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Dear Neighbors,
I was thrilled to see so many neighbors join for the Diversey Community Coalition rally against ComEd's proposal to build an electrical substation in the heart of our community last weekend! 1111 W. Diversey is exactly the kind of location where Chicago's housing policy tells us we should be encouraging residential development. It is on a major commercial corridor, surrounded by an established neighborhood and within walking distance of the Diversey CTA station. The City's transit-oriented development policies are intended to encourage more housing and pedestrian-friendly development around transit. It’s crucial when considering development projects the best use for the land, and the assets that development would bring to the community. It’s evident that in this case, Diversey is not the best location for ComEd’s plans.
If you haven't already, you can submit a public comment to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) regarding ComEd's proposed substation at 1111 W. Diversey Parkway here. The DCC was recently made aware of a glitch in the ICC's system that caused many submitted comments to go unrecorded, and they are asking anyone who submitted a comment in the last two weeks to re-submit. Their goal is to reach at least 1,000 comments by October 15. If you've already submitted once, please take a few minutes to do it again, and if you haven't yet, now's the time!
 
On the topic of thoughtful development, I would also like to provide several updates on initiatives and proposals here in the Ward.
 
I have decided to move forward with a request for a preliminary landmark designation in our Ward on the 1200 and 1300 blocks of Eddy, Cornelia, and Newport. After several rounds of community engagement, I believe that this neighbor-led initiative has sufficient support to move forward. Residents within this district will soon receive courtesy letters from the City in the mail. The proposal to preliminarily designate Eddy-Cornelia-Newport as a landmark district will be heard at the November 5 Commission on Chicago Landmark's meeting. If the Commission approves the preliminary landmark recommendation, then the formal process will begin. You can find more information about this district, as well as additional information on the process with the Commission and the City, on my website here.
Now for an update on the Chicago Cubs Lot Camry Lot Expansion: at this time, I have made the decision to prevent the Cubs from expanding beyond their already permitted 800 parking spaces. This decision reflects the strong and consistent input from residents, and my commitment to ensuring that any future changes prioritize community safety, traffic management, and overall quality of life in the neighborhood.
The Cubs are moving forward with a required amendment to Planned Development (PD) 108 as part of a settlement with the City without adding more parking than is currently allowed. This amendment addresses several outstanding compliance issues, including the Clifton alley and the Blue/Highlander parking lot, and provides for the additional security upgrades that helped secure the 2027 All Star Game at Wrigley.
As part of that process the Cubs must submit a new site plan for the Camry lot. The Cubs currently own the House of the Good Shepherd property, which allows them to expand the physical footprint of the lot without Aldermanic approval. The existing PD already permits up to 800 parking spaces. The Cubs currently operate 688, and under City rules they can increase the lot to the full 800 spaces through a site plan approval, which does not allow for Aldermanic input. As Alderman, I cannot prevent the Cubs from adding these spaces, and the PD amendment will reflect that revised site plan, including additional landscaping and trees along the east side of the lot.
While the Cubs have completed a traffic study and are working with CPD, CDOT, and OEMC to overhaul the Wrigley Traffic Management Plan, which has not been updated in over a decade, we need to see this plan be implemented and proven effective before I can support adding additional parking. While there will always be cars for ballgames, I believe this plan needs to prioritize pedestrian safety, public transit and non-driving options to access the neighborhood.
It has also been a busy week in City Council. Our conversations regarding updating our Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance continue. On Tuesday, we deferred votes so discussions could continue. I am proud to be part of the group of Alders that are working towards a compromise, and am looking forward to more robust conversations with colleagues. Legislation addressing our residential tenants and landlord rights is far too important to be rushed, and we need to get it right.
Council did pass an amended Parking Meter agreement to allow Stonepeak Partners to acquire Chicago's parking meter concession. I want to thank Finance Committee Chairwoman Pat Dowell, our Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry, as well as my colleagues Alderman Waguespack, Alderwoman Lee, Alderman Burnett, and Alderman Villegas for their assistance and leadership on this deal. Under the agreement, the City will receive $75 million upfront to help address Chicago's pension obligations, 5% of annual net income over the remaining 57 years of the lease, a 2% transfer fee if Stonepeak sells the parking meter concession to another company, and commitments requiring Stonepeak Omni Air International to be sold. It will also provide greater flexibility to take meters out of service for large scale events. While this deal is not perfect, it is a significant improvement.
  
The 19th District has two upcoming community conversations to discuss their 2027 Strategic Plan. The first will take place on October 8 at Sulzer Library (4455 N Lincoln) from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and the second will be on November 4 at Clarendon Park (4501 N Clarendon) from 5:30-7:30pm. To register, click here.
The Chicago Marathon takes place on Sunday, October 11. Residents can view the complete route here, as well as a complete list of anticipated street closing and reopening times here.
 
Our annual 44th Ward Electronic Recycling & Shredding Event will take place on Saturday, October 17th from 9:00am-12:00pm at the Ward office (3223 N Sheffield). Please remove any metal or plastic materials including staples, paper clips, and rubber bands and note the limit on 2 boxes per household.
Early voting for the November 3, 2026, General Election begins on Monday, October 1, at the downtown Early Voting Supersite (137 S. State St.) as well as the Board of Elections office at 69 W. Washington (6th floor). Then, starting Monday, October 19, early voting will be available at all 50 ward locations throughout Chicago. The 44th Ward will be back at the Merlo Library this year. For more information, you can visit the Chicago Board of Elections website.
Looking ahead, my office will be closed on Monday, October 12 in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day/Columbus Day. We will reopen at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13.
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Have a great weekend,
Alderman Bennett Lawson
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Upcoming Resurfacing
Streets:
The summer street resurfacing schedule is now complete. We are waiting for updates on the fall schedule from CDOT. We hope to have more information soon.
Alleys:
- EW alley between W. Newport, N. Lakewood, W. Roscoe, N. Racine - Tentative pave date is 10/14
- NS alley between W. Waveland, N. Lakewood, W. Addison, N. Magnolia - Tentative pave date is 10/14
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Divvy Bikes & E-Scooters
We are excited to share that we now have a total of 26 E-Scooter & Divvy Bike docking stations in the 44th Ward!
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Divvy for Everyone Program
The Divvy for Everyone Program provides a full year of bikeshare access for just $5 for income-qualified residents.
To learn more about this program, click here.
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Reporting Scooter & Divvy Bike Removals
If you see Divvy Bikes or E-Scooters that are not properly returned to a docking station, please report this to 311 here. By contract, shared bike and scooter companies must remove their property within two hours of a 311 removal request. We appreciate your assistance in helping keep our neighborhood clean.
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Chi Street Work Portal
Have questions about street work happening in your area?
The Department of Transportation has a tool called the Chi Street Work Portal where you can input an address and see all surrounding permits for projects on that street.
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Garbage & Recycling
The next recycling pick-up for the 44th Ward is the week of October 12. Please note that this is also a holiday week. Please ensure that your garbage is accessible throughout the week, as the exact service day may vary.
You can find your full garbage and recycling pick up schedule here.
Recycling information is now also available through Chicago's Recycle Coach App. To learn more about the app, click here.
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Click here to view the full street sweeping schedule.
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To submit a small business for our weekly shoutout, please complete the form here.
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19th District Weekly Report:
September 21 - September 27
My office is in regular contact with the 19th Police District about crimes that have occurred. Please note that the statistics below are a reflection of the entire 19th District, not only the 44th Ward. The boundaries are from Lawrence Ave to Fullerton Ave, from the Chicago River to the Lake.
For additional public safety resources, 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.
Below you'll find Week 39's CompStat breakdown of crime in the 19th District.
Here are the key points:
- Year to Date, Robberies are down 39%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 are down 11%
- Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is down 5%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 is down 60%
- Year to Date, Burglaries are down 43%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 46%
- Year to Date, Thefts are up 6%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 6%
- Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are up 22%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 5%
For a list of crime definitions, please see CPD's website here.
See full report below:
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Community Meetings With CPD (‘Beat Meetings’):
Beat meetings are part of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) and are an opportunity to speak directly with CPD officers about your neighborhood. The officers review incidents that have occurred as well as an overview of crime statistics. Find your beat here and view the beat meeting schedule below or in our ward calendar.
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2027 Strategic Plan Community Conversations
The 19th District will be having two community conversations to discuss their 2027 Strategic Plan:
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Sulzer Regional Library
4455 N. Lincoln Ave.
5:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Clarendon Park
4501 N. Clarendon Ave.
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m
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19th Police District Council
The 19th Police District Council holds monthly meetings. To view all upcoming meetings, you can visit the 19th Police District Council website here.
The next meeting is:
Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Topic: Conversation with Jens Ludwig, Director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab
Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church
600 W Fullerton Pkwy.
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Are you a young leader (18–24) from Chicago’s North Side who is passionate about public safety and police accountability?
A seat is opening on the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA), and the District Council Nominating Committee is seeking applicants now through October 18.
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Applicants must submit an application, resume, and three letters of support; meet age and residency requirements; and demonstrate strong leadership and the ability to work well with diverse communities and public safety stakeholders.
Visit our CCPSA's website to learn more, register for upcoming virtual information session, and to apply before October 18.
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CPD Superintendent Search
The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) announced on September 18 that they have closed the application period for Chicago’s next Superintendent of the Police following a month-long nationwide recruitment effort that drew 44 applicants. The applicant pool includes current and former members of the Chicago Police Department, as well as candidates from outside of CPD.
The Commission will now begin to conduct multiple rounds of interviews with these candidates to get to know them better - how they make difficult decisions, how they work with communities and officers, and whether they understand what it takes to lead CPD at this moment.
The Commission has until November 12 to submit three finalists to the Mayor. The Mayor must then select a Superintendent from the Commission’s list of three finalists or reject the list with a written explanation requesting a new slate of candidates.
To learn more about CCPSA's search, click here.
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Other Public Safety Alerts
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Delivery Drivers:
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Charity Scam Alert:
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Mental Health Response Resources
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If someone is in a mental health crisis, NAMI, Thresholds, and Trilogy provide resources and mobile crisis response in which a mental health professional can be dispatched.
This can be done instead of, or in conjunction with calling 911. If calling 911, you can ask for a CIT officer to be dispatched as they have additional mental health response training.
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TRY HOCKEY FOR FREE - OCT. 3
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FLU VACCINE CLINIC
- OCT. 4
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MICROMOBILITY IMPACTS ON THE LAKEFRONT - OCT. 6
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DAG'S NIGHT OUT FOR NETTELHORST - OCT. 8
Every second Thursday, D’Agostino’s Pizza (1351 W Addison) donates 20% of sales to Nettelhorst. This month, Dag’s Night will be on October 8th for dine in or order out between 4-8 p.m.
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SHOP FOR SCHOOLS FUNDRAISER - OCT. 6-8
Support local schools by shopping at your favorite stores!
20+ participating retailers will donate 15% of pre-tax sales during normal business hours on Oct. 6-8.
How does it work?
- Step 1: Shop at participating stores during normal business hours on Oct. 6, 7, & 8
- Step 2: Choose participating school at checkout
- Step 3: Raise money for local schools!
Participating Retailers:
Southport Ave: Alice & Wonder / Mini Wonder, AURA Candle Bar, Batik, Candyality, Evereve, Kendra Scott, The Denim Lounge for Men,Three Avenues Bookshop
Lincoln Ave: Eye Spy Optical, Love, Charlie, Little Charlie
Roscoe St: Cinnamon Boutique, Cubbington's Cabinet, Moondance Chicago, RoscoeBooks, Roscoe Village Bikes, The Demin Lounge, Tutu School
Belmont Ave: Konbini & Kanpai Lakeview
Western Ave: Altitude Trampoline Park
For more information, click here.
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TEEN FALLAPALOOZA - OCT. 16
Registration is strongly encouraged
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TRICK OR TREAT ON SOUTHPORT
- OCT. 26
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PUMPKIN GIVEAWAY - OCT. 24
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LAKEVIEW EAST CHAMBER LITTLE MONSTERS CRAWL - OCT. 31
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On Sunday, October 11, Chicago will welcome runners and spectators from around the world for the 48th Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
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Towing and Street Closures:
- No parking is allowed on the Chicago Marathon course. Towing of vehicles on the course will begin at 1:00am on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
- The Chicago Marathon will involve extensive street closures on Sunday, October 11, 2026. Streets in your neighborhood may be closed to traffic starting at 6:00 a.m. and continuing to 4:00 p.m.
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Merlo Library - Upcoming Programs
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Merlo Library (644 W Belmont) has a wide range of events each week for babies, kids, teens, and adults.
Click here to view all of Merlo's upcoming events, and see below for events this coming week.
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- LEGO Club - Wednesday, September 30, 3:30pm–4:30pm
- Baby Time - Thursday, October 01, 10:30am–11:00am
- Baby Time - Thursday, October 01, 11:30am–12:00pm
- Film Screening: Dumbo (1941) - Friday, October 02, 2:00pm–4:00pm
- Blood on the Clocktower: A Social Deduction Game - Saturday, October 03, 1:00pm–3:00pm
- One Story Time, One Chicago - Tuesday, October 06, 10:30am–11:00am
- Open Art Studio - Tuesday, October 06, 3:30pm–5:30pm
- LEGO Club - Wednesday, October 07, 3:30pm–4:30pm
- Baby Time - Thursday, October 08, 10:30am–11:00am
- Baby Time - Thursday, October 08, 11:30am–12:00pm
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Nourishing Hope (3945 N Sheridan), formerly known as Lakeview Pantry, is a robust Chicago nonprofit providing food, mental wellness counseling and other social services, such as job and housing assistance, to our neighbors in need.
To learn more about their programs, click here.
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Deliver fresh groceries to your neighbors!
- Sign up for a Home Delivery Driving shift with Nourishing Hope to deliver 8-10 orders. Driving shifts begin at their Hub warehouse at 5151 N. Ravenswood at 10:30am.
- You can learn more and register for shifts here.
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Donation Pages & Volunteer Opportunities
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TUBMAN PLAYGROUND
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CHICAGO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL
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OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL ACADEMY
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OLMC PLAYGROUP
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MAKE YOUR BUILDING
BIRD-FRIENDLY
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BEAT FACILITATOR APPLICATION
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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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