Follow the 50th Ward on Social Media Email is not the only way to get news from the 50th Ward. I also post frequently on social media to advise the public on emerging information. Please follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to make sure you get all of the updates as soon as they are available. | | Dear Neighbor,
Arrest Made in 7-Eleven Robbery and Shooting The 24th District Police have arrested a suspect in the armed robbery and shooting at the 7-Eleven located at 2741 W Touhy. The juvenile suspect was initially arrested for auto theft. Further investigation revealed several other suspected crimes in the 24th District and suburbs, including this shooting and another recent robbery at the 7-Eleven located at Peterson and Western.
Area 3 Detectives are still investigating the chain of events. Thank you to Commander Joseph Brennan and the local 24th District Officers involved in this case.
Sign Up To Fix Your Sidewalk - Jan 9, 2023 Is your sidewalk cracked or broken? Now is your chance to get it fixed. The Shared Cost Sidewalk Program opens to new applicants this Monday, January 9 from 6 AM to 10 PM, or until it meets capacity. Please apply as soon as possible as the program operates on a first-come, first-served basis and is extremely popular. To apply, call 311 or use the CHI 311 website or mobile app (create a Shared Cost Sidewalk Program Request).
The Shared Cost Sidewalk Program is a popular service in which residents share the cost of sidewalk repair with the City. Property owners will pay a price per square-foot for new sidewalk that is well below what a private contractor would charge. The scope of the program may include the main walk, the existing courtesy walk (which runs perpendicular from the main sidewalk to the curb) and existing landing steps (the small strip of concrete sometimes found adjacent to the curb).
For more information, please visit the Chicago Department of Transportation's (CDOT) website here. For any questions, contact CDOT at (312) 744-1746 or email cdotsharedcost@cityofchicago.org.
2023 Police CAPS Meeting Schedule The Chicago Police Department has released the CAPS beat meeting schedule for 2023. Please CLICK HERE to find your local beat meetings. The 50th Ward includes five police beats: - Beat 2411 - Between Howard and Pratt
- Beat 2412 - Between Pratt and Devon
- Beat 2413 - Between Devon and Peterson
- Beat 1711 - Peterson Park
- Beat 2011 - South of Peterson
Find your police beat at https://operations.chicagopolice.org/FindMyDistrict.
PLEASE NOTE: The 24th District is changing the beat meeting schedule this year. CAPS meetings will now be held every other month. The local beat facilitators will also be holding community meetings in each intervening month. No police officers will be in attendance at the community meetings, but they will help keep the lines of communication open and will serve as valuable opportunities to discuss safety concerns with your neighbors.
Rogers Park Township Property Tax Appeal Rogers Park Township is now open for property tax appeals through the Cook County Board of Review. The assessment of your home is one of the most important factors in determining how much you will pay in property taxes, but you can now appeal your valuation and possibly lower your tax bill. Rogers Park Township property owners have until Wednesday, January 25 to file an appeal.
File your appeal online at appeals.cookcountyboardofreview.com. You can also download a printable form here.
Rogers Park Township encompasses the area of the 50th Ward that is north of Devon. Find your township here. If you have any additional questions, contact Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele's Office at (312) 603-5542 or Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita's Office at (312) 603-6383.
Warren Park Advisory Council Survey The Warren Park Advisory Council is seeking input from the community to help decide its focus and activities in 2023. Take the survey here by Wednesday, January 18.
The Advisory Council wants to hear from you on how Warren Park is doing and how they can improve your usage of it. A park Council is only as good as the people who are involved with it, so they welcome your thoughts and ideas on how to best serve the community in 2023.
For any questions, email the Warren Park Advisory Council at warrenparkac@gmail.com.
Small Business Improvement Grants - Lincoln Ave TIF Local small business owners will soon be able to apply for funding to improve their facilities. The City of Chicago will accept Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) applications from business owners in the Lincoln Avenue TIF from February 1 until March 3.
The SBIF program uses Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenue to help owners repair or remodel their facilities and improve their businesses. Tenant businesses are also eligible to apply. Grants up to $150,000 are available for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties.
This round of funding is only available for businesses within the Lincoln Avenue TIF. To find out if your business is within the TIF, visit https://webapps1.cityofchicago.org/ChicagoTif.
The Department of Planning and Development will be holding an informational webinar to discuss the program on Wednesday, February 1 at 1 PM. Register for the webinar here.
For more information about the SBIF program, visit chicago.gov/sbif.
Have a wonderful weekend. Stay safe and healthy!
Sincerely,  Debra L. Silverstein Alderman, 50th Ward | | Free Community Yard Signs Free yard signs are now available for pickup at the 50th Ward Office, 2949 W. Devon. There are currently two signs in stock: "Caution - Children Playing" and "Clean Up After Your Dog." Stop by to pick up your free signs.
| | Collecting Winter Clothes for Migrants The 50th Ward Office is collecting winter clothes to benefit the migrants currently housed at the High Ridge YMCA and throughout the city. You can drop off new or gently-used winter coats and boots for men, women and children.
Donations you drop off will be delivered to Nuevos Vecinos, a welcoming group of approximately 40 members serving the migrants arriving in the 50th ward. The group is part of the Refugee Community Connection, a network of neighbors helping neighbors in Chicago.
You can also contribute through an Amazon Wish List. Donations made through the Wish List will be shipped to Ed and Luisette Kraal of Sabka Sahaara church on Devon Avenue. Contribute to the Wish List here. | | JNDC Small Business Forum |  | | Free Fruits and Vegetables at Warren Park The Warren Park Produce Mobile is back, offering free bags of fresh fruits and vegetables to those in need every month! No qualifications are necessary to receive free produce; anyone can participate with no questions asked!
The mobile will be in the parking lot of Warren Park, 6601 N. Western, the second Wednesday of every month from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The next produce giveaway will be this Wednesday, January 11. | | Christmas Tree Recycling Help protect the environment by recycling your old Christmas tree! Trees can be dropped off at Warren Park, 6601 N. Western, and dozens of other locations throughout the city from January 7 - 22.
The mulch that is created from recycling Christmas trees is used in local parks to protect and nourish plants and soil. Mulch is also available to Chicago residents—free of charge—at six park locations, including Warren Park, starting on Monday, January 9.
Only live/natural trees without flocking are accepted (no garlands or wreaths). Because the trees are mulched, all tinsel, ornaments, lights and stands must be removed. Plastic bags used for transport should also be removed before putting trees in the stalls.
The City of Chicago recycles thousands of Christmas trees every year, diverting hundreds of thousands of valuable organic material from landfills. With your help, this year can be even more successful! For more information and a map of all the recycling locations, click here. | | Prevent Frozen Pipes When temperatures drop for prolonged periods of time, the chance of pipes freezing and rupturing becomes a very real possibility. Frozen pipes can cause costly damage to homes and leave vulnerable residents without access to running water.
The Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) encourages residents to act now to make sure pipes in homes are properly insulated and not exposed to freezing air. Specifically, homeowners should: - Keep your home adequately heated.
- Make sure that warm air can circulate under cabinets and in areas where there is plumbing on the outside walls.
- Keep a trickle of water running at the faucet farthest from where the main water line enters your home. A small trickle of water can prevent thousands of dollars in property damage.
If you do have a pipe freeze, use a blow dryer or heating pad to thaw it, not an open flame. For more information, visit www.chicago.gov/water. | | Skate in the Parks Enjoy a fun winter of skating in the parks! The Warren Park ice rink, and outdoor ice rinks across the city, are now open for the season. Pre-registration is required for all programs, including open skate sessions. Register online here.
Admission is free, and skates are available for rental. For questions, please contact Warren Park at (773) 761-8663. For more information and a list of all ice rink locations, visit the Park District website here. | | Emergency Heating Repair Program The Emergency Heating Repair Program is now open to new applicants. This program provides grants for income-eligible Chicago homeowners to repair or replace their furnace or boiler heating system. Limited funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Emergency Heating Repair Program is available to Chicagoans who own and occupy one-to-four unit residential buildings. Households earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) are eligible to participate in the program.
Enrollment will be accepted until April 1, 2023, or until all funds have been exhausted. The application package is available online at www.chicago.gov/ehrp. Call (312) 744-3653 to speak with a customer service representative about the program. | | Home and Business Protection Program Expansion The City of Chicago is expanding the Home and Business Protection Program (HBPP) to remove financial barriers and ensure that more Chicago residents have access to private security devices. Income-eligible residents can now apply for private security devices and pick them up at the 50th Ward Office once approved.
In addition, all Chicago residents—regardless of income—can still apply for a rebate to cover the costs of new outdoor security cameras, cloud storage for video footage, outdoor motion-sensor lighting, vehicle GPS trackers, and subscription costs. Residents as well as business, religious, and non-profit organizations are eligible.
Visit chicago.gov/hbpp for the applications and the full eligibility criteria. Contact HBPP@cityofchicago.org or (312) 742-3317 for any questions.
Residents also have the option to register new or existing security camera systems with the Chicago Police Department to help solve crimes faster. To register your cameras or to learn more, visit chicagopolice.org/cameraregistration. | | Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund Homeowners struggling to keep up with housing payments can now apply for up to $60,000 in assistance. The Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) is now open to support qualified homeowners who need help with past-due mortgage payments and related expenses due to financial hardships associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will be accepted at www.illinoishousinghelp.org until 11:59 PM. on January 31, 2023.
Eligible households can apply for grants for past-due mortgage payments,
property taxes, property insurance and homeowner and/or condo association fees. Payments will be made directly to the mortgage servicer, taxing body or other eligible entity once a homeowner's application has been approved.
To qualify for ILHAF, Illinois homeowners must meet the following criteria: - Be at least 30 days late on one or more of mortgage loan, property tax, property insurance and/or HOA/condo association fee payments.
- Have a household income at or below 150% Area Median Income.
- Own and occupy a home in Illinois as a primary residence.
- Experienced financial hardship after Jan. 21, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic (including a hardship that began before Jan. 21, 2020 but continued after that date).
More information on the application process, including videos on how to apply, a complete list of required documents and other housing help can be found at www.illinoishousinghelp.org. | | Serve as an Election Judge |  | | Chicago Warming Centers |  | | Free High School Equivalency Program |  | | Never Leave Your Car Running |  | | | |
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