October 28th, 2025

Dear Neighbors, 

Last Friday we issued a special newsletter alerting residents of a significant increase in enforcement operations by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across Chicago, including in the 43rd Ward. These operations, known as Operation Midway Blitz, have caused confusion and fear for many residents. As these enforcement efforts continue, our office remains committed to keeping 43rd Ward residents informed and supported by sending related publicly available information. 

After three years of planning and construction, Care for Friends has officially returned to its historic home in Lincoln Park! From their newly built, fully accessible space at 530 W. Fullerton Parkway, this incredible organization continues its mission to address Chicago’s food, housing, and healthcare crises through an inclusive, no-questions-asked approach that removes barriers to essential resources.

As of today, Care for Friends offers hot meals and a food pantry every Monday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Additional services include a screening clinic, substance use education clinic, clothing closet on the third Saturday of each month, and a foot care clinic on the fourth Saturday. Their work has never been more vital—especially as cuts to SNAP and other assistance programs threaten access to basic needs. I’m proud to support Care for Friends and their compassionate team, and I hope you’ll join me in uplifting their mission. 

Ribbon Cutting and Blessing on October 4th, 2025

As we move through the Chicago 2026 budget season, City Council has been meeting with each department to review their proposals, ask tough but constructive questions, and raise issues our offices have encountered over the past year. 

In a recent newsletter, I expressed my strong opposition to the Mayor’s proposed corporate head tax, as it risks discouraging job growth when we should be strengthening Chicago’s economy. As budget negotiations continue, I also want to highlight two additional areas of serious concern in this proposal:

• $1 Billion Sweep of Neighborhood TIF Funds: The proposed budget declares a $1 billion neighborhood Tax Increment Financing (TIF) surplus, which would pull away dollars from local infrastructure and development projects that communities have been planning for years. More of this surplus would go to Chicago Public Schools than would go to filling the budget gap. Additionally, this short-term strategy would remove a vital funding tool for projects in Chicago neighborhoods where we need to focus on equitable growth. 
• Rollback of the City’s Full Pension Contribution: In recent years, the City has made its full advance pension payments as a key step toward restoring financial stability. This budget reverses that progress by reducing the advance contribution, sending the wrong signal to credit agencies and investors. Deferring payments drives up future costs and risks renewed credit downgrades that make borrowing more expensive. As I said when I voted ‘No’ on last year’s budget, that decision proved the danger of cutting corners on fiscal responsibility. 

While I’ve raised concerns about certain parts of the budget that don’t align with our city’s long-term goals, I’m equally committed to advancing programs that deliver real, measurable benefits for residents. One such initiative is the Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) Program, which deploys behavioral health professionals to respond to residents in mental health crises. CARE is a smart, compassionate approach that improves public safety, supports our police officers (by taking a burdensome task out of their portfolios), and helps rebuild trust between residents and city services.

I’m proud to have led the attached letter—joined by more than 18 colleagues—urging Mayor Johnson to continue and expand this critical program. Read the full letter here.

Finally, the ongoing closure of river bridges (especially the Cortland Bridge) has created major traffic strain and frustration for residents and businesses alike. During last week’s budget hearings, I joined several colleagues in calling for immediate, creative solutions and expedited action from the City. 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.

Sincerely,

Alderperson Timmy Knudsen

P.S. As neighbors in every corner get ready for a night of costumes, candy, and spooky fun, we want to remind everyone to celebrate safely. Whether you’re out trick-or-treating or supporting an amazing local bar or restaurant, please take a moment to review helpful safety tips from the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC). Happy Halloween from the 43rd Ward Office!       

Last Thursday, my office and the Park West Neighborhood Association co-hosted a community meeting on the proposed development at 607 W. Diversey Ave. The plan includes a 9-story, all-electric residential building with ground-floor retail, featuring 49 rental units (20% affordable by the ARO standards), 8 on-site parking spaces, and 89 bike spots. The proposal also incorporates bird-safe glass and EV charging. Thank you to everyone who joined and shared feedback. If you were unable to attend, you can view the full presentation here and send any additional comments or questions to our office as we continue community review of this proposal.

Alderperson Knudsen talking with residents about 607 W Diversey

In response to the unwelcome and damaging presence of federal agents in our city, I launched a Toolkit to Support Immigrant Families in Chicago—a living resource my office and I will continue to update. It’s designed to help residents channel concern into action and stand up against abuses of power.

Chicago has always shown up for our neighbors—let’s keep showing up now with our time, skills, and voices. Please share this toolkit with your networks so every Chicagoan feels protected and supported.

We're pleased to announce the start of VACCC mobile office hours located in the 43rd Ward office every 1st Tuesday of the month from 12pm - 4pm, starting on November 4th. During these office hours, a veteran service officer will be onsite and available to assist with various items such as mortgage and rental assistance, internet and phone bill assistance, bus passes and fuel cards, and more! 

Please share this scheduling link with your communities and any veterans that you may know. Through the event, we hope to uplift our amazing community of Veterans in Chicago - a group that we work to honor everyday through government service. We appreciate the VACCC’s willingness to directly offer one-on-one assistance and our office will continue to support and connect our veterans with the resources they deserve. 

Avoid a ticket or tow order by signing up for email street sweeping alerts. And on weekdays, from 9am to 2pm, this Sweeper Tracker map will show real-time locations of city street sweepers. 

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 43 Compstat.

For 19th District (north of Fullerton) Week 43 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.

2025 43rd Ward CAPS Meetings:

Beat 1811 (5 PM) & 1813 (6 PM): November 4th. 

Beats 1811 and 1813 meet at St. James Lutheran Church located at 2050 N Fremont St. They are in the basement of the Church and you should enter through the northernmost door on Fremont St. 

Beat 1812 (5 PM) & 1814 (6 PM): November 6th. 

Beat 1812 and 1814 are hosted at Wintrust Bank located at 100 W. North Ave. The meetings are hosted on the 2nd Floor of the bank. Elevators are on site.

Beat 1824 (6 PM): November 13th. 

Beat 1824 meets at 1201 N Clark St in the Clark St Apartments.

Beat 1932 (6:30 PM): December 2nd. 

Beat 1932 is hosted in the sanctuary at New Life Church located at 1110 W Lill Ave. 

Beat 1935 (6:30 PM): December 17th. 

Beat 1935 is hosted at Chabad East Lakeview located at 615 W Wellington Ave.

• Federal agents on North, Northwest Sides prompt soft lockdowns at schools; tear gas fired in Lakeview
• Do ferns make sounds? A new installation at the Lincoln Park Conservatory ponders ‘what if?’
• Everything parents need to know about Chicago’s ZooLights 2025 at Lincoln Park Zoo
• How one man carving a pumpkin for his daughter transformed into an annual Fall Fest tradition at the Lincoln Park Zoo
• The Best Sandwiches in Chicago (Doner 97; Cafecito; Bocadillo Market) 
• Chicago’s Gold Coast Offers Bustling City Living With a View Of a Great Lake
• Lincoln Park Zoo Welcomes First Brown Bears in Decades

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced the start of a major rehabilitation project on the Cortland Street Bridge over the North Branch of the Chicago River. Beginning today, September 22, 2025, W Cortland Street will be closed to vehicle traffic in both directions between N Mendell Street and N Kingsbury Street. The closure is expected to last approximately 18–24 months. One sidewalk will remain open until winter 2025. Click here for more details.

Since this project is not in our Ward, we are keeping a close eye on the detour routes CDOT has proposed, including along Clybourn, where our Ward represents the East side. Alderman Knudsen remains committed to helping ensure pedestrian and biker safety are at the forefront of discussions. When our office gets more communication, we will be sure to include those in our newsletters to residents. 

The Lincoln Park Farmers Market’s 44th annual season is up and running! The Lincoln Park Farmers Market’s 44th annual season is up and running! In 2025, the market will run on Saturdays from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM, for a total of 31 consecutive weeks, through to Saturday, November 22, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, rain or shine. The much-loved neighborhood market is located in the parking lot of the Lincoln Park High School, 724 W Armitage Ave, just east of the intersection of Armitage Ave and Halsted St.

Learn safety tips from CPD and CFD before Halloween, equipped with engines, pizza, and giveaways - this event has something for everyone. 

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 | yourvoice@ward43.org | 2523 N. Halsted

unsubscribe from future communication