Dear Neighbors,
I want to extend my deepest condolences following the tragic loss of Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew, who was killed last month while escorting a suspect at Swedish Hospital. Yesterday, I attended Officer Bartholomew’s visitation at St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church, where hundreds of officers, family members and community members gathered to honor his life and service. We are also continuing to keep Officer Nelson Crespo in our prayers, who remains in critical condition after the shooting.
Moments like these are a powerful reminder of the risks our officers and first responders take each day to keep our neighborhoods safe, often under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. We owe them immense gratitude for their service.
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Earlier this week, I sat down with FOX32 to discuss legislation I introduced last week to strengthen Chicago’s ethics code around emerging prediction markets. As these platforms continue to grow, I believe government has a responsibility to ensure our rules keep pace and continue protecting public trust.
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On Wednesday, I made a quick trip to Springfield with Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward, Chairman of the Ethics Committee), and Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward, Chairman of the Budget Committee) to advocate for common-sense revenue measures the state can support to improve the long-term fiscal stability of Chicago. While our city budget season only spans a few months, it is essential that we advocate for an improved process year-round, and strengthen relationships with our partners at the state level.
I’m grateful to our partners in the legislature and the governor’s office for their time and collaboration. Thank you to Deputy Governor Andy Manar, Leader Delgado, Sen. Feigenholtz, Sen. Sims, Sen. Cunningham, Rep. Guzzardi, and so many others for their action. Government coordination at all branches is essential, and you can check out a quick recap video below.
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Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen an exciting turnout across the 43rd Ward for park and neighborhood cleanups. Thank you to everyone who has shown up to pitch in on keeping our community clean, in particular through our Volunteer Corps’ “Block Heroes” series, which will be hosting a large-scale clean-up in May.
With the sunny weekend ahead, please join us at The 4th Annual Old Town & Lincoln Park Earth Day Clean-Up tomorrow, May 9th, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Ella Jenkins Park. On your way, join us at “Lincoln Park Kidical Mass,” a free, family-friendly bike ride happening throughout the summer, starting at Oz Park.
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Finally, as someone who is a son to an awesome ‘mom’, I want to wish everyone a Happy Mother’s Day, and recognize all of the mothers, grandmothers, and caregivers across our community who give so much of themselves every single day.
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Alderperson Timmy Knudsen
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P.S. I’m excited to share that work has officially begun on the Lincoln Gardens and Meadows project. The Lincoln statue is currently being restored with cleaning, base repairs, and a protective coating, with this first phase expected to wrap up by the Fourth of July. This effort is made possible through strong partnership with the Chicago Park District, Lincoln Park Conservancy and the Gold Coast Neighbors Association. Future phases will bring new landscaping, improved drainage, and upgraded pathways, with continued fundraising underway to support these long-term improvements.
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A Block Club Chicago article was written this week highlighting growing community concerns surrounding ComEd’s proposed electrical substation at 1111 W. Diversey Parkway. The project, which ComEd has described as important for strengthening grid reliability, has prompted pushback from a coalition of nearby residents and neighborhood groups raising questions about its scale, location, and potential impacts given its proximity to homes, schools, and public spaces. The article underscores broader concerns about how the project is being classified under the city’s zoning code, with neighbors calling for greater transparency and a more robust public review process as plans evolve.
Building on those concerns, in early April I submitted a formal request to the City’s Zoning Administrator for a Written Interpretation of how this project should be classified under Chicago’s zoning framework. In response, the Zoning Administrator did not issue a definitive determination, citing a lack of sufficient project-specific information from ComEd. While the letter notes that substations have historically been treated as “Minor Utilities,” it also makes clear that the City does not yet have enough detail to fully evaluate this proposal and leaves the door open for further review if additional information is provided.
In the meantime, my office will continue working closely with engaged residents to press ComEd for more clarity and transparency. We have also formally requested that the Department of Buildings and the Chicago Department of Transportation place an administrative hold on any demolition permits until a clearer zoning determination is made. For more information, please read my special newsletter highlighting the issue here.
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ADU Ordinance Now in Effect
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As of April 1, the City’s ordinance to legalize Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs), led by Alderman Bennett Lawson and supported by my office, is officially in effect. In just the first two days, the City received 88 applications, an encouraging early sign that residents are ready to take advantage of this long-awaited change. Expanding access to ADUs is an important step toward addressing Chicago’s housing shortage and creating more flexible, affordable living options in our neighborhoods.
If you have ever considered adding an ADU, whether to create additional income or keep family members close, now is a great time to explore your options. You can enter basic information about your property to see how many units you may be eligible for and learn how to get started. The site also includes an interactive map that allows you to look up eligibility by address. I was proud to support this effort, and I encourage you to learn more, share this opportunity with neighbors, and explore how this program can help expand housing options across our city.
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The Recycle Coach app is a simple, all-in-one tool to help you manage trash, recycling, and waste services in your neighborhood. It helps residents stay organized, recycle correctly, and keep up with local services. With Recycle Coach, you can:
- Get personalized trash and recycling pickup reminders
- Look up how to properly dispose of items with the “What Goes Where” tool
- Find drop-off locations for hard-to-recycle materials
- Stay updated on service changes and holiday schedules
- Learn about local recycling events and programs
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Crime, and safety remain top of mind for our community. Each week, the 18th and 19th District post Compstat numbers that reflect changes in indexes for key crimes. As a reminder, these statistics represent 100% of the 18th & 19th Police Districts; accordingly, they represent an area much larger than our ward.
For 18th District (south of Fullerton) Week 18 Compstat.
For 19th District (north of Fullerton) Week 18 Compstat.
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We work closely with the 43rd Ward’s local CAPS districts, which include the 18th (Near North) and 19th (Town Hall) Police Districts. Our office is in frequent contact with officers from both of these districts and their local CAPS officers, who host a variety of community forums and events including beat meetings, informational settings, and expert panel discussions, as well as sending out community alerts when a pattern of crime is detected.
Beat Meetings are part of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy and an excellent way to hear directly from CPD about your neighborhood. Meetings are held in the evenings every two months. Click here and find out your Police District and Beat number, and click here for a larger and printable version of the graphic.
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Ald. Knudsen Urges Johnson & CDOT to Prioritize Bridge Closures and Offer Alternative Traffic Congestion Plans
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"The ongoing closure of river bridges (especially the Cortland Bridge) has created major traffic strain and frustration for residents and businesses alike. Alongside seven other aldermen, I sent a letter to Mayor Johnson urging his administration and CDOT to prioritize this bridge issue. My office will continue pushing for clearer communication, smarter coordination, and the fastest safe timeline possible to get these bridges reopened." -Ald. Timmy Knudsen
Alderman Knudsen supported a proposal from 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins requiring the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) to present a detailed traffic plan before closing any bridge for more than 30 days. The plan must outline how congestion will be reduced — including detours, parking adjustments, and other mitigation strategies. Our office also received a letter back from CDOT, outlining steps they are taking to help reduce traffic congestion and delays for 43rd Ward residents. You can read it here.
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Interactive Ward 43 Parking Zone Map
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Our office has created a parking zone map to help residents better understand where residential parking zones are located throughout the ward. For several streets, a Residential Parking Permit may not be required. Some areas may instead be free parking, pay-to-park, school zones, or tow and loading zones that restrict parking during certain hours.
While the map can be helpful for general reference, posted signage is always the most reliable indicator of parking rules. We encourage residents and visitors to carefully check street signs when parking to confirm the applicable restrictions.
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RANCH Triangle is now offering $1,000 grants to nonprofit organizations whose work benefits residents of the RANCH community. To be eligible, an organization’s work must benefit RANCH residents, though the organization does not need to be located within the neighborhood. Interested non-profits can email RANCH at [email protected] for more info. Applications must be submitted by June 5, 2026.
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When: SATURDAY JUNE 6TH
Start Line: Butch McGuire's 11:00 AM
Finish Line: Mary Jo McGuire'
ALL Proceeds go towards supporting Chicago Fire Fighters!
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Third Coast Percussion
Thursday, May 14 | 7 p.m.
Heller Auditorium
Free and Open to the Public - Register here
In the 9th year of the Joan W. Harris Visiting Music Scholar in Residence program, Parker is excited to welcome it’s first percussion group as part of this visiting scholar series: Third Coast Percussion! Third Coast Percussion is a GRAMMY® Award-winning Chicago-based percussion quartet and GRAMMY®-nominated composer collective that made history as the first percussion ensemble to win the revered music award in the classical genre.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Have questions about street work happening in your area? The Department of Transportation has a wonderful tool to look up street work in your area called the Chi Street Work Portal. Here you can input an address and see all surrounding permits for projects on that street. The map is also interactive, allowing residents to view the real permits, view projects in other areas of the City, and see which type of work is being done on your street.
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Parking Enforcement via 311
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The Department of Finance (DOF) announced that City residents now have the option of reporting the following parking enforcement violations: Bus Lane Parking, Commercial Loading Zone, Commercial Vehicle Parked on a Residential Street, Disabled Parking, Fire Hydrant Parking, Residential Parking, Rush Hour Zones, School Safety Zones, Vehicle Parked in Bike Lane, Other (Semi-trucks parked on streets, etc.) Neighbors can report parking violations by calling 311, using the CHI311 app, or through the 311 website. The request type is “Finance Parking Code Enforcement Review.”
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E-Scooters and E-Bikes Policy Updates
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Please click here for updated guidance and rules from CDOT on Scooter and E-Bike rides.
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I want to keep spreading the good word of how powerful a tool CHI 311 is to address non-emergency services in our Ward. Via the CHI 311 website and mobile app, you can:
- Create new service requests and check the status of existing requests (such as on timing and completion).
- Snap a photo of an issue to submit it with a request to improve location accuracy.
- Get local and relevant information/tips regarding the 43rd Ward including visibility into what other requests are being made in your neighborhood. The free CHI 311 mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices and may be downloaded in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
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