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Dear Neighbors,
It was inspiring to see thousands of runners and spectators fill our streets for the Chicago Marathon this past weekend—from neighbors cheering along Broadway and Sheridan to visitors from around the world supporting loved ones and taking in the energy of Lakeview. The marathon is always a reminder of Chicago’s spirit at its best: determination, community, and the joy of coming together to support one another.
With Halloween approaching, Lakeview is starting to look a little more dressed up, with porches, balconies, and front yards decked out in full spooky style. Do you have a creepy condo, a terrifying townhouse, or a ghoulish garden? We’d love to see it! Send us photos of your best-decorated homes, and we may feature them in an upcoming newsletter. If you haven't decorated yet, see inspiration here from a past year.
 
Recently, two great new businesses have opened their doors right here in Lakeview! Sushi Box (2811 N Broadway) brings a full sushi experience to a quick grab-and-go setting, serving beautifully boxed rolls and sashimi perfect for a quick lunch or lakeside picnic. Just Salad (3025 N Clark) is making healthy eating easy with fresh, customizable salads, bowls, and smoothies—all served with an eco-friendly touch of reusable bowls. Stop by both to welcome them to the neighborhood!
 
In light of recent federal activity in Chicago, we want to remind residents that our Immigration Rights and Resources page here includes Know Your Rights (KYR) flyers, legal aid organizations, phone hotlines, and rapid response volunteer opportunities. We now have bilingual window and yard signs available for pickup at our office, including new notices for residences and businesses stating that federal agents do not have consent to enter for civil immigration enforcement purposes. See all pickup options here. You can also print your own 'Hands Off Chicago' sign using an English or Spanish digital template.
 
This coming week, there are several important opportunities to get involved and stay informed. On Monday, October 20th, we are co-sponsoring with Congressman Mike Quigley an Emergency Community Meeting and ICE Rapid Response Training. Register here. There are also Know Your Rights events hosted by the City’s Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights on Tuesday, October 21st. You can see flyers for a Business KYR session here at the Vietnamese Association of Illinois, and for a citywide Immigration Briefing here later that afternoon.
In community news, residents should be aware that 'No Kings' rallies are planned for tomorrow, Saturday, October 18th, with demonstrations taking place downtown and here in Lakeview along Sheridan between Oakdale and Wellington. The events are part of a nationwide day of peaceful protest, emphasizing democracy and nonviolent action amid ongoing federal immigration operations. You can read more about the rallies across the country in an article here.
At yesterday’s City Council meeting, I was proud to introduce an expansion of my Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance that passed unanimously last month. Building on citywide legalization of basement/attic units and coach houses in all multi-unit residential and business districts, this expansion extends ADUs to single-family districts in an additional 19 wards. It’s strong momentum to address Chicago's rising housing costs just one month after passage, and we’ll keep working to add more wards before the ordinance takes effect next April.
The Mayor also delivered his budget address. While I have many questions for City departments to address in the upcoming weeks of budget hearings, I am encouraged to see no property tax increase. Key revenue proposals include: a tax on social media companies; a yacht tax; higher fees for long-term vacant properties; a targeted City hiring freeze; a corporate head tax on Chicago's largest firms; and a sports-betting tax. Key spending proposals include: an expansion of 911 alternate mental health response and City-operated clinics; $100M for CPD officer wellness, domestic violence programs, youth jobs and engagement, and violence prevention; added resources for the Law Department to prepare for federal legal challenges; and growth of the Department of the Environment. Interested residents can read more about the proposed budget in an article here, and we’ll keep you updated as the process moves forward.
Over the next two weeks, The Music Box theater will be one of the homes of the Chicago International Film Festival. From October 15th-26th, the 61st edition of the festival presents premieres of the most anticipated and acclaimed upcoming films, bringing directors, producers, writers, and actors to our great Chicago audiences.
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is coming up this Monday! The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce has put together a great guide highlighting local South Asian restaurants offering special menus and deals to celebrate—from Rangoli’s diya lighting and mehndi tattoos to delicious dishes at Bombay Eats, Cumin, and more. Check out the Chamber's full list here to find your perfect spot to celebrate the day.
As the Halloween season gets in full swing, be sure to get your costumes ready for family-friendly activities throughout the month! Mark your calendars for the Northalsted Halloween Pup Crawl tomorrow, the Lakeview East Little Monsters Crawl on Saturday, October 25th, Trick or Treat on Southport on Monday, October 27th, and the Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade on Friday, October 31st. We hope to see you out in the neighborhood celebrating safely, supporting local businesses, and showing off your spooky spirit!
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Have a great weekend,
Alderman Bennett Lawson
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44th WARD IMMIGRATION COMMUNITY MEETING - OCT 20th
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44th WARD SHREDDING EVENT - OCT 25th
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NORTHALSTED PUP CRAWL - TOMORROW
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TUBMAN ELEMENTARY FALL FEST - TOMORROW
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INTER-AMERICAN OPEN HOUSES - NEXT TOMORROW
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CITYWIDE ADOPTION EVENT - TOMORROW & SUNDAY
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CANNED FOOD DRIVE - OCT 25th
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LAKEVIEW EAST LITTLE MONSTERS CRAWL - OCT 25th
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COOK COUNTY PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND - DUE OCT 31st
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LITTER CLEANUP COMPETITION VERSUS PHILLY - THRU OCT 31st
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FREE VIRTUAL LEGAL SEMINARS (NEXT ON NOV 19th)
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OUR LADY OF MT CARMEL WILDCAT DEN - THRU SCHOOL YEAR
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LAKEVIEW DOG PARK - DONATION PAGE
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NETTELHORST FRENCH MARKET - THRU NOVEMBER
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To submit a small business for our weekly shoutout, please complete the form here.
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PUBLIC SAFETY & 19th DISTRICT WEEKLY REPORT:
October 6th - October 12th
Beat Meeting Flyer - Oct 21st 6:30-7:30pm
Please see a flyer and agenda here for the next meeting beat 1925, which covers the northeastern part of our ward. See our full public safety page here for all beat meeting dates and locations.
Public Safety Statistics:
My office is in regular contact with the 19th Police District about crimes that have occurred recently in our area and that are reflected in the statistics below. The majority of 19th District crimes have occurred outside of our ward. The 19th District also includes the surrounding neighborhoods of Uptown, Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village, Bricktown, Ravenswood, and Lincoln Square.
Please view our website's public safety page here for both proactive measures to stay safe before crimes occur, and also how to respond in the event of a crime.
In order to stay safe, please find the most relevant key safety tips below, and the full list of CPD's safety tips here:
-General
-Personal
-Robbery-specific
-Vehicle-specific
Below you'll find Week 41's CompStat breakdown of crime in the 19th District.
Please note, these statistics are a reflection of the entire 19th District. The boundaries are from Lawrence Ave to Fullerton Ave, from the Chicago River to the Lake.
Here are the key points:
- Year to Date, Robberies are down 27%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 are down 32%
- Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is down 5%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 is flat
- Year to Date, Burglaries are down 26%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 42%
- Year to Date, Felony Thefts are down 12%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 22%
- Year to Date, Misdemeanor Thefts are down 12%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 30%
- Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are down 39%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're flat
For a list of crime definitions, please see CPD's website here.
See full report below:
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19th DISTRICT COUNCIL MEETING - OCT 22nd
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MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE RESOURCES
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SCOOTER REPORTING
Please click here to submit a scooter removal request and here for Divvy bike removal. We appreciate your assistance in helping keep our neighborhood clean. By contract, shared bike and scooter companies must remove their property within two hours of a 311 removal request.
Please contact our office directly if you see illegal/dangerous activities on green Lime scooters (riding on the sidewalk, two people sharing one scooter, etc). We are able to work with Lime to potentially administer fines, suspensions, or bans if you can include a photo/video of the behavior, and a time and location.
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See below for ongoing construction and infrastructure projects in our neighborhood and on our website here!
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CTA WORK - WAVELAND & GRACE CLOSURE OCT 17-20
Please be aware of a full closure of Waveland and Grace from Sheffield to Wilton, for CTA overhead rail construction. The closure of Waveland will begin no earlier than 9:00pm today, and end no later than 5:00am Monday. A local detour will be posted for Waveland and Grace traffic. See a flyer here.
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CTA WORK - ADDISON TO GRACE THRU SEPT-OCT
Please see a flyer linked here for upcoming work on the Red Line tracks north of the Addison station, on the CTA structure west of the area between 3636-3740 N Wilton.
During work periods, access to under ‘L’ areas will be restricted, particularly for residents who park east of the tracks between 3636 – 3740 N. Wilton. Alternative parking will be provided for those residents who currently have private, dedicated parking on their property. Residents on the west side of the tracks with N. Sheffield addresses between 3709 – 3763 will be able to access their garages/parking spaces via the alley.
To perform this work, there will be temporary street closures on Waveland between Sheffield and Wilton, and Grace St. between Sheffield and Wilton. There will be overnight work during work periods.
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UPCOMING STREET RESURFACINGS
Please see below the list of streets that are scheduled to begin resurfacing at the end of the month, weather permitting.
Cornelia from Lakewood to Racine - 10/27
Hawthorne from Lake Shore Drive to Broadway - 10/29
Briar from Broadway to Sheridan - 10/30
Pine Grove from Surf to Diversey - 10/31
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ALLEY RECONSTRUCTION ALERT
10/17 update:
We anticipate this project to be completed within 2-3 weeks, weather permitting.
Please be aware of noise in the neighborhood due to construction. In accordance with the Chicago Municipal Code, the Public Building Commission (PBC) is granting permission to the Contractor to begin the workday at 6:00AM and to end the workday at 7:00PM, Monday through Friday; 8:00AM to 5:00PM on Saturdays (if needed); and 9:00AM to 5:00PM on Sundays (if needed) for the duration of the project.
If you have any questions on this alley resurfacing, please reach out to our office for more details.
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HALSTED ARTERIAL RESURFACING
Halsted Arterial Resurfacing - Halsted from Clark to Waveland Ave.
The resurfacing and restriping has been completed. The rainbow crosswalks are expected to be repainted within the next few weeks.
This work is part of the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Arterial Street Resurfacing - North Area Project, in the 44th Ward. Bigane Paving Co. is the general contractor for this project and Wight & Company is providing resident engineering services for the Chicago Department of Transportation.
The project includes ADA sidewalk improvements, curb and gutter removal and replacement as needed for ADA and drainage compliance, pavement patching, milling and paving the existing asphalt pavement, and striping.
Please be mindful of temporary “No Parking” signs as required for the activity listed above. These temporary signs restrict parking during working hours, while adhering to rush hour restrictions, for the completion of the work.
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TREE TRIMMING
Area Grid Tree Trimming – Wednesday, October 22nd
Weather and staff permitting, the Bureau of Forestry will be conducting tree trimming in the 44th Ward. The below grid and addresses will have their parkway trees trimmed:
2800 N Racine
As a reminder, in the spring of 2023 the Bureau of Forestry switched to a grid-based system for tree trimmings in place of accepting requests for individual tree trims. This system allows for more of our City's urban canopy to be maintained.
Please be alert of no parking signs posted on the above blocks for this date as the equipment will occupy the public way.
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REPORTING POTHOLES
Please report any potholes you see by entering in all requests through the 311.Chicago.Gov website for those in the street or alley. If possible, be sure to upload images as well so crews are able to identify the exact location.
For more severe potholes that may need immediate attention, please reach out to my ward office either by email ([email protected]) and include the location and images of the pothole or by calling the office at (773-525-6034).
If your vehicle was damaged due to a pothole, you may be entitled to a financial claim here.
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TIPS FROM TOMMY K - OCTOBER
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GARBAGE & RECYCLING
Recycling pick-ups for the 44th Ward are occurring the week of October 27th. You can find your full garbage and recycling pickup schedule .
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See below for a list of job fairs, networking events, and more!
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THE CITY IS HIRING
Looking for a job? Try working for the City! Click here to see the full list of job openings currently seeking applicants.
Local government employment opportunities:
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44th WARD 2025 COMMUNITY MEETINGS
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