| Chicago’s 50th Ward NewsletterOctober 2, 2026 |
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| | Dear Neighbor,
Free Safety Giveaways at the 50th Ward OfficeI am pleased to announce that I have a limited supply of free safety giveaways now available in the 50th Ward Office!
Free Bike/Scooter Helmets I have FREE bike/scooter helmets available, courtesy of Lime. Our supply is very limited, so we will be giving out a maximum of two helmets per household. If you need, please stop by the 50th Ward Office during normal business hours. |
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| Free Smoke Detectors I also have a limited supply of FREE smoke detectors available in my office, courtesy of the Chicago Fire Department. Come by during normal business hours to pick one up.
All free giveaways will be available while supplies last at the 50th Ward Office, 2949 W. Devon, during the following hours:
Monday-Thursday: 9 AM - 4 PM Friday: 9 AM - 3 PM
Public safety is one of my chief priorities as Alderman, and I am very glad to be able to make these important safety items available to residents of the 50th Ward. Please call me if you have any questions.
City Council UpdateIt was a very eventful week at City Council. We passed several important pieces of legislation that will have a major impact on our city’s financial future.
New Parking Meter Deal The City Council voted 46-3 to approve a new sale of the city’s parking meters from Chicago Parking Meters LLC to Stonepeak Partners, a New York-based investment firm. Under the new deal, Chicago will collect a share of the parking meter fees for the first time since they were sold in 2008.
Chicago is expected to receive about $375 million in profit sharing over the next 57 years. The city also gets a $75 million payment when the sale closes. As part of the deal, Stonepeak agreed to sell off Omni Air International, an airline that has provided deportation flights for the Department of Homeland Security.
This deal, while not perfect, is a major improvement over the current parking meter structure, which sends none of the collected fees back to the city. This was our first opportunity to improve this situation for Chicago motorists since a previous City Council sold the parking meters in 2008.
Making It Harder To Take on More City Debt Also this week, the City Council voted 32-15 for a plan that would make it harder for the city to take on more debt in the future. Under the new legislation, any plan to borrow money would require at least 30 alderpeople to approve it, instead of a simple majority.
Administrations are too quick to run up debt without making necessary cuts and efficiencies. This new rule would force the mayor to exhaust all other options first and win the support of a three-fifths majority of the City Council before borrowing money.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has not yet confirmed whether he would veto the new debt plan or allow it to pass.
No to New Taxes I also joined with a majority of my colleagues in the City Council to send a letter to the mayor sharing our priorities as the city builds a budget for the coming year. Twenty-nine of us clearly spoke out to say no property tax increases, no head tax, and no reliance on a lifeline from Springfield that has not been approved.
Budget season starts soon and it is vital that the mayor builds a spending plan that does not rest on the backs of hardworking Chicago taxpayers. Read more about it on BlockClub here.
Veterans Resource Day - October 7Calling all veterans! The 50th Ward is proudly partnering with the Veterans Assistance Commission of Cook County (VACCC) to offer a monthly Veterans Resources Day at the Ward Office. Join us on the first Wednesday of every month at 2949 W. Devon to meet individually with experts and get connected to resources tailored for veterans and their families. The next monthly event will be on Wednesday, October 7 from 11 AM to 3 PM. |
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| The government has many programs available to help those who served. If you are a veteran, the family member of a veteran, or you know a veteran in need, please come to this Veterans Resources Day and get the help you deserve. A veterans service officer will be here to assist with enrollment for health care, disability & compensation, employment, financial assistance, and more.
Click here for more information. For any questions, please call the 50th Ward Office at (773) 262-1050. We are dedicated to honoring all who served!
Mobile DMV in the 50th WardOn Thursday, I partnered with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office to bring a Mobile DMV to the 50th Ward. Local residents were able to skip the lines and the extra trip to the DMV and take care of these important services right here in the 50th Ward. |
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| Thank you to everyone who came to our Mobile DMV! Thank you to Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and the DMV staff who made this local event such a success!
Police CAPS MeetingsThere will be three beat meetings this week, covering the area of the 50th Ward that is north of Devon Avenue and the area south of Peterson Avenue.
The CAPS meeting for Beat 2011, stretching from Peterson to Foster and from Western to the North Shore Channel, will be on Monday, October 5 from 7 PM to 8 PM. The meeting will be held at the 20th District Station, 5400 N. Lincoln.
The CAPS meeting for Beat 2411, stretching from Howard to Pratt and from Kedzie to Ridge, will be on Tuesday, October 6 from 7 PM to 8 PM. The meeting will be held at Bethesda International Academy, 6803 N. Campbell.
The CAPS meeting for Beat 2412, stretching from Pratt to Devon and from Kedzie to Ridge, will be on Wednesday, October 7 from 7 PM to 8 PM. The meeting will be held at Warren Park, 6601 N. Western.
These events are great opportunities to meet the officers who patrol your community and discuss safety concerns directly with the police and your neighbors. For more information, please call the 24th District CAPS Office at (312) 744-6321 or the 20th District CAPS Office at (312) 742-8770. Find all the upcoming local CAPS meetings at 50thward.org/police.
Remembering October 7People around the world will soon mark the third anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack. We remember the more than 1,200 people murdered by Hamas in the worst attack against Jews since the Holocaust. May the memories of the victims be a blessing, and may we continue to have peace in Israel and around the globe.
Chag Sameach! |
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| The last days of Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret begin tonight. I would like to wish the 50th Ward’s Jewish community a happy holiday. Chag sameach to everyone who is celebrating! |
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| Have a wonderful weekend! |
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| Sincerely, 
Debra L. Silverstein Alderman, 50th Ward |
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| | Shred Day and Meds Disposal - October 11 |
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| Join us on Sunday, October 11 for a free paper shredding event in the 50th Ward. The event will be from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM in the Devon Bank parking lot, 6445 N. Western. Due to limited space in the shredding truck, early arrival is highly recommended.
Bring your sensitive documents to be securely destroyed. The Shred Day will also feature medication and battery disposal, courtesy of Cook County. Come down to properly dispose of expired, unused, or unwanted prescriptions, over-the-counter medication, and batteries.
For any questions, contact the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce at [email protected]. |
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| | | A General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3. Voter registration for the election is currently open, Early Voting begins soon, and Vote By Mail applications are now being accepted.
You can register to vote online, in person on Election Day, at an early voting site, or by mail. Click here for more information about registering to vote.
Early Voting has already started downtown at the Board of Elections offices (69 W. Washington Street, 6th Floor) and the voting supersite at 137 South State Street. On October 19, Early Voting will expand to all 50 Wards, including at the Northtown Library, 6800 N. Western Ave. Click here for complete Early Voting hours and details.
Vote By Mail applications are available online here. The Board of Elections will mail you a ballot, and you will be able to return your ballot by mail or using one of the secure drop boxes that will be in place at every early voting site.
PLEASE NOTE: You will not automatically receive a new vote by mail ballot unless you are already on the permanent vote by mail roster. If you want to vote by mail and are not on the permanent roster, you must apply again now. To join the Vote By Mail Permanent Roster, click here.
For more information about the upcoming election visit chicagoelections.gov. |
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| | Breast Cancer Awareness Month |
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| October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans, men and women, are diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Early detection is vital towards surviving this horrible disease, so it is especially important to learn about breast cancer screening. Please click here for more information.
Illinois residents may be eligible for free mammograms or breast exams through the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP). To enroll in the program, call the Women’s Health Line at 888-522-1282 or contact a local IBCCP agency.
For more information about Breast Cancer Awareness Month and resources on breast health, visit www.nationalbreastcancer.org. |
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| | Domestic Violence Awareness Month |
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| During the month of October, the nation also marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence affects millions of Americans every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men in the United States have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner.
Illinois maintains a Domestic Violence Hotline, operated by The Network, which provides free confidential support to survivors of domestic violence. Trained agents staff the phones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and connect victims of domestic violence with shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and more.
If you or someone you care about is a victim of domestic violence, please call or text the hotline at 1-877-863-6338 (877-TO END DV). For more information, click here. |
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| | SBA Low Interest Disaster Loans |
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| The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a disaster declaration for Cook County, which makes low-interest federal disaster loans available to homeowners, renters, businesses, and private nonprofit organizations that sustained damage in the severe storms of July 27, 2026.
Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.
Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is October 19. To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. |
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| | Sign Up for Street Sweeping Alerts |
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| Street sweeping has officially started and will continue through late-November. You can view the schedule for the 50th Ward as an interactive map here or download a printable version on the Department of Streets and Sanitation website here. Please double-check your address on the map to make sure you are looking at the correct section.
You can find a printable schedule for each individual sweeping section on the 50th Ward website at 50thward.org/sweeping.
You can also sign up for street sweeping alerts with We the Sweeple, a third-party website that pulls information from the publicly available sweeping schedule on the Streets and Sanitation website. Visit www.WeTheSweeple.com to sign up for email alerts when street sweeping is scheduled on your block.
Please note, the site is not affiliated with the City of Chicago, so please always double-check with the official schedule. |
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| | 50th Ward Know Your Rights Portal |
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| | | | Workforce Solutions Grant |
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| | Police Community Conversations |
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| | | 24th District Police Court Advocacy |
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| | Address: 2949 W. Devon Email: [email protected] Phone: 773-262-1050 Hours: Mon-Thurs: 9 AM - 4 PM Friday: 9 AM - 3 PM |
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