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,
Public Safety Update In response to a troubling rise in crime and the hundreds of email testimonials you have all sent me, I met with Chicago Police Chief of Operations Brian McDermott on Thursday. I showed him your messages and am working with the police Office of Operations and the local district commanders to get the crime back under control and make sure our neighborhood remains a safe place to live and raise a family.
At the meeting, Chief McDermott committed to sending additional police cars and officers to the 50th Ward. The Cook County Sheriff's Office has also committed to sending additional resources to the area to aid the 24th District.
The police will also be installing new cameras in the neighborhood to increase public safety. I have also asked Senator Ram Villivalam for funding for additional residential street lighting to make our streets brighter and safer.
These concrete responses to our safety demands are a good first step, but I am not done pushing the Mayor for additional police resources in the neighborhood. I asked you last week for testimonials on how crime has affected your life. Hundreds of you have already responded. I printed out each message and will hand deliver them to the Mayor.
Please continue to send your testimonials to Ward50@cityofchicago.org to add your voice to our demands!
Municipal Election Update Chicago will hold a Municipal Election on Tuesday, February 28. Candidates for Mayor, City Clerk, Alderperson, and members of the Police District Council will be on the ballot. Click here to confirm your voter registration, find your polling place, and review a sample ballot.
Early voting for the February municipal election has officially begun downtown at the Loop Supersite (191 N. Clark Street) and at the Board of Election Commissioners Office (69 W. Washington Street, 6th Floor). It will then expand to all 50 Wards on February 13.
Any Chicago voter may use any early voting site in the city. The local site will be the Northtown Library, 6800 N. Western. It will be open daily from February 13 through Election Day (February 28). For more information and a complete list of early voting locations throughout the city, please click here.
You can also apply now to vote by mail. Click here to fill out your application. Vote by mail applications must be received by the Board of Elections by February 23. You can return your ballots by mail or use one of the secure drop boxes that will be in place at every early voting site.
You can also register to vote online, in person on Election Day, at an early voting site, or by mail. Click here for more information.
Voting is our most fundamental civic duty. Please use your voice and vote!
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.
Commissioner Josina Morita Listening Tour After 20 years of service to our community, Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin has retired. As of the last election, the new Commissioner for the 13th District is Josina Morita. She is undergoing a listening tour of the district to meet local residents.
Please join me in officially welcoming Commissioner Morita on Monday, January 30 from 6 PM to 7:30 PM at the Croatian Cultural Center, 2845 W. Devon. Register for the session and take a survey at bit.ly/josinalistening. I hope to see you there!
Beat 2412 Community Meeting There will be a community meeting this week for Police Beat 2412. No police officers will be in attendance, but it will serve as a valuable opportunity to discuss safety concerns with your neighbors and civilian beat facilitators.
The community meeting for Beat 2412, stretching from Pratt to Devon and from Kedzie to Ridge, will be held on Wednesday, February 1 from 7 PM to 8 PM. The meeting will be held in person at Warren Park, 6601 N. Western.
For more information, contact the Beat 2412 facilitators at 2412caps@gmail.com or stuartsingal@yahoo.com. For any policing questions, contact the 24th District CAPS Office at (312) 744-6321
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,  Debra L. Silverstein Alderman, 50th Ward | | Free COVID Tests Free COVID-19 home-tests are now in stock at the 50th Ward Office. Come to 2949 W. Devon to pick up your test kits. Tests will be available while supplies last during the following hours:
Monday-Thursday: 9 AM - 4 PM
Friday: 9 AM - 3 PM
The tests currently available are the Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Test kits. They can be taken anywhere and return results in 15 minutes with no lab drop-off required. For more information about the tests, including instructional videos, visit flowflexcovid.com. | | 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.
| | 50th Ward Donation Drives The 50th Ward Office is participating in several donation drives to benefit our neighbors in need. We will be collecting winter clothes to help 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.
New this week, we are also collecting diapers and baby wipes for the Rohingya Culture Center. This organization helps refugees from the Rohingya community who have come to the City of Chicago fleeing persecution.
Please feel free to drop off donations at the 50th Ward Office (2949 W. Devon) during normal business hours. | | Family Valentine Dinner & Movie at Indian Boundary What says "I love you" better than a family Valentine dinner and a movie in the park? Join your neighbors at Indian Boundary (2500 W. Lunt) for the Disney animated classic, Beauty and the Beast. The film will be accompanied by a light buffet meal.
The event will be on Friday, February 10 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Indian Boundary Park. The cost is $5 per person and advanced registration is required due to limited seating. For more information, visit bit.ly/ChiMovieinPark. | | 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. | | 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. | | Warren Park Youth Baseball Registration |  | | Serve as an Election Judge |  | | Citywide Briefing on Asylum-Seekers in Chicago |  | | Free Tax Preparation Assistance |  | | | |
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