Dear Neighbors,
With the CPS school year in full swing this week, I want to wish all of our students, teachers, staff, and parents a safe, successful, and exciting school year ahead. It is a personal point of pride to represent a community with such strong neighborhood schools. This past week we honored IB coordinator Mary Tookey on a 47 year career, and in doing so celebrated the success of our Lincoln Park High School. In the recent US News rankings of Chicago public high schools, LPHS was the highest ranked neighborhood-serving high school in the city, outperforming several selective enrollment schools. Additionally, over 60% of the student body attends as a neighborhood student (for historical context, this number used to be ~30%). Thank you to Principal Steinmiller, and the hardworking stakeholders (listed above) for this momentum.
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Alderman Knudsen; School Board 4A Rep. Ellen Rosenfeld; Mary Tookey; Principal Steinmiller
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Power of Hope Honoree & Supporting Care For Friends’ Work
It is an honor to be named one of Care For Friends’ 2026 Power Hope Award recipients. Since 1968, Care For Friends has empowered Chicagoans experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity through regular meal service, foot care and other health services. Over the past few years, I have learned a lot from Care for Friends, particularly through a close partnership on construction of the new facility, and spearheading food drives with the organization. I hope you’ll join me in supporting the Care for Friends mission by attending this year’s gala. If you can’t make it, please consider making a donation to support their continued work in our community.
Preservation Chicago Explores Lincoln Park Historic Plaque Pilot
We are pleased to announce a new Historic Plaque Pilot Program in Lincoln Park through Preservation Chicago, providing homeowners an opportunity to learn more about the history behind their homes. The Chicago Historic Plaque Program is designed to help homeowners and neighbors better understand the history of these properties, and recognize the importance of preserving them. Selected homeowners may receive a short researched summary of their home’s history, based on available records. Learn more through Preservation Chicago’s Historic Plaque Program.
Lincoln Park Health & Wellness Weekend Returns This Weekend
The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce’s Health & Wellness Weekend returns this Saturday and Sunday (8/29 & 8/30) at Lincoln Common, 2335 N. Lincoln Avenue! Stop by to support our neighborhood’s many health and wellness businesses. There will be free outdoor fitness classes all weekend, and Saturday will feature a free Health & Wellness Showcase with more than 30 local businesses, giveaways, and mini-treatments. Check out the full schedule and register for available classes here.
Chicago Alders Took the Field for Charity
Finally, last night members of the Chicago City Council took the field at Rate Field against the Chicago Police Knights Baseball Club for their second annual charity softball game. The game supports the Knights’ nonprofit work, which uses baseball clinics, youth programs, and community events to bring Chicago police officers and young people together and build stronger relationships between CPD and the communities they serve. I was sad to miss my chance to step up to the plate this year, although judging by the final score (16-6), I’m not sure I would have been much help!
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Alderperson Timmy Knudsen
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Modernizing The 43rd Ward Office
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Last month, our office was proud to be highlighted nationally in a new Indigov and Granicus case study recognizing the 43rd Ward as a model for tech-forward constituent services & responsive local government. The report highlights how our office integrates Chicago’s 311 system directly into our internal workflow, allowing us to respond faster, track issues more efficiently, and proactively communicate with residents. I’m incredibly proud of our small but mighty team for continuing to help set a new standard for modern local government as we believe local government should be as responsive, transparent, and modern as the people it serves. I encourage you to check out the full report 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), is officially in effect. 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.
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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 34 Compstat.
For 19th District (north of Fullerton) Week 34 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 Continues to Urge 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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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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