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Ald. Byron Sigcho‑Lopez of the 25th Ward reports no new zoning, budget, or transit updates this month. The office is hosting an expungement workshop on Dec. 6, a hot‑meal and pan‑dulce giveaway on Nov. 30, and a free Art Institute visit on Dec. 9, while continuing to offer property‑tax assistance and holiday office hours.

Alderman Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward informs residents that garbage carts for Thursday pickups should be made accessible on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, because of the Thanksgiving holiday; the Department of Streets and Sanitation will work ahead and collect on Friday if needed. No meetings, policy changes, development approvals, budget decisions, transit updates, or street‑safety projects are announced in this issue.

Alderman Brian Hopkins highlighted a City Club conversation on the 2026 budget and addressed a recent budget hearing where the head tax was struck down, underscoring the council’s focus on fiscal policy. He also reiterated his push for a citywide curfew ordinance to curb youth violence, following a recent violent shooting after the Loop tree‑lighting event. Other updates included a reminder that the 2nd Ward office will be closed for Thanksgiving, a call to participate in the Chicago Police Training Survey, the extension of street sweeping through December 12, and community events such as the Small Business Saturday shop‑local drive and the 18th District holiday toy drive.

Alderwoman Maria Hadden’s office hosted a community meeting on November 19 about the proposed 5‑story mixed‑use development at 7644 N Sheridan, a key zoning‑and‑housing discussion for the 49th Ward. The ward also announced the December 31 dismantling of the Glenwood Alfresco, ending the street‑redesign program and restoring regular traffic flow. In addition, the ward office will be closed for Thanksgiving (Nov 26‑28), a new snow‑shoveling volunteer program is launching, and the alderwoman is on medical leave while her staff manages the ward’s services.

Alderperson Jessie Fuentes of the 26th Ward announced a Crosstown Trail meeting with Commissioner Vásquez and a CDOT meeting on the North Avenue Corridor to plan intersection improvements and pedestrian plazas. The City Council approved a Humboldt Park TIF package that funds park upgrades, and a participatory‑budgeting preview will soon release a ballot featuring pedestrian‑safety and playground projects. The newsletter also noted zoning‑change requests for several properties, a reopened property‑tax appeal window, a senior gala, a turkey giveaway, and a host of community events and resources.

Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez’s 33rd Ward newsletter announces two key meetings: a Participatory Budgeting All‑Community Meeting on Nov. 24 and a virtual CTA informational session on the planned extension of the #93 California bus route, which will link Lawrence/Kimball to the Logan Square Blue Line. The ward also highlights its budget advocacy work—surveying residents on the proposed 2026 Chicago budget and hosting a property‑tax appeals seminar—while continuing to support the community with free Thanksgiving meal kits, turkey distribution, and a host of local food‑pantry and emergency heating repair programs. Additional events include a neighbor‑night open house on Dec. 1, holiday gatherings, and volunteer opportunities throughout the month.

Alderman Bennett Lawson of the 44th Ward reported that the City Council Finance Committee voted 25‑10 to reject the mayor’s revenue proposal, extending the 2026 budget debate into December. The ward also announced ongoing street‑resurfacing on Halsted and Briar, the completion of the Halsted Arterial resurfacing project, and the repainting of rainbow crosswalks. Additional updates included the 47th Turkey Trot street‑closures, the 44th Ward Community Food Box, and the office’s early Thanksgiving closure.

No zoning, development, housing, transit, or budget meetings or policy changes were announced. Alderwoman Angela Clay invites neighbors to the 46th Ward’s Second Annual Turkey Drive & Giveaway tomorrow at Clarendon Park, with turkey drop‑offs from 10‑2 AM and giveaways beginning at 3 PM. The event is supported by Hope Clinic and the Chicago Park District, and donations can still be made online or in person.

Alderman Leni Manaa‑Hoppenworth highlighted the 2025 budget negotiations in the Finance Committee and announced that the CTA’s 2026 budget will be approved with no fare hikes or service cuts, ensuring continued transit funding for the 48th Ward. The ward celebrated a new development milestone with the groundbreaking of Lawrence Hall at 6344 N Lakewood for LGBTQ+ foster youth and the start of demolition at the former Kindred Hospital property, while the Green Alley program completed a full‑depth reconstruction of the Edgewater/Victoria/Clark/Ridge alley, funded through the city’s capital bond program. Additional updates included the installation of new bus‑stop benches on Broadway, the rollout of the CTA holiday fleet, and community events such as the Thanksgiving office closure, a holiday meal‑kit drive, and a participatory‑budgeting meeting, all aimed at strengthening neighborhood services and civic engagement.

Alderwoman Hadden of the 49th Ward invites residents to the Youth Leadership Council meeting today from 3:30‑5:00 pm in Room 200, where her Policy Director Leslie Perkins will outline the City of Chicago’s budget process and ONE Northside’s Tharina Oris will discuss KYR activities. The meeting focuses on budget planning and youth engagement, with no new zoning, development, or transit policy changes announced. Attendees can also review the agenda online and stay connected via the ward’s social media channels.

Alderman Daniel La Spata of the 1st Ward reported that the council voted to delay the 2026 budget ordinances—including the Revenue Ordinance—after a narrow defeat, and that the ward secured $175 k from participatory budgeting to rehabilitate the dog‑friendly area of Wicker Bark park. He also noted a tragic shooting on the 1500 block of Honore, ongoing investigations, and the ward’s partnership with the 14th District to address gun violence. Additional community highlights include a senior resource fair with free vaccines, a Thanksgiving meal drive with Senator Graciela Guzman, and reminders about 2026 residential daily passes and property‑tax bills.

On October 16, Mayor Johnson unveiled a $16.6 billion budget proposal that the 49th Ward’s Alderwoman Maria Hadden will now forward to the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Budget, with a full City Council vote slated for November 20. The proposal introduces new revenue measures—such as a Community Safety Surcharge, a Social Media Amusement & Responsibility Tax, an online sports wagering tax, a rideshare congestion surcharge, and a yacht tax—alongside adjustments to the Personal Property Leasing Tax, a $200 million police overtime line item, and a 2 % houseshare surcharge for gender‑based violence funding. Other updates note the alderwoman’s medical leave, the results of a 96‑resident budget survey, and the impact of a recent property‑tax reassessment on residents’ bills.

Al Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward reports that the city’s 2026 budget will not include the proposed head‑tax and that he continues to oppose property‑tax hikes, urging cuts to the growing corporate‑fund surplus. He also urged the Chicago Department of Transportation to address traffic congestion from bridge closures by adding traffic aides and tightening moratoriums, and introduced an ordinance that would give investigators easier access to business security‑camera footage. In addition, the newsletter highlights a care‑package drive for deployed CPD officers, a coffee‑with‑the‑commander event, and several holiday‑season community activities.

Alderwoman Maria Hadden of the 49th Ward reports no zoning, development, housing, transit, or budget meetings or policy changes this week. The primary announcements are the Q4 Green Mixer on Wednesday, November 19 at 6 p.m. at The Western Bar & Kitchen, and the End‑of‑Year Volunteer Celebration on Thursday, December 18 at 6:30 p.m. Contact Ashley, the Community and Communications Outreach Coordinator, for details.

On November 18, Alderman Byron Sigcho‑López hosted a hybrid Southwest Side Budget Townhall to discuss city budget priorities and spending decisions. He also joined Mayor Brandon Johnson in signing Emergency Executive Order 2025‑09, directing city resources to support food access amid federal SNAP cuts. The newsletter also highlights community events such as a Hot Meal Giveaway on Nov. 18 and 30, a free visit to the Art Institute on Dec. 9, and a free mobility‑equipment diagnostic and repair program.

On November 15, Ald. Maria Hadden’s 49th Ward office announced a community meeting on Nov. 19 to discuss a 5‑story affordable‑housing proposal at 7644 N Sheridan Rd that requires no zoning change. The ward also noted upcoming infrastructure work—tree trimming on Nov. 17 and paving of W Farwell Ave (6900 N) scheduled for Nov. 18—along with a reminder of the Chicago Heat Ordinance and CDOT’s e‑scooter safety guidelines. Other highlights include a new “Know Your Rights” training for businesses, a volunteer‑led snow‑shoveling program, and community events such as the CACC Draft Picks pet‑adoption fair and the Rogers Park Singers’ rehearsal schedule.

Alderperson Jessie Fuentes of the 26th Ward announced a Community Safety Town Hall on Nov. 19 to discuss safety and legislative updates and urged residents to participate in the city budget survey to shape fiscal priorities. She also highlighted the federal ICE ruling that enforces the 2022 settlement protecting residents from warrantless stops and the ongoing review of ICE detentions. In addition, she celebrated the Fuerza de La Mujer event at NEIU and organized an IDJ card‑signing to support families of incarcerated loved ones.

Alderman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez’s 33rd Ward newsletter reports that City Council held a public hearing on the Mayor’s 2026 budget, with the alderwoman urging a shift of tax burdens toward large corporations and highlighting the proposed Community Safety Surcharge to fund youth jobs, violence intervention, and public‑school investment. She also announced the lifting of the liquor moratorium on a stretch of N Elston Ave—an ordinance amendment that will allow on‑site liquor licenses—and reminded residents of upcoming zoning and development meetings posted on the ward’s website. Other highlights include a budget‑survey call‑to‑action, updates on the Community Safety Surcharge, and a calendar of community events such as animal adoption, food drives, and a Thanksgiving meal kit.

Alderman Bennett Lawson of the 44th Ward reports several street‑safety and redesign projects, including a rescheduled street‑sweeping schedule, ongoing Halsted arterial resurfacing, an alley reconstruction effort, and a request for residents to report potholes. Other highlights include the opening of two new restaurants, a community food drive, multiple holiday tree‑lighting celebrations, a resolution honoring Loyola alum Sister Jean, and a reminder that the office will close early for Thanksgiving. The newsletter also notes that budget negotiations are underway and encourages residents to stay informed through the Better Government Association’s website.

Alderman Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward reports that the CTA #124 bus will begin earlier—departing Navy Pier at 8:08 a.m. on December 21—while a new sidewalk has been installed at the Lake Shore Drive/Elm St bus stop to improve rider safety. The office will be closed on Veterans Day (November 11) and a care‑package drive for deployed CPD heroes is underway, with additional community events such as the RNRA gala, Old Town tree lighting, and the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival highlighted for the month. These updates underscore the ward’s focus on transit accessibility, street‑level improvements, and civic engagement.