18th Ward Community News & Updates! 

Derrick G. Curtis

Alderman, 18th Ward

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Symposium on Trauma-Informed Response to Violence - Register today!

The Community Safety Coordination Center (CSCC), in partnership with Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), is hosting the first annual Symposium on Trauma-Informed Response to Violence on Monday, March 14th from 10am-4pm. The event will host a mix of guests who serve different roles across Mental Health (MH), Substance Use (SU), and Violence Prevention (VP) organizations in communities highly impacted by violence. Please register by March 4th.

Register HereThe 2022 Virtual Construction Summit

Hosted by the City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services (DPS) 

Thursday, March 24, 2022 | 9:30 AM - 5 PM 

The 2022 Virtual Construction Summit is a one-day conference to be held this year virtually. At the Summit, local construction industry members and practitioners will come together to learn about key trends and concepts for advancing their business. 

Subject matter experts will provide insight in 5 different sessions that cover information about upcoming contracting opportunities from key City of Chicago infrastructure departments, which manage hundreds of construction projects annually. The Summit also provides an opportunity to engage with industry leaders, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and other businesspeople that influence the future of the construction industry in the City of Chicago. 

 

• 10:00 - 11:00 am | CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CDOT) 
• 11:30 am - 12:30 pm | CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF WATER MANAGEMENT (DWM) 
• 1:00 - 2:00 pm | CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF PROCUREMENT SERVICES (DPS)
• 2:30 - 3:30 pm | CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION (CDA) 
• 4:00 - 5:00 pm | CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF ASSETS, INFORMATION AND SERVICES (AIS) 

Sample Social Media:

Facebook: Register now for the 2022 Virtual Construction Summit on March 24, 2022. Join us for a full day of 5 workshops focused on construction and construction related contracting opportunities. Engage with City of Chicago user departments and gain valuable insight into doing business with the City! Visit www.chicago.gov/construction to register! 

Twitter: Join us on March 24th for the 2022 Virtual Construction Summit. Participate in a full day of 5 workshops focused on construction contracting opportunities with the City. Register today at www.chicago.gov/construction 

LinkedIn: Register now for the 2022 Virtual Construction Summit on March 24, 2022. Join us for a full day of 5 workshops focused on construction and construction related contracting opportunities. Engage with City of Chicago user departments and gain valuable insight into doing business with the City! Visit www.chicago.gov/construction to register

Overnight Winter Parking Restrictions Began: Wednesday, December 1

In order to ensure that the most critical roadways in Chicago are kept open to full capacity at all times, the City of Chicago enforces a Winter Overnight Parking Ban on 107 miles of arterial streets from 3:00 am - 7:00 am between December 1 and April 1, regardless of snow

A separate snow-related parking ban exists for another 500 miles of main streets, which is activated if there is at least two inches of snow on the street, no matter the time of day or the calendar date.

Any streets impacted by either the Winter Overnight Parking Ban and the ban on parking on certain streets when there is at least two inches of snow have permanent signs posted

Failure to comply with these parking bans can result in a vehicle being towed or relocated, as well as tickets and additional fees. More information on winter parking restrictions can be found on the City's website.

Utility Billing Relief (UBR) provides low-income City of Chicago residents with a reduced rate on their water, sewer, and water-sewer tax as well as debt relief for those who demonstrate they can manage the reduced rate bills for one year. Benefits for UBR participants include:

• A reduced rate on water, sewer, and water-sewer tax.
• No late payment penalties or debt collection activity including water shut-off.
• Debt forgiveness after successfully completing one year with no past due balance.

Operating in partnership with the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County (CEDA), who operates the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the UBR program will utilize their expertise and extensive network of partner organizations to conduct outreach and enroll homeowners.

Apply Now

Free Tax Prep Chicago

The City of Chicago is committed to ensuring that hardworking Chicagoans can access free tax services to file their returns and claim their tax refunds. The City of Chicago works with its nonprofit partner, Ladder Up, to offer free tax help throughout the tax season and at various points in the off-season.

Ladder Up is excited to open 13 tax sites throughout the Chicagoland area and is offering in-person and drop-off services to clients for the 2022 tax season. Click here to make an appointment or call 312-588-6900. The Tax filing deadline is April 18, 2022.

COOK COUNTY ASSESSOR’S TAX EXEMPTIONS

Cook County- In response to COVID-19, the Cook County Assessor’s Office will continue the automatic renewal of the Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities, and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions; the Homeowner and Senior Exemptions, will continue to auto-renew every year.

If a homeowner received any of these five exemptions last year (tax year 2020), they do not need to reapply this year (tax year 2021).

To verify which exemptions were received last year, homeowners can visit the Cook County Property Tax Portal at cookcountypropertyinfo.com, enter their PIN and look under the exemption tab.  

Apply On-Line for Property Tax Exemptions

Property-tax-saving exemptions for the 2021 tax year are now available online (click here for Spanish) in a new, streamlined application. Exemptions are savings that contribute to lowering a homeowner’s property tax bill. 

The Cook County Assessor's Office will continue the automatic renewal of the Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities, and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions; the Homeowner and Senior Exemptions, will continue to auto-renew every year.

If you received any of the five listed exemptions last year (tax year 2021), you do not need to reapply this year. Homeowners can visit the Cook County Property Tax Portal at cookcountypropertyinfo.com, enter their PIN and look under the exemption tab. Homeowners will receive a postcard or letter in March 2022 confirming which exemptions will be automatically renewed.

Property Tax Savings for Veterans

The Cook County Assessor is providing property tax exemptions for veterans. The Assessor’s Office administers both, Veterans with Disabilities and  Returning Veterans Exemptions, which can reduce the property tax bills of veterans.

Veterans are required to apply annually. Veteran homeowners who believe they may have been eligible in prior tax years can apply for a Certificate of Error. Visit the Cook County Assessor's website for more information.

You might have unclaimed property. The Illinois State Treasurer's office is urging Illinoisans to check their portal for unclaimed property. Since 2015, the treasurer's office has returned over $1 billion in assets, cash and value of returned shares. Check with the Illinois Treasurer Unclaimed Property page for Click here!

No Fee Veterans City Sticker Program

• The office of the City Clerk offers no-fee City Stickers to eligible Illinois veterans. Residents who qualify must meet the following criteria:Be an Ex-Prisoner of War, Purple-Heart Veteran, or disabled Veteran with an unexpired Illinois PW, PR, IS or DV plate.
• Present an unexpired Illinois Driver’s License or State ID with a “VETERAN” designation.

For more information to visit www.ChiCityClerk.com/sticker.

Discounts on MWRD Rain 

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District has discounted rain barrels available for your home. The price for Cook County residents is 50% off, or $21.96 per barrel limit 2. The price for senior citizens is reduced by 75%, or $10.98 per barrel, limit 2. The regular price is $43.92 per barrel

Rain barrels are a type of green infrastructure that capture rainwater from your roof and save it for when you need it. By keeping this water out of the sewer system, rain barrels can also help prevent sewer overflows and flooding. Click here to order your rain barrel

Prescription Drug Takeback Programs

The Cook County Sheriff's Prescription Drug Takeback Program collects and destroys unwanted prescription drugs. Cook County residents can safely dispose of their unwanted medicines by taking them to a collection box located throughout Cook County, or to designated community prescription drug take back events.

There is no cost to residents to use this service. Use the Cook County Sheriff's interactive tool to find a location near you, or call 1-844-688-7379.

The Chicago Department of Public Health has partnered with the Chicago Police Department to provide you with a place for the safe and proper disposal of unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications (for households only).

You may take your pharmaceuticals to one of the following designated drop off locations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Look for the blue box in the lobby.  Click here for Chicago Police District locations.

Click Here To Apply !

People's Gas Winter Assistance and Resources

This winter, expect elevated heating bills due to a sharp nationwide increase in natural gas prices, driven by tight global supply and an increase in demand as economies reopen from COVID-19 shutdowns.

For anyone who needs help managing their bills, assistance is available.

Bill Pay Assistance:

To see if you are eligible and apply for bill pay assistance, go to cedarorg.net or call the Community Economic Development Association at 800-571-2332.

For those who don’t qualify for energy assistance:

Winter Energy-Saving Tips:

Manage energy use by turning down your thermostat, using a programmable thermostat, sealing gaps around windows and doors, and scheduling an annual furnace tuneup. Peoples Gas also offers free energy efficiency consultations. For more information, go to peoplesgasdelivery.com/savings/.

Budget Billing:

Pay the same amount each month with Budget Billing. The billing program spreads out seasonal variations in your Peoples Gas bill over 12 months. While you still pay for all of the natural gas you actually use, Budget Billing provides consistent bills throughout the year. For more information and to enroll, go to peoplesgasdelivery.com/payment-bill/budget.

[773-284-5057]  [ward18@cityofchicago.org

18 Ward Alderman | 8359 S. PULASKI RD, CHICAGO, IL 60652