May 1st, 2026

Dear Neighbors, 

Earlier this week, I introduced an ordinance to strengthen Chicago’s ethics code and address a fast-growing area that is not clearly covered under current law: prediction markets. Prediction markets, like Kalshi or Polymarket, are online platforms where people can place financial stakes on real-world outcomes, including elections, policy decisions, and global events. As these platforms expand, they create new risks around how nonpublic information could be used. 

In recent months, national reporting has highlighted several concerning examples, including a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier charged with using classified intel to turn about $30K into more than $400K betting on the potential removal of President Nicolás Maduro. Platforms like Kalshi have also had to crack down on candidates betting on their own races, all of which raise serious concerns about fairness, transparency, and public trust.

The ordinance builds on Chicago’s existing ethics framework to make clear that if you work for the city, under no circumstances can you use information gained through your job to participate in prediction markets (or to share that information to help others do so). This applies both during city service and after leaving, consistent with our existing approach to confidential information. Public service should always be about serving residents, not personal financial gain. I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this ordinance forward with urgency. 

In addition, earlier this month I introduced legislation focused on cutting red tape for faith communities by allowing them to utilize underused parking lots during off-hours. Together, these efforts reflect a broader approach to governance: strengthening transparency while also finding practical ways to support community institutions and cut unnecessary bureaucracy. 

Also this week, I stopped by Margaret Day Blake Apartments, one of our vibrant senior communities, for a delicious Lunch Heroes lunch and community. Many of you know we host a large annual holiday bingo with residents, but I’m always looking for more ways to stay connected and hear directly from our senior residents about how the city can better support them. I’m looking forward to continuing these lunches at all of our CHA senior homes this year.

Our “Block Heroes” program is continuing this spring, and we’re excited to bring it to Oz Park for a Clean & Green Clean-Up on Saturday, May 17th at 11:00 a.m. Block Heroes is all about getting residents involved in the day-to-day care of our neighborhood. Through organized walks, we work together to spot and report infrastructure and environmental issues, while using our ‘scoopers’ to clean-up the community. If you haven’t yet, you can sign up for our volunteer program’s newsletters here, and read the most recent VCDP newsletter edition here. 

It is no secret that Chicago has experienced intense rainfall these past few weeks, with storms bringing repeated rounds of heavy rain and flash flooding across the region. This spring was the wettest on record for the city, and weather experts have also pointed to a broader pattern of more common severe spring weather. As a result, many of us have seen frequent street flooding and water buildup, especially as our sewer system works to keep up with higher volumes of rain in short periods of time.

That’s why we’re hosting an upcoming event with Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis’ office on May 14th. The event will help residents better understand how Chicago’s sewer system works, why street flooding happens, and what we can all do to improve drainage and reduce excess flooding in our neighborhoods. As a fun plus, our office and MWRD will be raffling off a rain barrel for residents who attend. We hope to see you there!

Finally, I am deeply saddened to share the passing of Allan Mellis, longtime community leader and fixture in the 43rd Ward. Allan was a great friend to our office and dedicated more than 50 years to the Wrightwood Neighbors Association, where he served in numerous leadership roles and helped guide the neighborhood through decades of change. As one example of the many, Allan was a central figure in establishing the Lincoln Park Branch of the Chicago Public Library, which is one of the busiest branches in Chicago. Known to many as the “Mayor of Lincoln Park,” Allan was a tireless advocate for community planning and preserving the character of our neighborhood. 

We send our condolences to Linda and the whole Mellis family, as well as the many neighbors who had the privilege of knowing Allan. You can read his full obituary here, and an in-depth story from Block Club on his legacy here. 

Sincerely, 

Alderperson Timmy Knudsen

P.S. Comed Substation Update: Back in early April, my office submitted a formal request (joined by Ald. Waguespack, 32nd Ward, and Ald. Lawson, 44th Ward) to the City’s Zoning Administrator for a Written Interpretation of how ComEd’s 1111 West Diversey Parkway project is being classified under Chicago’s zoning code. We received a response which can be read here. In short, Zoning Administrator Murphey did not issue a definitive determination, due to a lack of available information from ComEd. In the letter, he acknowledges that substations have historically been treated as “Minor Utilities,” and that the City lacks sufficient project-specific detail to evaluate this proposal. That said, he left the door open for further review if additional information is submitted.

With this in mind, along with our involved residents, we will continue to press ComEd for further information so a more transparent and definitive determination can be made. Until then, my office has requested that the Department of Buildings place an administrative hold on any demolition permits until this definition is determined. For more information, please read my special newsletter highlighting the issue here. 

 Click here to see the block-by-block April and May schedule

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.

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

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), May 3-9, is an education and awareness
campaign celebrated worldwide! Composting is a powerful way to reduce waste, improve soil health, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Did you know that through the City of Chicago’s Food Scrap Drop-Off program, you can get your household food scraps composted for free? This thriving program has over 8,800 households participating and has diverted 1,554,000 pounds of food scraps from landfills to composting since its inception in 2023. Thanks to a partnership with Chicago Public Libraries, the program has recently expanded to a total of 33 drop-off locations. Learn more and sign up today! Check out the Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition’s ICAW 2026 Calendar of Events for opportunities to learn more about composting taking place in our area and across the state.

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 17 Compstat.

For 19th District (north of Fullerton) Week 17 Compstat.

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. 

• Ald. Knudsen proposes banning city employees from using inside info to bet on prediction market apps
• Meet Hazina, Lincoln Park Zoo’s New Baby Rhino
• CPD issues alert after Irish Eyes, Smoke Dreams damaged on Lincoln Avenue
• Pop Up Bagels makes a buzz in Lincoln Park
• 24 hours in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood
• Renovation, Addition Underway At 2701 North Clark Street In Lincoln Park
• Samples from top local restaurants at this tasting event on Clark Street this summer
• New Pub Concept with Full Kitchen Moving into Lincoln Park Storefront
• The Sheffield Garden Walk and Art Festival is Back Next Month
• Cookbook Author stars in “Indian As Apple Pie,” filmed in her Lincoln Park kitchen
• This Lincoln Park Mentalist Is Reviving Chicago Tavern Magic, One Brewery At A Time

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.

Our Fourth Annual Earth Day is your chance to roll up your sleeves and directly shape the beauty of Old Town Triangle. Projects will include park cleanups, planting, mulching, gardening, and beautification work across our neighborhood green spaces. Whether you can stay the full morning or just an hour or two, every helping hand makes a big difference.

Ella Jenkins Park (333 W Wisconsin Ave)

Saturday, May 9th between 9AM – 1PM

After an incredible 2025 Earth Day where more than 150 neighbors, nonprofits, businesses, and community leaders came together to transform our green spaces, I hope you'll join us and help make this year’s Earth Day our most impactful yet.

Our office will talk about this in our lead closer to the event. 

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. 

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.”

Please click here for updated guidance and rules from CDOT on Scooter and E-Bike rides. 

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.

43rd Ward Office Hours: M-Fri 9am-5pm & Sat 10am-12pm

 773-348-9500 | [email protected] | 2523 N. Halsted St.

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