Dear Neighbor,

I had a great time visiting multiple block parties over the weekend! Thank you to our ward residents for helping keep block party culture alive and well in Chicago. As summer comes to a close, I am grateful to see so many new and long-time neighbors. I look forward to attending the remaining block parties for the year.

To date, no one has scheduled a block party in October in the 35th Ward. You may want to consider organizing one for Halloween trick-or-treating and other activities. Last year, the 2500 block of N. Bernard in Logan Square organized a block party to help keep our families safe during heightened ICE operations in our neighborhoods. You can obtain a petition for a block party from our website or by visiting our office.

As second-installment property tax bills start to be delivered, please know that my office and the office of County Commissioner Jessica Vasquez are here to help you. If you have any questions or concerns about your bill, please contact our office at (773) 985-3510. If you or someone you know recently turned 65, you may be eligible for senior citizen exemptions.

Today, Mayor Johnson and the Office of Budget Management released their 2027 budget forecast. The City faces a projected $882.4 million gap in 2027, which is $283.9 million less than previously estimated. There are a number of factors contributing to this gap, including inflation, increases in commodity and fuel prices driven by global conflict, federal policies, and police settlements and judgments. You can review the budget forecast report here.

I am committed to working with my colleagues on the City Council to pass a balanced budget that protects the resources and services our neighborhoods rely on, while also identifying opportunities for efficiencies and savings. In the coming weeks and months, we will share a survey to hear from you about your priorities for our city budget.

Lastly, this morning I joined the 25th Police District sergeant and officers for a Meet the Block event on the 2700 block of N. Harding, next to Kosciuszko Park, to address recent public safety concerns. I am grateful to the 25th District for going door-to-door to answer questions and provide information about best practices for reporting criminal activity.

As a reminder, our office will be closed tomorrow, Friday, September 4. We will reopen for regular office hours on Tuesday, September 8.

Have a safe and fun Labor Day 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

Continuing Our Outreach to Neighbors Experiencing Homelessness

Building on the successful connection of a neighbor at the Belmont-Kedzie underpass with housing that we reported at the end of July, our office continues to conduct regular outreach to people experiencing homelessness across the 35th Ward, including at viaducts and near the Comfort Station in Logan Square.

We are happy to report that two individuals at the Comfort Station have been matched with housing and are now being processed for their transition. We will support them as they take their next steps toward housing stability. We are continuing to work with the Department of Family & Support Services to connect our other neighbors with shelter, supportive services, and housing opportunities as they become available.

We are also continuing to work with the Department of Streets and Sanitation to maintain all sidewalks and bike paths to ensure the public way remains accessible and clean. Additionally, our office coordinates with the 14th Police District to ensure the public safety and well-being of everyone.

Every connection to housing is an important and life-changing step for our neighbors. We will continue working with our city partners and community organizations to help our neighbors find stable housing and the support they need.

To learn more about how our office helps neighbors experiencing homelessness across the 35th Ward, please visit: www.⁠ward35.org/homelessness

Labor Day Refuse Collection Schedule

Please note that in observance of Labor Day, the Department of Streets and Sanitation will be closed on Monday, September 7th. Therefore, there will be no refuse collection or street sweeping on September 7th. These operations will resume on Tuesday, September 8th. If your alley is typically serviced on Mondays, it will be serviced on Tuesday September 8th. If your alley is typically serviced on Tuesdays, it will be serviced late Tuesday September 8th or early on Wednesday September 9th. Please make sure that your garbage carts are accessible for collection.

Upcoming Ward Nights

Our upcoming ward night is  September 14th. 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 Resurfacing Work

We are excited to announce that the Chicago Department of Transportation has informed our office of the upcoming tentative dates to begin resurfacing work at the following locations in the 35th Ward. This will commence with grinding the existing asphalt, and be followed at a later date with repaving (in some cases after the completion of utility realignments). Please note that these are tentative dates, dependent on weather and other factors.

Kimball Avenue Between Parker and Drummond: Projected grind date: 9/10

Alley bound by Melrose/Drake/Belmont/Kimball: Projected grind date: 9/11

Alley bound by Diversey/Schubert/Drake/Central Park: Projected grind date: 9/11

Alley bound by Drake/Wrightwood/Altgeld/St. Louis: Projected grind date: 9/14

Alley bound by Wrightwood/Altgeld/Sawyer/Kedzie: Projected grind date: 9/14

Palmer, between Hamlin and Lawndale: Projected grind date: 9/15

Alley bound by Dickens/Armitage/Kedvale/Karlov: Projected grind date: 9/16

Alley bound by Dickens/Armitage/Tripp/Keeler: Projected grind date: 9/16

Alley bound by Shakespeare/Dickens/Lawndale/Central Park: Projected grind date: 9/17

Alley bound by Fullerton/Belden/Karlov/Keystone: Projected grind date: 9/17

35th Ward Residential Lighting Project :

I am excited to announce that the Department of Transportation will begin work on N Keystone Ave from W Dickens Ave to W Belden Ave to install new street lights. Our office selected this project as a part of the Chicago Residential Lighting Improvement program. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin as soon as early next week.

During construction, temporary “No Parking” signs will be periodically installed as required so that work may be performed safely. These temporary signs will restrict parking during working hours, and residents can park normally after the posted hours and overnight, and usually all day on weekends.

The existing lights will remain working until the new lighting system is functional. If no lighting is observed at night at any time, please notify our office or 311 after hours.

Belmont Equitable Transit Oriented Development (ETOD) Study Survey

Have thoughts on potential transit-oriented improvements near Belmont and Kimball in Avondale? Help shape the Belmont Blue Line ETOD Plan by taking a community survey through Aug. 31 and adding ideas to the interactive map. Complete the survey at bit.ly/BelmontSurvey and learn more at Chicago.gov/BelmontETOD.

Irving Park Department of Water Management Project 7578 Updates

Please be advised that a scheduled water main shutdown will take place on Thursday September 03, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

The affected areas include Elston Avenue from Bernard Street to Drake Avenue (south side addresses) . This shutdown is required to complete a source connection at the intersection of St. Louis Avenue and Elston Avenue.

The Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) will provide an update once the work is completed and water service is fully restored, residents should also receive direct notice but I will follow up as well.

Divvy for All - Chicago Program Highlight

The Chicago Department of Transportation has partnered with Divvy to provide accessible memberships for qualifying City residents 16 years of age or older. Divvy for Everyone provides a $5 annual membership, the option to pay with cash, and an option to keep the membership through a LISC-supported credit-building program. In order to be eligible for the program, applicants must show proof of annual household income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (family of 4 is $96,450). To apply and find more information, you can register here Divvy for Everyone or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment with the Divvy outreach team.

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.

Policy and Zoning Updates

Request to Lift Liquor Moratorium for New Taproom at 3658 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. 

Brutalist Brewing, Chicago’s first co-operatively owned brewery, is seeking to lift the moratorium 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, to introduce themselves and answer questions from neighbors. 

In line with our process for evaluating requests to lift liquor moratoriums, we will accept feedback on this request until Friday, September 5, 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. To share you feedback, please fill out this form.

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: 08/27, 09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 09/24

Time: 12- 1:30 pm

Location: 3000 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Community Food Pantry

Date: September 3rd & 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 1732/1733 at 3546 W Addison Street on September 9th at 6:45pm

Beat 1414 at 3030 W Fullerton Rd on September 10th at 6pm