Dear Neighbor,

Today, I had the pleasure of welcoming Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Acting President Nora Leerhsen for a tour of the Belmont and Logan Square Blue Line stations in the 35th Ward. Nora has been the Acting President of the CTA since February 2025 and is the first woman to lead the agency. 

When I first met Nora last year, we discussed ways we can improve CTA frequency, service, accessibility, and safety across the system and in the 35th Ward. I invited her to visit our ward’s train stations to discuss ongoing projects like the new electrical substation at Barry and Kimball, and the investments our office has been making to improve surrounding public infrastructure to improve accessibility and the ridership experience, like the sidewalks we recently resurfaced on both sides of Kimball Avenue between Barry Avenue and Belmont Avenue that were funded through our Participatory Budgeting Program.

While in Avondale, we talked about the Belmont Blue Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development study that our office is working on with the Department of Planning and Development and our community to help shape the future of development around the Belmont Blue Line Station. We talked about the need to build more dense and affordable housing near transit-rich neighborhoods, while also creating safe and welcoming streets and boosting our local businesses and economy. 

Acting President Leershen also shared some exciting news that CTA is currently working on the design for the long-awaited elevator for the Belmont Station! We will share more details on the elevator construction timeline when we receive that information.

After walking through the Belmont Station, we hopped on the train and made our way to the Logan Square Blue Line station. One of the things I raised during our tour was the possibility of incorporating more art to beautify our stations and reflect the vibrancy and cultural diversity of our neighborhoods. President Leershen agreed to work with our office on developing a process to install art inside and outside of our stations. More to come on that!

As we made our way to the Logan Square Station, we talked about the positive impacts of pedestrian infrastructure like La Placita and the Milwaukee Avenue Redesign Project that have improved ridership, safety, and accessibility. She said our spaces serve as a model for the kind of investments that should be made across our CTA system.

I am grateful for President Leershen’s leadership and partnership. I look forward to continuing our work of delivering a modern, accessible, and reliable public transportation system for Chicago.

Earlier this week on Wednesday, I also had the opportunity to stand alongside our congresswoman, Representative Delia Ramirez, to uplift the Dismantle Bill, a community-driven piece of legislation intended to dismantle DHS, abolish ICE, and reimagine community safety. You can read more here.

Next Tuesday, our office is hosting a Job Fair alongside Commissioner Jessica Vasquez at Parker Karlov, located at 4055 W. Parker, between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM. A variety of employers across public and private sectors will be on-site. People are encouraged to bring an updated resume to share. For more information, you can call our office at (773) 985-3510.

As always, I hope you 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

Ward Updates

Upcoming Ward Nights

Our upcoming ward night is  September 28th. We schedule Ward Night visits by appointment to ensure ample time for residents to discuss community concerns and opportunities with the alderman. To schedule an appointment to meet with the Alderman during Ward Night, please email us at [email protected] or call us at (773)-985-3510 during our hours of operation (9am - 5pm, Monday through Friday).

Upcoming Paving Dates

The Chicago Department of Transportation has notified our office of the following paving dates, weather and equipment permitting:

Alley bound by Melrose/Belmont/Drake/ Kimball 9/28/26

Alley bound by Wrightwood/Altgeld/Sawyer/Kedzie 9/28/26

Alley bound by Diversey/Schubert/Central Park/Drake 9/30/26

Alley bound by Wrightwood/Altgeld/St. Louis/Drake 10/1/26

Alley bound by Dickens/Armitage/Kedvale/Karlov 10/1/26

Alley bound by Dickens/Armitage/Tripp/Keeler 10/2/26

Alley bound by Shakespeare/Dickens/Lawndale/Central Park 10/5/26

Alley bound by Fullerton/Belden/Karlov/Keystone 10/5/26

CTA Bus Service Upgrades for the Northwest Side

At the end of August, 9 bus routes joined CTA’s Frequent Network, which includes bus service every 10 minutes or better between 6AM and 9PM on weekdays and 9AM to 9PM on weekend. One of those routes was the #74 Fullerton bus route which has brought 20% more service weekdays, 30% more service Saturdays, and 50% more service on Sundays and holidays. Additionally, the #76 Diversey bus will see a change in its service schedule and now service will start at 7:40 a.m. eastbound and 7:45 a.m. westbound on Sundays/holidays. Service will end at 10:40 p.m. westbound and 9:48 p.m. eastbound on Saturdays and end at 9:06 p.m. westbound and 8:17 p.m. eastbound on Sundays/holidays. For detailed route and schedule information, visit transitchicago.com.

Fullerton Arterial Resurfacing Updates

This week, crews continued working on the St. Louis and Fullerton intersection, laying concrete for the sidewalk and new bump-outs.

Next week, the contractor will perform the concrete work at the two remaining intersections along the stretch, Fullerton and Ridgeway and Fullerton and Monticello and Fullerton.

Community Survey Regarding Logan Square Redesign

Neighbors have created a survey to track progress towards the goals of the Logan Square Redesign Project and want to hear your feedback. You can learn more and fill out the survey here.

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-11:30am at Paseo Prairie Community Garden, located at 2614 N Kedzie, and volunteers can assist with weeding, trash pickup, watering and planting.

October 3, 18, and 25th

November 7th

Irving Park Department of Water Management Project 7578 Updates

This week, The Department of Water Management (DWM) continued the installation of a new sewer main on W. Waveland Ave between N. Drake Ave and N. Central Park Ave. They completed the catch basin installation on W. Waveland Ave between N. Drake Ave and N. Central Park Ave, and the cut and cap of the existing watermain in the intersection of W. Waveland Ave and N. Central Park Ave.

Please see below for further details on the work soon to be performed in the upcoming week:

Sewer Schedule - September 28th, 2026 - October 2nd, 2026

DWM will continue the installation of a new sewer main Westward on W. Waveland Ave between N. St. Louis Ave and N. Central Park Ave. They will also be installing a new manhole structure in the intersection of N. Central Park Ave and W. Waveland Ave - The intersection of N. Central Park Ave and W. Waveland Ave will remain closed until sewer work is completed through the intersection. (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED RE-ROUTE FOR THE RESIDENTS LIVING ON N CENTRAL PARK AVE).

DWM plans to complete sewer connections to the new sewer manhole that is scheduled to be installed. They are tentatively scheduled to begin the sewer installation North on N. Central Park Ave between W. Waveland Ave and W. Grace St. Please note that no water main work is scheduled – DWM completed the watermain project and has demobilized.

Upcoming Bike Network Improvements in the 35th Ward

The Chicago Department of Transportation has announced several exciting new bike infrastructure projects for 2026 which will increase connectivity on protected routes for cyclists on the northwest side.

Kedzie Avenue Protected Bike Lane Extension

CDOT will install protected bike lanes on Kedzie Avenue, between Diversey Ave and Emmett St, which will complete a key connection of the protected bike lane network, creating consistent protected or off-street lanes from Addison, south to Logan Square proper. Work is expected to begin in October, and be completed before the end of the construction season. The width of the street will also allow for parking to remain on both sides of the street with minimal parking impacts.

California Avenue Protected Bike Lane

CDOT will install protected bike lanes on California Avenue from Roscoe to Addison. This project also includes the reduction in the speed limit on the stretch to 20 mph, to reduce vehicular speeds, creating a safer environment for all roadway users.

Grace Street Greenway

Through their participatory budgeting process, the 33rd ward approved funding for a neighborhood green way on Grace Street, between Kedzie and California (Albany to California falling in the 35th Ward). This project includes improvements such as road striping to better organize roadway users, better corner clearance signage, 20mph speed limit signage, and several speed humps. This project comes after the recent resurfacing of Grace Street between California and Francisco, which was funded through the 35th Ward’s participatory budgeting process.

Call for Artists- Request for Qualifications O’Hare Airport Concourse D

The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) in partnership with the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) invites professional artists (both individual artists and artist teams) to submit qualifications for consideration for integrated public art opportunities in seven (7) locations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport’s New Concourse D, currently under construction. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2026. You can check out the RFQ and apply here.

Cook County Board of Review Pre-File Appeals NOW OPEN

The Cook County Board of Review has officially opened the tax year 2026 session and ALL property owners may Pre-File an appeal with the Cook County Board of Review now OR you can wait and file an appeal when your township appeal period opens. If you have already had a reduction through a successful appeal in the last 2 years, we would not encourage you to file another appeal this year. As a reminder you can appeal your assessment every year with the Cook County Assessor's Office and with the Cook County Board of Review. You can appeal online via this link. If you need assistance, feel free to call the office of Commissioner Jessica Vásquez at 312-603-6386 or stop into our shared office at 2934 N. Milwaukee Unit C.

Update on Request to Lift Liquor Moratorium for New Taproom at 3658 W Wrightwood

The 35th Ward Office 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 from Brutalist Brewing, Chicago’s first co-operatively owned brewery, who is seeking to establish a new taproom at 3658 W Wrightwood Ave. In line with 35th Ward Office policy, the applicants attended the CAPS meeting for beat 2524 on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 6:30 pm at Kosciuszko Park, 2732 N Avers, to introduce themselves and answer questions from neighbors. 

In line with our process for evaluating requests to lift liquor moratoriums, the 35th Ward Office accepted feedback on this request for two weeks after the CAPS meeting. The majority of the feedback received was in support of the request to lift the moratorium and Ald. Quezada introduced an ordinance to lift the moratorium at this week’s City Council meeting.

35th Ward Participatory Budget Process

The 35th Ward invites you to submit infrastructure improvement ideas for brick-and-mortar projects for our Participatory Budgeting program to be implemented in 2027. Ward residents get to submit ideas and vote on how the 35th Ward office and the Volunteer PB Committee prioritizes Aldermanic Menu Program funds.

Projects must be located within the 35th Ward and must be on the public way or the property of a City of Chicago sister agency, such as the Chicago Park District or Chicago Public Schools. You can review a map of the 35th Ward here: https://app.chicagoelections.gov/documents/general/35th%20Ward.pdf

Examples of common infrastructure improvement projects are:

• sidewalk repair

• street resurfacing

• alley resurfacing

• concrete alley aprons

• lighting improvements (piggy back lighting, new light poles)

• pedestrian sidewalk bump-outs (detached bump-outs or curb extensions)

• pedestrian refugee islands

• traffic circles

• protected or painted bike lanes

• curb and gutter replacement

• beautification improvements (light pole repainting, planters, murals)

  
  

Please contact our office if you have any questions at (773) 985-3510 or at [email protected].

Participatory Budgeting Committee

As a part of our ward’s participatory budgeting process, residents of the 35th Ward are invited to participate in the volunteer participatory budgeting committee. This committee reviews projects submitted during idea collection, help spread the word about PB voting, and investigate and evaluate projects in winning categories. If you are interested in participating, please email Scott at [email protected].

Upcoming Community Events

Constituent Resources

35th Ward Office Phone: 773-985-3510

35th Ward Office Email: [email protected]

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

Food Resources

On May 1, nearly 120,000 neighbors in Illinois lost their SNAP benefits due to new work requirements and other eligibility changes. This is the largest drop in SNAP participation in our state’s history, and we know local hunger is rising.

No one should have to worry about putting food on the table while navigating these changes. If you or someone you know relies on SNAP, take action to protect your benefits or reconnect to SNAP today. You might qualify to apply for an exemption from the new work requirements. There are also free resources like Job Ready Illinois and Serve Illinois to help you connect to job training, work, and volunteering, if you are not exempt.

Visit SaveOurSNAP.org for resources or contact the Illinois Department of Human Services at 1-800-843-6154 to talk to someone about your benefits.

35^th Ward Food Access Sites

Chicago Hope Inc.

2505 N Kedzie Blvd

Regular Program Hours:

Monday- 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Thursday- 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

New Community Covenant Church
2649 N Francisco Ave  

Regular Program Hours:

Wednesday 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Friday 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

St Sylvester Parish

2915 W Palmer St

Regular Program Hours:

Wednesday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Life Impacters Foundation
2100 N Kildare Ave  

[email protected]

Regular Program Hours:

Monday 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Wednesday 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

September Schedule for Northwest Side Solidarity Network Events - 3000 N Kedzie Ave (All food given on a first-come, first-served basis)

Community Dinners  

Date: 09/17, 09/24

Time: 12- 1:30 pm

Location: 3000 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Community Food Pantry

Date: September 16th

Time: 12:30 - 1:30 pm

Location: St Nicolai United Church-Christ at 3000 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Community Flu Vaccination

Date: September 16th, 2026

Time: 10 am -3 pm

Location: St Nicolai United Church-Christ at 3000 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

*Free vaccines for anyone 3 years of age and older

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.

Goodwill is hiring for their new location in Avondale. You can find out more about the position and apply here.

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.

Beat 2522: 10/1/26 at 2318 N Lavergne 6:30pm