| | Neighbors,
This week is packed. Halloween is tomorrow, Election Day is Tuesday, and our community has been showing up in big ways, including a costumed housing march down Armitage for affordable housing. You’ll also meet two of our new interns and find what you need to vote. Also, make sure to scroll down to our construction section for some important updates on projects on Division & Kedzie and a new traffic signal coming to our ward.
On Tuesday, my team joined 70 neighbors in costume to march down Armitage Ave with Palenque LSNA. They started at a vacant lot where a developer proposed a massive development with apartments renting for $2,400— $3,500 a month. There is currently a building across the street from the proposed site with rents as high as $4,000 a month. This is in stark contrast to the majority of 26th Ward residents, who can afford an average of $1,200 a month for rent. Along the way, rally-goers visited community partners to learn more about their work and share available resources with residents. Their first stop was at Funston Elementary, where, 20 years ago, it needed an annex building for its overflow of students, now being underutilized. When families get priced out, our schools feel it first. Marchers then walked to the Center for Changing Lives, an organization that provides free financial coaching, housing counseling, and resources for homeowners and first-time homebuyers. We also learned about the history of the affordable apartments located above the center, which are part of the Zapata Apartments development. Approved in 2011, the development brought 61 affordable homes to four sites throughout the neighborhood. The march concluded at Encuentro Square, where 89 affordable homes opened last year, most being big enough for families. Phase two will add 98 more affordable homes and a new park at the end of the 606. Encuentro Square is proof we can build for density while not pushing out current residents, that we can grow and create green spaces for current and future residents without displacement. Every proposal in our ward passes through our community-driven zoning process, and neighbors organizing and showing up like this is part of that process. Thank you to all our neighbors who showed up and to Palenque LSNA for organizing this powerful event. |
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| Intern Introductions + Redistricting Forum Over the past few weeks, our 26th Ward zoning interns have had the opportunity to explore our neighborhoods, engage with community members, and gain firsthand experience with the zoning and development processes. As young people, they are assets to our team, and I look forward to supporting their growth as they continue learning about community-driven zoning and civic engagement. Read below to learn a little more about them and their experiences so far. |
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| Hello, I am Mason Kelly, and I am happy to be working as a zoning intern at the 26th Ward this fall. I am a junior at Whitney Young Magnet High School. I’m a founding member of the poker club, a starter on the state-winning Academic Decathlon team, and a fencer. I have a strong interest in ethics from my experience on Boston Children’s Hospital’s Youth Advisory Council on Digital Wellness. I am also a second-generation immigrant. Last summer, I worked for ASM’s Orleans Leadership Council, where I conducted research on late-stage gentrification in my neighborhood, Ukrainian Village. Since joining the office, I have walked the ward, attended a Zoning Advisory Committee meeting, and participated in a community redistricting forum hosted by the 1st Ward. The forum was a powerful opportunity that allowed me to understand the problems with the current redistricting system in Chicago and the steps that the municipal government can take to address them. One of the most impactful moments was when the discussion opened by asking the crowd how they would describe the current redistricting process. As we deconstructed those words, I could see how this system has structurally transformed Chicago's communities. |
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| Hello! I am Dominick Macri and I am very excited to be working as a 26th ward Zoning intern. I go to Northside College Prep and live in the Albany Park neighborhood. I play lacrosse and am part of my school’s philharmonic orchestra. On the weekends I like to hang out with friends and help out in my community, like volunteering at the Midwest Buddhist Temple. I am a 5th generation Chicagoan and feel very connected to this city. Over the summer I worked with the ASM Leadership Council to conduct more research into the housing crisis in Chicago and explored my passion for zoning and development. I hope to learn more about it in this position and explore future career goals. My time with the 26th Ward office has already given me opportunities to walk the ward, attend a Zoning Advisory Committee meeting, and participate in a community redistricting forum hosted by the 1st Ward. At the forum, I learned about efforts to change Chicago's redistricting process to involve a more community-driven approach. The proposed committee calls for greater transparency and would hold 21 separate community meetings. One of the questions raised during the discussion was how a commission could represent community ideas and perspectives. The experience also gave me an opportunity to consider the importance of taking Chicago's historic and cultural neighborhood boundaries into account when discussing redistricting. |
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Haunted Paseo Boo-Ricua turns 25! I hope you have your costumes ready and that you and your family can join the Puerto Rican Cultural Center on Halloween tomorrow from 12 pm to 5 pm. For 25 years, this event has given us a safe, joyful place to spend Halloween together in the heart of Humboldt Park. |
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Pumpkin Composting Halloween is this weekend, and some of our carved pumpkins are already looking spookier than intended. As we wrap up trick-or-treating, don’t throw your pumpkins in the trash. A pumpkin in the trash becomes a climate problem. While dropping off your pumpkin to the City’s Food Scrap drop-off location makes your pumpkin into compost. With 33 locations in the city, click here to find the nearest one near you. |
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| Election Day is Next Week! And You Still Have Time to Vote Early Our ward’s early voting site is Humboldt Park Library, 1605 N. Troy. You can vote early or update your registration at any early voting site. On Election Day, polls open at 6 AM and close at 7 PM. To find your polling location, visit chicagoelections.gov.
Voters who live in Precincts 20 and 25 have a new polling location at Clemente Community Academy, 1147 N. Western.
On the 26th Ward ballot is a non-binding referendum question: “Shall new shared housing units be limited in the 26th Ward to help address Chicago’s severe rental housing shortage?” “Shared housing” means homes rented for 31 days or fewer, like Airbnb or VRBO. We created a page to explain the question and background—please reach out if you still have questions! Your answers will guide our policies around future shared housing units.
A few constituents have asked what we should do if federal agents are present at the polls, so I wanted to share Indivisible Chicago’s zine with recommendations - English and Spanish. If you see ICE, always call the Family Support Network hotline at 1-855-435-7693. My office will be open during normal operating hours if you have any concerns.
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| Vota artwork below by Brian Herrera |
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Finally, we have a number of construction project updates! Scroll below to read more about the Division & Kedzie water main, along with a new traffic light coming next year. |
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| In Solidarity,
Alderperson Jessie Fuentes |
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| Small businesses and property owners located within the Northwest Industrial Corridor TIF District can apply for funding through the City of Chicago's Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF). With $2.28 million in funding available, SBIF provides grants to help eligible businesses and property owners make permanent improvements to their properties, including building repairs, renovations, accessibility improvements, and other upgrades. OPENS: 9 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 CLOSES: 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30 Pulaski Corridor
Informational Webinar 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 | Register Please reach out to our Director of Zoning and Business Affairs, Erin King, (erin@the26thward.org) or call our office at 773.395.0143 and we can help you check your eligibility. |
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| Immigration Rights Resources |
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| | Construction Update: Division and Kedzie Water Main Improvements We’re happy to share that construction on the 3200 block of W. Division St. is complete! As DWM continues to improve our neighborhood’s infrastructure, crews are now focusing on the 3200 block of W. Thomas St.
All necessary corrective work on Thomas St. is complete, and crews continue to replace lead service lines to provide residents with safer, lead-free water connections. So far, 5 of the 18 planned lead service line replacements are complete on this block. Here's what you should expect as construction continues: Parking and Street Access: Temporary parking restrictions and road closures will remain in effect on W. Thomas St. between Kedzie and the alley during working hours, from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Residents will continue to have access to their homes. Water Service: If temporary water service disruptions are necessary, DWM will notify affected residents in advance. Road Reopenings: W. Division St. between N. Spaulding Ave. and N. Kedzie Ave., along with N. Kedzie Ave. in the construction area, will remain closed as crews finish restoration work this weekend. Both streets are expected to reopen by Monday, November 2nd
We know construction and road closures can be frustrating, and we appreciate our neighbors’ patience as these important improvements are completed. We’re excited to see our streets reopen and more households connected to safer, lead-free water service.
Learn more about the dangers of lead exposure and Chicago’s Lead Service Line Replacement programs.
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A New Traffic Signal is Coming to Kedzie and Cortland!
Our office has been working with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) to improve traffic and pedestrian safety at the intersection of Kedzie Ave and Cortland St, and a new traffic signal is officially in the works. The intersection, currently controlled by four-way stop signs, will receive new traffic signals to reduce conflicts between drivers and pedestrians. The project will also include accessible pedestrian signals and audible and vibrating features, improvements to existing pedestrian bump-outs, and new left-turn lanes to improve traffic flow along Kedzie.
Even better, these improvements will not result in the loss of any parking spaces. Construction is anticipated to begin in early 2027 and be completed by the end of the year. With so many neighbors walking, biking, and accessing the 606 trail nearby, we’re thrilled to see these much-needed safety improvements. |
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| | Construction season has begun! Don't forget to check out our construction projects for updates on upcoming work in your neighborhood. |
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| | The 26th Ward's community-led zoning process requires anyone requesting a zoning change to first complete a zoning intake form. After review, they present their request to the Zoning Advisory Committee and answer questions. In some cases, they may also present at a community input meeting. |
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| If you know someone looking for reproductive justice resources in Chicago, they can go to this Department of Public Health resource page to use the City’s digital community resource directory. There is also a free talkline (1-888-493-0092) where operators are available to share information on various reproductive justice options. |
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| | | | | If you need assistance with a city service, let us know! You can submit your request through our website, by giving us a call, or submitting a request directly to 311.chicago.gov. Our team is here to provide the support you need and ensure our community thrives. |
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