12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez presents survey results at the community meeting on September 9, 2024, in McKinley Park's auditorium.Housing. Violence prevention. Infrastructure and pedestrian/traffic safety.
Those are the top three issues identified this year by 12th Ward residents in McKinley Park and Brighton Park neighborhoods in a community survey and listening sessions sponsored by Alderwoman Julia Ramirez.
Almost 100 ward residents at a Sept. 9, 2024, community meeting heard Ramirez and her staff report on survey results and priorities for what Ramirez called ward “pillars.” Those pillars are family, well-being and security, she said.
In a report handed out at the meeting, Ramirez and staff presented results of the survey and 12th Ward program priorities for these issues: public health and safety, community investment, economic development, and housing security.
Hold Me Accountable
“You can put this in my face and hold me accountable,” Ramirez said as she waved the handout in the air.
On the housing issue, the top three survey concerns were property tax increases, affordability and high rental costs.
Regarding public safety and violence prevention, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 meaning feeling very safe, a majority of survey respondents said they fell between 5 and 8 on the “safety” scale. They also said the most effective way to make the community safe is increased police presence and youth employment.
Respondents listed pollution as a top issue tied to traffic safety, as well as an increase in congestion.
Ward Priorities
A map in the ForWARDTalks report illustrates its residential survey areas in the 12th Ward.Priorities for public health and safety revolved around youth, including advocating for more resources for organizations serving 12th Ward youth, and supporting legislation in City Hall that champions youth.
A public health priority is to advocate for improved access to mental health care in the ward.
Infrastructure priorities include improving infrastructure safety in priority locations near schools, parks, and other locations frequented by residents.
Participatory Budgeting
Ramirez committed to using the participatory budgeting process to allow residents to vote on which pressing infrastructure needs to fund. She also promised to leverage traffic studies with the Chicago Department of Transportation to make safety improvements for both pedestrians and drivers at unsafe intersections.
After a vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian crossing South Western Boulevard at West 36th Street in March 2023, Ramirez requested a traffic study of Western from 35th Street to Archer Avenue. She then began implementing the Department of Transportation recommendations, as previously reported here in the McKinley Park News.
35th Street Festival
Identified economic development priorities include supporting the newly established Brighton McKinley Chamber of Commerce to foster new opportunities for local businesses, including exploring a 35th Street festival for 2025.
Another economic development priority is to “advocate to help secure bonds that will focus on providing community development grants, small business loans and grants, and workforce training through our Special Service Area (SSA) 39 and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD),” the report said.
Neighborhood Zoning Committee
On the housing security issue, the 12th Ward will advocate for affordable housing opportunities in the ward to address issues of density and low stock in local housing, Ramirez said.
Ramirez will also develop a neighborhood zoning committee to weigh in on zoning change proposals and developments. “This will deepen our existing community-driven zoning process,” she said.
Read about the survey and access its assessment in English, Spanish and Chinese at https://www.the12thward.org/forward.
Photography by Kevin O'Neil
Log In to comment on this item.
Subscribe
Report
My comments