| | Dear Neighbor,
This past weekend, I traveled to Washington, DC, with some of my colleagues in the Latino Caucus to meet with Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, as well as Representatives Delia Ramirez and Chuy Garcia, to discuss the variety of issues impacting our communities locally and across the country, as well as intergovernmental strategies to support our city. We talked about how to improve affordability, support small businesses, protect the rights of workers and immigrants, and more. |
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| On Wednesday, my office hosted a Community Driven Zoning and Development meeting for a proposed development at 3458 W Belmont. The applicant is proposing to rezone a vacant lot from the existing C1-1 District to a B2-2 District to build a 3-story (with basement) residential building with 3 dwelling units and 3 parking spaces in a garage near the Belmont Blue Line station. I appreciate the neighbors who came out to learn more about the proposal and make their voices heard. Now, my office is collecting feedback from neighbors in the area until Friday, May 8th. If you would like to weigh in on this zoning change, please fill out this form.
Yesterday, I attended Palenque Logan Square Neighborhood Association’s 64th Annual Congress. This year’s congress included a powerful artistic performance from local immigrant mothers who retold the stories of pain, strength, and solidarity from last year’s violent immigration enforcement period across the northwest side. We recommitted ourselves to continue protecting our families by strengthening our rapid response networks. |
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| Tomorrow, my office will be continuing our Earth Day activities by co-hosting a tree planting event in Hermosa alongside Openlands, 26th Ward Alder Jessie Fuentes, and Cook County Commissioner Jessica Vasquez. If you see our volunteer teams out, be sure to say hello!
As we celebrate Earth Day locally, delegations from across the world are gathering in Santa Marta, Colombia, at the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative Conference to discuss coordinating a global effort to move away from fossil fuels. I extend a hand of solidarity to those who are gathered to help chart a new path forward of environmental sustainability and harmony for all life on Earth.
Next Friday, May 1st, is International Workers Day. I invite you to join thousands of Chicagoans on the streets as we unite with people across the nation in building a government that puts the needs of workers over the greed of billionaires.
Please join me and community members with Palenque LSNA, the Hana Center, Latino Union, and Organized Communities Against Deportation for a rally next Friday at 10:00 am at the Logan Square Centennial Monument at 3150 W Logan Boulevard. The main May Day rally will take place at 1:00 pm at Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph. |
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| Lastly, the final touches to the Milwaukee Avenue Streetscape project are being completed. This week, the identifier sign for our new pedestrian plaza, La Placita, was installed! The sign design was inspired by the 1968 Mexico City Olympics logo. The sign was also proudly made locally in the 35th Ward by metal fabricator D5 Design & Metal Fabrication. |
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| I hope you and your family have a safe and enjoyable weekend!
Sincerely,
Anthony J. Quezada Alderman, 35th Ward
Community Resources: Food Bank Locator and SNAP Updates Utility Billing and Relief Immigration Resources | Family Support Hotline 855-435-7693 Parking Ticket Relief Tenants Rights Resources
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| | Upcoming Paving and Grind Dates
Spring is here, and asphalt plants are opening up for the season! Many of the projects which were selected through our 2024/2025 Participatory Budgeting cycle are now or soon to be underway. The Chicago Department of Transportation has notified our office that the following streets and alleys will be ground on the dates below (weather permitting): Grace Street, from Francisco to California Ave on 4/28 The alley bound by George/Diversey/Whipple/Sacramento on 4/28 The alley bound by Diversey/Schubert/Drake/Central Park on 4/30 The alley bound by Shakespeare/Dickens/Lawndale/Central Park on 4/30 The alley bound by Fullerton/Belden/Karlov/Keystone on 4/30 Dickens Ave, from Kildare to Tripp Ave on 5/1
Members of the public can also find more information on upcoming permitted work through the city’s infrastructure map portal. Using the CDOT Chistreetwork site, you can enter in an address and see permitted work in the area. As always, if you have questions regarding work in your area, please contact our office.
Mayday Office Closure
Please note that the 35th Ward and 8th District office will be closed on Friday May 1st for International Workers Day. We will reopen on Monday, May 4 at 9am.
Street Sweeping Season is Underway!
The Department of Streets and Sanitation’s 2026 street cleaning season is now underway across Chicago. Please be mindful of permanent posted parking restrictions on arterials streets and for scheduled parking restrictions on residential streets. You can find the 2026 street sweeping schedule here. Additionally, you can use our website’s resource map tool, by selecting the street sweeping filter, to see the map and scheduled sweep dates for residential street cleaning.
Ward Night
Our next ward night will be Monday, May 4, 2026. To schedule an appointment to meet with the Alderman, please email us at ward35@cityofchicago.org or call us at (773)-985-3510 during our hours of operation (9am - 5pm, Monday through Friday).
Property Tax Exemption Applications Are Now Open
Applications for property tax exemptions is still open. You can learn more about each of these exemptions, including eligibility requirements, on the Assessor's website at this link. You can check which exemptions you receive by entering your address or PIN at this link and clicking “Exemption History & Status.” In addition to filling for exemption for this year, you may still apply for any missing exemptions for 2024-2021. Please reach out to our office if you would like assistance checking which exemptions you receive or applying for exemptions for 2024-2021.
Kimball Avenue Arterial Resurfacing Project
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has announced that it will resurface Kimball Avenue between Diversey and Wellington Avenues. This project will include the repair of some of the pedestrian crossings and alley aprons as well as a full grind and repave of the street. Work is underway, and parking restrictions have been posted for Monday to Friday from 7am to 5pm to allow for work to commence. Parking will be permitted in the evenings and weekend. If you have any questions regarding this resurfacing work, please contact the 35th Ward Office.
Barry Substation Updates
Work at the new CTA substation at Barry and Kimball is entering its final stages. As of late March, the substation is energized and actively supplying power to the tracks, improving reliability and performance along the CTA Blue Line.
Per the CTA, there has been a delay with reopening the sidewalk on Barry Avenue between Kimball and Gresham. CTA anticipates to reopen the sidewalk at the end of the month.
For any questions or concerns regarding this construction project, please contact the Government and Community Relations Officer, Kathleen Woodruff via email: kwoodruff@transitchicago.com. |
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| Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) applications are now open for the Kennedy/Kimball TIF District!
The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and SomerCor has rolled out the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) grant program for applications in the Kennedy/Kimball TIF district.
The SBIF program uses revenue from TIF districts to help owners of commercial and industrial properties to repair or remodel their facilities for their own business or on behalf of tenants. Tenant businesses are also eligible to apply on their own.
Please note that residential projects are not eligible for the SBIF program, and residential developers should not apply.
Program participants can receive grants for 30 to 90 percent of project costs, with a maximum grant of $150,000 for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties. The grants are administered by SomerCor on the City’s behalf and do not have to be repaid.
For additional information, visit www.chicago.gov/sbif.
New Unity Park Water Feature
The Chicago Park District will be replacing the water feature at Unity Park (2636 N Kimball Ave). Voting is now open to the community to express their support for two design configurations, which can be found below. Voting is open through May 1st. You can vote here. |
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| Upcoming Paseo Prairie Garden Work Days
The Friends of Paseo Prairie Garden will be hosting upcoming volunteer work days. Each work day will be held from 10am-11:30a at Paseo Prairie Community Garden, located at 2614 N Kedzie, and volunteers can assist with weeding, trash pickup, watering and planting.
Upcoming dates: Saturday April 25th Sunday May 3rd Saturday May 9th Sunday May 17th Saturday May 23rd Sunday May 31st |
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| Policy and Zoning Updates |
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Request to lift liquor moratorium for new tavern at 3652 W Wrightwood
The 35th Ward Office has received a request to lift the moratorium on new consumption on-premises liquor licenses on West Wrightwood Avenue between Central Park Avenue and Lawndale Avenue. Daniel Dixon is seeking to lift the moratorium to establish a new tavern at 3652 W Wrightwood Ave. In line with 35th Ward Office policy, Mr. Dixon attended the CAPS meeting for beat 2524 on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 6:30 pm at Kosciuszko Park, 2732 N Avers, to introduce himself and answer any questions from neighbors.
In line with our process for evaluating requests to lift liquor moratoriums, we will accept feedback on this request until Friday, May 1, at 5 pm. At the end of this feedback period, the Alderman will determine whether to introduce an ordinance to lift the moratorium in the City Council based on the feedback we receive. You can provide feedback on this request here.
Accepting Feedback on Zoning Map Amendment Request for 3458 W Belmont
On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the 35th ward office held a community meeting at the Avondale Park Club Room to gather feedback on a zoning map amendment request for 3458 W Belmont Ave. The applicant is proposing to rezone this vacant lot from the existing C1-1 District to a B2-2 District, in order to build a new 3-story (with basement) residential building with 3 dwelling units and 3 parking spaces to be located within a garage.
At the meeting, applicants presented their proposal and residents had an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. In line with our Community-Driven Zoning and Development process, the 35th Ward Office will accept feedback until Friday, May 8, 2026 at 5pm. Following this two week period, the Alderman will decide whether he supports the project based on the feedback received.
You can view the presentation on the proposal here. You can provide feedback here. If you have any questions, please email chas@ward35.org or call (773) 985-3510.
Public Meeting on Zoning Map Amendment Request for 3231-65 N. California Ave./2752-62 W. Melrose St.
On Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the 35th ward office will be hosting a community meeting from 6:30-8pm at Sarabande, 2726 W Roscoe Street, to gather feedback on a zoning map amendment request for 3231-65 N. California Ave./2752-62 W. Melrose St. This proposal was previously presented at a community meeting on October 14, 2025. It originally consisted of two five-story multi-family buildings at the north and south ends of the property, and 26 three-story townhomes between them, for a total of 152 residential units and 126 parking spaces. Access to the site was provided from California as well as from the alleys along the south and east sides of the property.
In response to community feedback, the developer has revised their proposal. At the community meeting, the applicant will present their proposal and residents will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. Following the meeting, the 35th Ward Office will allow two weeks for residents to provide additional feedback. Following the two weeks, the Alderman will decide whether he supports the project based on the feedback received. If you have any questions, please email chas@ward35.org or call (773) 985-3510. |
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| Summer Youth Opportunities |
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| Chicago Youth Works
Chicago Youth Works is a centralized hub for youth summer and year-round job and program opportunities. It also has more information for employers who are interested in participating in the program by hosting youth at their workplaces. You can find more information on their website.
35th Ward Aldermanic Internship The 35th Ward office will be hosting a summer intern through the Chicago City Council Summer Internship Program. This is a paid, full-time, 10 week program, where interns will get hands-on experience in city government by assisting the neighborhood services team. Tasks will include: Community Outreach / Canvassing for events, construction projects, and programs, Email communication between various City Departments, Connecting residents to vital services, Surveying the community for service needs, Engaging in research, Website Development, Social Media support, And tabling events.
If you are interested in applying for this internship opportunity, please send a resume and cover letter to Sara at sara@ward35.org. |
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| Upcoming Community Events |
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| | 35th Ward Office Phone Number: 773-985-3510 35th Ward Office Email: ward35@cityofchicago.org DSS recycling and garbage schedule: chicagorecycles.org Parking Zone Lookup: http://smartchicago.github.io/zone-parking/ Snow Plow Tracker: https://plow-tracker-chicago.hub.arcgis.com/ Street Sweeping Schedule: 2026 Street Cleaning Schedule Street Sweeper Tracker: www.cityofchicago.org/sweepertracker Street Sweeper “We The Sweeple” App: https://www.wethesweeple.com/Elected Official Lookup: https://chicagoelections.com/en/your-voter-information.html Backyard service rodent abatement: (312) 746-5230
35th Ward Staff Scott Jaburek - Chief of Staff Alberto Cuevas - Ward Superintendent Sara Rodriguez - Neighborhood Services Director Chas Sirridge - Policy Director Juan Cardenas - Neighborhood Services Advocate
Employment Opportunities
The Illinois Department of Human Services is hiring! Check out open positions here.
People’s Gas is also hiring! You can find open positions in the region on their website.
The City of Chicago is hiring for several positions. You can find these positions at www.cityofchicago.org/jobs.
To find open positions at the Chicago Park District, please visit this link. |
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| Public Safety (CAPS) Meetings CAPS meetings are an opportunity for residents to meet with the Community Engagement officers of their local police districts to discuss public safety concerns in their neighborhoods. The 35th ward includes portions of the 14th, 17th, and 25th districts of the Chicago Police Department. Visit the CPD website to find your beat. |
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