44th Ward Newsletter: September 26, 2025

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Dear Neighbors,

Playoff baseball is back in the air in Lakeview! The Cubs are on the verge of locking in home field advantage for the Wild Card series. With a magic number of 2 to watch for (any combination of 2 Cubs wins or 2 Padres losses), the team could soon clinch games at Wrigley for September 30th, October 1st, and October 2nd if needed. Keep track of the schedule here.

It was a festive week in the neighborhood with not one, but two Oktoberfests to celebrate. I was glad to stop by the 25th Annual East Lakeview Neighbors Oktoberfest at Murphy’s Bleachers, which raised a record $46,000 to support neighborhood initiatives, including a generous $10,000 donation from the Chicago Cubs. Also over the weekend, I joined the Cubs’ first-ever Oktoberfest in the Camry Lot, where I had the honor of tapping the keg to welcome visitors to Lakeview for a celebration filled with Kinderfest children’s activities, live music, and Bavarian classics like bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels, schnitzel, and apple strudel.

In public safety news, earlier this week we met with leadership from the 19th District of CPD and our area’s detectives division to coordinate ongoing efforts to keep our community safe. They shared that so far in 2025, our 19th District has recorded the fewest shootings and homicides of all 22 police districts in Chicago. While even one tragic incident is too many and the work to prevent crime never stops, we are encouraged to see this progress locally and remain committed to building on it together.

Yesterday, I’m proud to share that City Council unanimously passed my ordinance expanding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) citywide. ADUs are basement and attic apartments known as 'conversion units,' as well as detached coach houses—and are a proven way to add housing across neighborhoods. They give homeowners extra income, provide space for multigenerational living, and expand housing supply while preserving the character of our streets. This ordinance represents a major step forward for gentle density and affordability, and is just the beginning of our efforts to make housing more accessible across Chicago. See a summary of the ordinance here. Key provisions include:

Citywide expansion: ADUs are now allowed by-right in all multi-family residential districts. For example, if you can build a two-flat building, an ADU is now permitted as well. ADUs are also expanded to business and commercial zones throughout the city, allowing for unused offices and storage spaces to be converted into housing.
Adapting the rear of vacant storefronts: Rear portions of ground-floor commercial spaces can be converted into “rear dwelling units,” keeping storefronts active while adding housing.
Flexibility for homeowners: Properties can now include both a conversion unit and a coach house, and the 700sqft. cap on coach houses is removed.
Parking flexibility: Administrative approvals can waive parking requirements, helping reduce costs and support accessible, ground-level housing.
Apprenticeships: New coach houses must be built by contractors and subcontractors participating in federally registered apprenticeship programs. Coach houses made up 23% of ADU permits during the pilot program, with basement, attic, and other conversions making up 77%. The state of Illinois provides a tax credit of $3,500 per apprentice, per year to support projects participating in these programs.
Opt-in for single family home areas: In single family home residential zones, aldermen may opt in to allow ADUs, with or without optional guardrails such as owner-occupancy requirements and limits per block.

On environmental justice issues, I was glad to vote in favor of advancing the Hazel Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance, which strengthens protections for communities disproportionately burdened by pollution. While not yet at final passage, this key step removed the ordinance from the Rules Committee where it had been for several months by a vote of 31–13, allowing it to move forward to a full committee hearing and then, after passing committee, to the full City Council for a vote.

At City Council, I was also able to honor community and cultural icons with three special resolutions. We celebrated the life and legacy of Lori Cannon, whose decades of activism made her a cornerstone of Chicago’s HIV/AIDS response and a beloved figure in the LGBTQ+ community. We remembered Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg, a Hall of Famer and 10x All Star whose leadership on and off the field made him one of the most admired athletes in Chicago history. And we recognized the 40th anniversary of Windy City Times, the city’s historic LGBTQ+ newspaper that has uplifted voices and chronicled community life for four decades. See above to links to read each resolution.

There are many exciting back-to-school fundraisers coming up across the neighborhood, and we encourage you to show your support. Hawthorne is hosting a 'First Friday' Giveback at Barcocina on October 3rd, with 15% of dine-in and carryout sales going back to the school. Stella’s Diner will donate 20% of sales to the Nettelhorst PTO on Tuesday, October 7th, from 3:00pm to close. Friends of Tubman Elementary will host their Fall Fest on Saturday, October 18th, from 10:00am-12:00pm at the school, featuring games, prizes, a costume swap and parade, and trunk-or-treat fun for families. And Lake View High School is partnering with Jet's Pizza, which will give 30% off orders and donate when you order with the code 'LVHS.'

Mark your calendars! Our next free 44th Ward Shredding Event is coming up on Saturday, October 25th from 9:00am–12:00pm outside our office (3223 N Sheffield). This is a great chance to safely dispose of old documents, with a limit of two boxes per household. Please remember to remove staples, paper clips, and other metal or plastic materials before you arrive. Thanks to State Senator Sara Feigenholtz, State Representative Ann Williams, and State Representative Margaret Croke for partnering with us to make this event possible. We hope to see you there.

The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce has put together some great resources and guides for the neighborhood this week. Since today is National Pancake Day, they’ve listed local restaurants serving some of the best stacks in town—like lemon-ricotta pancakes at Esencia Urban Kitchen, ube pancakes at Wake ’n Bacon, or loaded red velvet pancakes at Savanna. You can browse their full pancake guide here. Looking ahead to October, the Chamber has also published a Haunted Happenings calendar filled with parades, pop-ups, pumpkin painting, and other festive events—see the full lineup here.

In addition, the Chamber has shared important resources for small business owners on how to prepare for and protect employees in the event of ICE activity. This includes Know Your Rights materials and opportunities to host free educational sessions in partnership with Arise Chicago. Business owners can access the toolkit here.

As a reminder, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is coming up on Sunday, October 12th. The race will bring more than 53,000 runners through our neighborhoods and across the city, with street closures beginning at 6:00am and reopening at varying times (primarily reopening from 12:00-1:00pm near our neighborhood - see below for details) and parking restrictions beginning at 1:00am on race day. You can click here to view the street closure brochure and full course map to plan ahead and avoid disruptions.

Have a great weekend,

Alderman Bennett Lawson

CIRCESTEEM CHARITY EVENT - TONIGHT

Join CircEsteem for their 24th Annual Gala on Friday, September 26th at Venue West.

Get ready for a joyful revolution featuring world-class performers and a night dedicated to empowering youth through the magic of circus arts.

Learn more here.

GRANTS FOR RE-ENTRY ORGANIZATIONS - DUE TONIGHT

ST ALPHONSUS OKTOBERFEST - SEPT 26-28th

MONTROSE HARBOR SUICIDE PREVENTION WALK - SEPT 27th

PARENTING WORKSHOP - SEPT 27th

ENVIRONMENT & SPIRITUALITY SUMMIT - SEPT 30th

CPS TOWN HALL - OCT 8th

SHOP FOR SCHOOLS FUNDRAISER - OCT 8-10th

LINCOLN BRUNCH FEST - OCT 11th

FREE VIRTUAL LEGAL SEMINARS (NEXT ON OCT 15th)

LAKEVIEW DOG PARK - DONATION PAGE

FREE EXERCISE CLASSES FOR SENIORS

NETTELHORST FRENCH MARKET - THRU NOVEMBER

CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK NONPROFIT - 44th WARD DISCOUNT

To submit a small business for our weekly shoutout, please complete the form here.

PUBLIC SAFETY & 19th DISTRICT WEEKLY REPORT:
September 15th - September 21st

Ride Smart Chicago Passenger Safety Campaign:
As part of the Ride Smart Chicago campaign in partnership with the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, we’re spotlighting important safety tips to help neighbors stay safe when using taxis and ride-hail services. This includes knowing how to identify and avoid illegal taxis, confirming the correct ride-hail vehicle, and following key passenger safety reminders. You can view each of the flyers here:

Request for Comment Through Today:
CPD is currently seeking public comment on its proposed De-escalation, Response to Resistance, and Use of Force policy, which sets standards for how officers use de-escalation techniques and respond to resistance. Community members can review the draft policy and submit feedback through September 26th here. We encourage residents to share their input to help shape this important directive.

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 38'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 25%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 are down 15%
Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is down 6%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 is down 12%
Year to Date, Burglaries are down 23%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 23%
Year to Date, Felony Thefts are down 12%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 32%
Year to Date, Misdemeanor Thefts are down 12%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 37%
Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are down 43%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 41%

For a list of crime definitions, please see CPD's website here.

See full report below:

MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE RESOURCES

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.

See below for ongoing construction and infrastructure projects in our neighborhood and on our website here!

CRANE CLOSURE - 9/30 AT 336 W WELLINGTON

Date: Tuesday – 9/30/25 – Crane will arrive onsite around 8am & will be offsite by 3pm the latest

Address: 336 W Wellington Avenue – Crane setting up on Wellington – (Full Closure)

Description of Work: Setting rooftop units on building. Traffic control will be onsite at all times. See a map of the closure, crane placement, and reroute here.

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.

ALLEY RECONSTRUCTION ALERT

9/26 update:

CDOT has informed us of delays in this alley reconstruction project. See a letter earlier this month from CDOT to our office here for more details. We apologize for these delays. Work resumed on 9/22.

CDOT's progress has been slowed due to utility lines not previously documented, required bracing around utility poles, and scheduling gaps with subcontractors.

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.

HALSTED ARTERIAL RESURFACING

Halsted Arterial Resurfacing - North Halsted St. from N. Clark St. to W. Waveland Ave.

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) has begun saw cutting and electrical operations for the upcoming resurfacing of Halsted Street. Milling has been completed, and the first layer of resurfacing work has been completed. Resurfacing will continue throughout next week. Neighbors should be able to park on nights and weekends within the work area. As stated in the opening of our newsletter, the rainbow crosswalks will be repainted in the fall once the project is complete.

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.

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.

TIPS FROM TOMMY K - SEPTEMBER

GARBAGE & RECYCLING

Recycling pick-ups for the 44th Ward are occurring the week of September 29th. You can find your full garbage and recycling pickup schedule .

See below for a list of job fairs, networking events, and more!

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:

Cultural Affairs Coordinator - Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

City
County
State/Other
- State of Illinois
- Secretary of State of Illinois
- PACE bus system