsted in Lincoln Park. She opened the restaurant in 2023, creating a welcoming space that celebrated Black culinary traditions on the North Side. Her incredible food quickly earned national attention, drawing praise from publications and food critics across the country (click here for a great one by my friend Ximena Beltran Quan Kiu).
From the first time we met, Chef Royce became a quick friend. She was naturally warm, kind and a ton of fun. She was someone you could connect with immediately because she wore her heart on her sleeve. I know so many Chicagoans experienced that same warmth and spirit, which she made you feel the moment you walked through the doors of her restaurant.
I want to express my heartfelt condolences to Chef Royce’s family, friends, and the close-knit Soul Prime team. Chef Royce will be deeply missed - and we will make a plan for the community to celebrate her life and the impact she made on our neighborhood.
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Chicago Marathon
Finally, this Sunday, October 11th, the Chicago Marathon makes its way through the 43rd Ward. As a reminder, you can view the marathon's route map through our neighborhood, visit the main event website here for more details, and see the full list of street closures here. Good luck to all of our residents who are running!
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P.S. In celebration of her birthday and the incredible legacy she left behind, I was proud to join my colleagues Aldermen Bennett Lawson and Brian Hopkins to officially designate a block of N. State Parkway as “Honorary Chilli Pepper Way.” Chilli Pepper was a trailblazing icon who helped shape Chicago’s drag community while using her platform to advocate for people impacted by HIV/AIDS. I’m grateful that her name will now have a permanent place in the neighborhood and city she helped shape.
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P.P.S. Our office will be closed this Saturday (10/10) and Monday (10/12) in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day. We will be open for normal business hours on Tuesday, October 13th at 9am.
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Our next Block Talk on Tap will take place on October 15th at a new 43rd Ward Business, Gunny's at 2642 N Lincoln Ave! The topic is “What’s on the Ward Menu? From Budget to Better Neighborhoods.” We’ll break down the ward menu budget and talk about how infrastructure funding makes its way from the city budget to the projects and improvements you see throughout our neighborhoods every day. Register for the event Here!
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ADU Ordinance Now in Effect
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As of April 1, the City’s ordinance to legalize Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs), is officially in effect. Expanding access to ADUs is an important step toward addressing Chicago’s housing shortage and creating more flexible, affordable living options in our neighborhoods. If you have ever considered adding an ADU, whether to create additional income or keep family members close, now is a great time to explore your options. You can enter basic information about your property to see how many units you may be eligible for and learn how to get started. The site also includes an interactive map that allows you to look up eligibility by address. I was proud to support this effort, and I encourage you to learn more, share this opportunity with neighbors, and explore how this program can help expand housing options.
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Crime, and safety remain top of mind for our community. Each week, the 18th and 19th District post Compstat numbers that reflect changes in indexes for key crimes. As a reminder, these statistics represent 100% of the 18th & 19th Police Districts; accordingly, they represent an area much larger than our ward.
For 18th District (south of Fullerton) Week 40 Compstat.
For 19th District (north of Fullerton) Week 40 Compstat.
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We work closely with the 43rd Ward’s local CAPS districts, which include the 18th (Near North) and 19th (Town Hall) Police Districts. Our office is in frequent contact with officers from both of these districts and their local CAPS officers, who host a variety of community forums and events including beat meetings, informational settings, and expert panel discussions, as well as sending out community alerts when a pattern of crime is detected.
Beat Meetings are part of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy and an excellent way to hear directly from CPD about your neighborhood. Meetings are held in the evenings every two months. Click here and find out your Police District and Beat number, and click here for a larger and printable version of the graphic.
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Ald. Knudsen Continues to Urge Johnson & CDOT to Prioritize Bridge Closures and Offer Alternative Traffic Congestion Plans
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The 124-year-old Cortland Street Bridge has now been closed to vehicles for nearly a year after significant structural issues were discovered. Last month, Alderman Knudsen joined Aldermen Hopkins, Waguespack, and other North Side colleagues in supporting an effort to remove the bridge's landmark designation, an important step toward allowing city leadership to move more quickly toward a long-term solution. Our office continues to push CDOT and the City for stronger traffic mitigation measures during the bridge’s closure, while also supporting greater oversight and planning before crucial pieces of infrastructure are closed for extended periods of time.
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Interactive Ward 43 Parking Zone Map
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Our office has created a parking zone map to help residents better understand where residential parking zones are located throughout the ward. For several streets, a Residential Parking Permit may not be required. Some areas may instead be free parking, pay-to-park, school zones, or tow and loading zones that restrict parking during certain hours.
While the map can be helpful for general reference, posted signage is always the most reliable indicator of parking rules. We encourage residents and visitors to carefully check street signs when parking to confirm the applicable restrictions.
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Spooktacular returns with a full weekend of tricks and treats in Lincoln Park!
Saturday, October 24 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Lincoln Avenue
- Trick-or-Treat along Lincoln from Diversey to Webster
- Visit the Lincoln Common Plaza (2335 N. Lincoln) for treats, photo booth, caricatures, face painting and more!
Sunday, October 25 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Clark Street
- Trick-or-Treat along Clark from Armitage to Diversey and along Diversey from Lakeview to Orchard
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Have questions about street work happening in your area? The Department of Transportation has a wonderful tool to look up street work in your area called the Chi Street Work Portal. Here you can input an address and see all surrounding permits for projects on that street. The map is also interactive, allowing residents to view the real permits, view projects in other areas of the City, and see which type of work is being done on your street.
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Parking Enforcement via 311
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The Department of Finance (DOF) announced that City residents now have the option of reporting the following parking enforcement violations: Bus Lane Parking, Commercial Loading Zone, Commercial Vehicle Parked on a Residential Street, Disabled Parking, Fire Hydrant Parking, Residential Parking, Rush Hour Zones, School Safety Zones, Vehicle Parked in Bike Lane, Other (Semi-trucks parked on streets, etc.) Neighbors can report parking violations by calling 311, using the CHI311 app, or through the 311 website. The request type is “Finance Parking Code Enforcement Review.”
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E-Scooters and E-Bikes Policy Updates
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Please click here for updated guidance and rules from CDOT on Scooter and E-Bike rides.
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I want to keep spreading the good word of how powerful a tool CHI 311 is to address non-emergency services in our Ward. Via the CHI 311 website and mobile app, you can:
- Create new service requests and check the status of existing requests (such as on timing and completion).
- Snap a photo of an issue to submit it with a request to improve location accuracy.
- Get local and relevant information/tips regarding the 43rd Ward including visibility into what other requests are being made in your neighborhood. The free CHI 311 mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices and may be downloaded in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
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