Hermosa Mutual Aid is a collective of volunteers distributing much needed food, supplies and shelter assistance to Hermosa residents in need.
Struggling families need food and supplies on a weekly basis. The pandemic has created the largest spike in food insecurity, overwhelming food banks in Chicago. Weekly meals are delivered to families in need from The Fields location on Diversey + Pulaski, helping those who may not receive government aid, or are ineligible for employment.
Si desea ayudar a sus vecinos, incluso de manera completamente remota, primero le agradecemos, ya que se necesita compasión y conciencia para hacer un esfuerzo para ayudar a reducir los casos o la gravedad de los virus, y ayudar a nuestros más vulnerables. Obtenga la atención que necesitan. Si desea hacer una donación a la HNA que podría usarse para vecinos que lo necesitan de inmediato, DONAR AQUÍ
Rellene este formulario e intentaremos ponernos en contacto con usted lo antes posible. Tener voluntarios de capitán de bloque en cada área Hermosa es crucial para la salud de nuestra comunidad.
Folleto de recursos - Imprima o comparta la versión en línea Herramientas para voluntarios
> Espanol: https://www.ourhermosa.org/blog/coronavirus-help-espanol
Folleto para Personas Mayores
P: ¿Necesito tener interacción cara a cara para ser voluntario?
R: No, hay muchas maneras de ayudar a los vecinos haciendo llamadas telefónicas, mensajes de texto, correos electrónicos o redes sociales.
P: ¿En qué tipo de cosas puedo ayudar?
R: En primer lugar, usted podría ser un punto de contacto principal para las personas mayores vulnerables que tal vez solo necesiten información (“¿Está funcionando el autobús?”). Puede hacer llamadas telefónicas si un vecino se queda sin suministros de necesidad inmediata. Podría reclutar a otros vecinos para ayudar a entregar suministros al porche de un vecino. Si ya se está quedando sin suministros, puede recoger artículos para personas de la tercera edad que no deberían exponerse o no tienen transporte.
P: ¿Puedo donar a la causa?
A: ¡Sí! Hay muchos vecinos que necesitan suministros o tarifas de transporte que son una carga para sus presupuestos. HNA es una organización sin fines de lucro y deducible de impuestos.
Instrucciones: Para Google Docs, haga clic en el enlace y guarde una copia para editar (Archivo> Copiar> Cambiar nombre). Si no tiene una cuenta de Google, cree una aquí: accounts.google.com
Una vez que haya personalizado el documento o esté listo para imprimir, vaya a Archivo> Imprimir y asegúrese de que su impresora personal esté en el menú de impresión.
Si no es así, puede guardarlo como PDF y enviarlo por correo electrónico a otra persona para que lo imprima.
Este folleto puede imprimirse y usarse para cualquier vecino que necesite información general y números de contacto y que no esté en Internet. Para los vecinos a quienes puede enviar mensajes de texto o correo electrónico, puede enviarles la versión en línea de estos recursos.
PARA MAYORES u otros vecinos vulnerables que no tienen recursos de Internet, puede dejar una nota en su puerta o buzón, junto con un volante de recursos. Tiene texto grande, fácil de leer con un mensaje simple. Siéntase libre de personalizar esto según la ayuda que sienta que puede proporcionar. Podría ser tan simple como necesitar ayuda con información básica que puede proporcionar por teléfono. Si tiene una solicitud que no puede cumplir, podemos establecer contactos en la comunidad para tratar de satisfacer una necesidad.
Preguntas? Póngase en contacto con info@ourhermosa.org o envíe un mensaje en Facebook
The HNA Safety Committee has committed to reaching out to Hermosa residents to better understand experiences and needs for safety and improved neighborhood efforts through responsible policing. Please spend a few minutes to take our survey. It is completely anonymous and all household members are welcome to fill this out. It available in both English + Spanish.
//El Comité de Seguridad de HNA se ha comprometido a llegar a los residentes de Hermosa para comprender mejor las experiencias y necesidades de seguridad y mejorar los esfuerzos del vecindario a través de una vigilancia responsable. Dedique unos minutos a completar nuestra encuesta. Es completamente anónimo y todos los miembros del hogar pueden completarlo. Está disponible en inglés + español.
Missed the meeting on 9/23?
NO problem! Read all about it here and go back and watch our Facebook Live video of the meeting.
Who came to the meeting?
Alex de la Cruz, 26th Ward Superintendent - 312.933.2915
Luis Pena, 36th Ward Superintendent
Justin Heath, Director of Policy for 36th Ward - 773.745.4636
Scott Jaburek, 35th Ward Superintendent - 312.744.4611
Manny Gonzales, Division 3 Chief
Not in attendance:
Philip Lane, 31st Ward Superintendent - 312.933.2617
According to the City of Chicago, a ward superintendent "...monitors sanitation services that include refuse collection, street cleaning, and snow removal for an assigned ward in the Bureau of Sanitation, and performs related duties as required." (NOTE: Aldermen appoint people to this position. Ward superintendents perform duties as requested by the aldermen but are officially employees of the Department of Streets and Sanitation.)
Essential duties include (but are not limited to):
Monitors the day-to-day work operations within a designated ward to ensure residents receive needed sanitation services
Assists the Division Superintendent with work crews engaged in sanitation work activities (e.g., refuse, bulk trash, compost collection, street cleaning, basket pick-up)
Works with Refuse Collection Coordinators engaged in investigating complaints and issuing sanitation code violation tickets
Monitors completion of refuse collection routes to ensure all areas of the ward are serviced
Observes work crews in the field & monitors productivity levels to assess efficiency of operations
Requests needed non-sanitation services from appropriate bureaus and City departments
Investigates and follows up on service requests and complaints forwarded from the division office to ensure their proper resolution
Assists division staff in coordinating snow and ice removal activities within the ward
Meets with public officials, community groups, ward residents, and attends community meetings to address problems and provide information on the bureau's sanitation programs
Drives a vehicle to survey overall conditions in the ward, assessing cleanliness of ward areas, and identifying need for additional City services
Monitors the recycling program and the completion of recycling collection routes to ensure all areas of the ward are serviced
Residents submitted questions ahead of time and had the opportunity to ask more throughout the meeting. Here's what the ward superintendents had to say.
Each ward sets its own maximum number of garbage/recycling cans per residence.
You may either contact 311 or submit a service request through Chicago Works for an additional garbage/recycling can.
If you have trouble receiving an additional can, call your ward superintendent or alderman and reference your 311 request.
Residences of four units (or more) must hire private garbage/recycling pickup who provide their own bins or dumpsters to the property.
If you see that a larger building is not adequately addressing garbage needs (i.e. there's too much garbage next to bins, there's no recycling, etc.), contact your alderman or ward superintendent. Be as specific as possible with address and landlord (if possible).
1) You may have contaminated recycling. Typically, recycling collectors try to leave a notice on the contaminated bin as a warning so you can fix the problem (even if you did not put the contaminated products in the bin). You can learn more about what is recyclable and how you can end contamination at the Chicago Recycle By City website. Remember: do not put plastic bags (especially garbage and grocery bags) in your recycling bin!
2) Your block may often have many contaminated recycling bins. If you believe this is the case, call your ward superintendent and be as specific as possible. They can address garbage and recycling pickup personnel directly.
This is a question for the Chicago Department of Buildings. Any permits, licenses, inspections, and demolitions are handled through this department. Even if a report about a building is made to an alderman, he/she contacts Buildings for a solution.
You can contact the Buildings department directly to make a report if you think an inspection of a property is needed.
If you make a report, be as specific as possible (give owner information, street address, violation, etc.) and take down a case number so you can follow-up if need be.
First, contact your alderman and ward superintendent. Especially in wards that do not engage in Participatory Budgeting (26th ward in Hermosa), you must contact the alderman/superintendent to get the ball rolling to install more garbage cans. Typically, an alderman will ask residents to sign a petition to see if the majority of residents want the items. 75% of residents on both sides of the street must sign the petition in order for an alderman to consider the instillation of the item.
Currently, additional public garbage cans are an item on the 36th Ward Participatory Budgeting Ballot this year. Voting will take place throughout the ward in October.
Contact Alderman Gil Villegas for more PB information.
In wards that participate in Participatory Budgeting, you may propose additional public garbage cans as a ballot item for any PB cycle.
Who do we contact for tree-trimming requests?
Submit a request to 311 or the Chicago Works app. When submitting the request, be as specific as possible with description of tree growth, what it's impacting (i.e. power lines, cables, alleyways, etc.), and exact address.
Always make note of your service request case number in case you need to follow-up.
Call your ward superintendent or alderman directly and report the illegal dumping. Be specific with items dumped, times (note as many as you can), business name, and names of perpetrators (if applicable).
Contact your alderman directly. An alderman will ask residents to sign a petition to ensure the majority of residents want the items. 75% of residents on both sides of the street must sign the petition in order for an alderman to consider the instillation of the item.
For example, if you live on Pulaski Rd. and would like speed humps in the alley between Pulaski and Keystone, 75% of residents on BOTH Pulaski and Keystone avenues would have to sign the petition.
This is a question for the Chicago Department of Buildings. Any permits, licenses, inspections, and demolitions are handled through this department. Even if a report about a building is made to an alderman, he/she contacts Buildings for a solution.
In a case like this, you may also contact the Ward Superintendent who will be able to follow-up directly with Buildings and the property owner to speed up process.
You can contact the Buildings department directly to make a report if you think an inspection of a property is needed.
If you make a report, be as specific as possible (give owner information, street address, violation, etc.) and take down a case number so you can follow-up if need be.
Contact your ward superintendent directly and be as specific as possible with growth issues, address, and property owner name (if applicable).
Residents are in charge of the parkway directly in front of their property. This means cleaning up litter, watering any plants/trees (if applicable), and shoveling sidewalks in the winter.
Businesses are in charge of the parkway directly in front of their property. If you believe a business is not cleaning its portion of the parkway, contact your ward superintendent directly and be as specific as possible with description, address, and business name.
District supervisor.... said that when most superintendents receive reports of these things, they first contact the business or resident (home or building owner) and allow them between 24-72 hours (depending on issue) to remedy the problem.
Superintendents reported that the majority of people remedy the issue in this time period so no ticket is necessary.
Some at the meeting expressed concern that they have reported issues and they have not been remedied or the perpetrator is slow to fix the problem. The District Supervisor said that many problems are not reported for several days (typically when they become a large issue or several people report at once) so the problem is not resolved quickly.
If you see illegal dumping, littering, or a resident/business that does not shovel, contact your alderman and/or ward superintendent immediately. Follow-up after 24- or 48-hours if the problem is not resolved.
If you have yard waste, submit a service request to 311. Once you submit the request, put your bags out and they will be picked up.
Yard waste may only be contained in brown bags (typically purchased from home improvement stores, grocery stores, or places like Target).
If you have ONLY leaves, submit a service request to 311 and be specific.
Leaves are picked up by a different service and composted.
You can also contact your alderman or ward superintendent or drop bags off directly at a ward office if you prefer.
YES. If you know that a landlord has not posted their information, call your alderman directly and give the address.
HNA board member and resident Jenna Sigman said that she has way more success submitting service requests to the 311 app than calling and speaking to someone. She said that, so far, 100% of service requests she has submitted through Chicago Works have been successfully addressed, including receiving additional garbage and recycling cans.
Write down the case number given by the operator or note it in your app. In the app, you can see a list of nearby reports as well as those you have submitted and their status.
For example, if you witness a neighbor repeatedly dumping their trash into the alley (instead of in a bin), make note of the time (at least once) and the neighbor's full address. Give this information to the reporting agency and be as specific as possible - all of the ward superintendents agreed that this is the best way for them (or any other government department) to respond to requests and complaints.
Follow-up. If you've made a report and the issue still isn't resolved, follow-up with your superintendent, alderman, 311, or government department. Always reference a case number (if you have it) and be as specific as possible.
The superintendents indicated that, too often, residents report an issue once and never follow-up. While it is not ideal to have to call someone several times to remedy an issue, it may be necessary since superintendents and aldermen are busy and their wards are very large. It is not impossible for them to address citizens' issues but it takes time.
This alphabetical list includes every service the City of Chicago offers to residents and who to contact regarding specific concerns.
For example, if you submit a request about a rental neighbor who dumps their garbage in the alley instead of a garbage can, the landlord will be the person warned and fined by the city, not the renter.
You should still submit requests and contact your alderman but it may also be easier to call the number listed on the building and report the tenant directly to the landlord. Always be as specific as possible.
Recap: Our Summer
From back-to-school fairs, to On the Table, to our Summer Fundraiser: it's been a busy summer!
While our last general meeting was in May, HNA board member's and volunteers were not taking a break. Check out what we've been up to below!
Activities:
Fundraiser recap:
Blog posts:
Have you ever wondered what a Ward Superintendent actually does? Or, did you even know that your ward has a superintendent? Along with the District superintendent, a ward superintendents monitor their wards for any non-sanitation bureau services that might be needed, reporting these to the appropriate bureau or outside agency for attention.
According to OpenPayrolls.com, Ward Superintendents make an average of $92,000 a year, or between ~$70,000 and ~$120,000 a year.
To read the City of Chicago details of a Ward Superintendent please go here
What is SB-1?
Senate Bill 1 is an attempt by Illinois legislators to fix the inequitable school funding system here in the state. Illinois currently has the most inequitable public school funding system in the country. Illinois comes in last place for the amount of state money contributed to individual school districts and since most individual district money comes from property taxes, Illinois has the largest gap between wealthy and poor districts in the nation.
In 2016, Governor Rauner convened a commission made up of legislators and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) superintendent and Illinois Secretary of Education. This panel devised a formula that would equalize funding across school districts by taking into account the amount of money each district needs to adequately educate each student ("individual advocacy target") through increased state funds. The state considers a district's capacity for local funding and what the state already gives; this is the baseline the state would use for calculating how much additional funding is needed.
"Those targets are calculated by taking into account a given district’s 'essential elements' – such as the costs for professional development, class size ratios, technology and about two dozen other items – and their cost of implementation based on demographic differences, along with staff salaries based on regional variation," says Matt Masterson of WTTW. Under this bill, no school district would see a decrease in state funding.
What does this mean for Chicago
Since Chicago makes up about one-fifth of the state's school population, Chicago Public Schools would receive about 20% of the funding guaranteed by SB-1. Many critics of the bill see this as a "bailout" for Chicago since the district would receive more money and an offset for legacy pension payments. Others say the district would still be responsible for pension payments under SB-1 and the state funding would only affect per pupil spending, bringing Chicago on par with the rest of the state in this regard.
Paying for SB-1
This bill will only be funded if the Illinois legislature passes a budget, which it has failed to do three years in a row. Currently, Illinois already spends about $11 billion on education annually and would need between $3 and $6 billion more to fund this bill. Likely, Illinois would have to raise taxes in order to fully fund the legislation.
Rauner's Amendatory Veto
First, a note: only a few states allow governors to make amendatory vetos. This means that a governor may veto a bill but send back changes to the chambers. If the chambers pass those changes with a majority vote, the bill is passed; however, the chambers may choose to override the veto completely or the vote can fail, meaning the veto of the original bill stands.
In late July, Rauner vetoed SB-1 with amendments: namely, $100 million for a "tuition tax credit program." Under this law, $100 million in property taxes would be diverted into a fund to be used by students to attend private schools in Illinois. Since property taxes are used to fund schools under the current system and SB-1, this deferment amounts to public school money being used to pay for students' private school tuition. Right now, the legislation proposes that a family of four making up to $113,775 would qualify for a scholarship, which is 67% of Illinois families today.
This amendment to SB-1 is seen by critics and public education advocates as a school voucher program that would divert money normally given to public schools to private schools which do not receive the same oversight of programming by the state as their public counterparts.
A provision of the recently passed budget in Illinois stipulates that schools will not receive funding until all budget concerns are resolved, which means schools could be waiting for this veto fight to resolve. Most schools in Illinois have started the year now and are waiting for funding to remain open for the school year. You can read more about school vouchers and their impact on the state's children here.
Why should you care?
Children in the US are guaranteed equality in public education. That education should be fully-funded, equitable, and rigorous. Things like school voucher programs undermine a child's access to free and equitable education by diverting money that should be going to public schools to private institutions that receive little or no government oversight. HNA has long advocated for the funding of our neighborhood public schools in Chicago. With proper funding, these institutions can thrive as community centers that provide all children with equitable, rigorous, and diverse educational opportunities.
Even if you don't have children or those who attend public schools, your tax dollars (property and otherwise) fund these institutions. As a taxpayer, you have a say in how this money is spent and you can advocate for fair and equitable public education by contacting your representatives and exercising your right to vote. "[Rauner's proposed tuition tax credit program] would both undermine public schools around IL by incentivizing businesses and individuals to pay for scholarships to get a full tax write-off, and it would siphon off $100 [million] from the public good," says Raise Your Hand IL.
From Raise Your Hand Action:
So what’s next? The Senate has already overriden Rauner's veto of SB1, but it’s unlikely they would have enough votes in the House. If the Senate overrides the amendatory veto, but the House doesn’t have enough votes, the bill dies. It’s also possible both sides will begin to negotiate and find some middle ground, but from what we’re following in the press, it’s not looking positive.
Take an action step, write an email to your own legislator, and then share our materials with your friends and relatives elsewhere in Illinois and ask them to write or call their legislators and the Governor (217-782-0244).
SB1 is #NotaBailout, and our state can and must do better. Thanks for joining in the fight to protect and support public schools in Illinois.
Though this news broke a few days ago, it is still important for our community to address the inequity of funding in our public schools. HNA has long advocated for equal funding of neighborhood schools, the use of TIF money to fund schools, and a fervent opposition to the expansion of charter schools. The most recent round of budget cuts and layoffs will negatively affect almost every school in Hermosa as well as several other schools in the City's most impoverished areas.
Kelvyn Park School
Currently, Kelvyn Park School stands to lose a little over 15% of its budget, or about $794,200. This cut in the budget will result in 11 staff layoffs for the 2017-18 school year, seven teachers and four Extra Support Personnel (ESPs). William P. Nixon Elementary, one of Hermosa's two neighborhood elementary schools, is receiving a $282,292 budget cut. This is on top of substantial budget cuts in 2016, 2015, and 2014. This will result in another cut in staff positions and a reduction in art spending, after school spending, and reduced ability to invest in technology for our new Common Core curriculum.
In total, Hermosa schools will lose 41 staff members, 25 of whom are teachers. Kelvyn Park School and Foreman High School are the hardest hit, with 14 total teacher layoffs (seven per school). Even more unsettling is the fact that the largest budget cuts and layoffs will affect Chicago's poorest children. Thomas Kelly High School is losing the most staff: 11 teachers and 10 ESPs, the most of any school in Chicago. TKHS also happens to be in one of Chicago's poorer neighborhoods, Brighton Park. Dunbar Vocational Career Academy in Bronzeville is losing eight teachers and two ESPs. Schools in West Rogers Park, Little Village, and East Garfield Park will lose 30 staff members compared to one total staff loss (one ESP position) at the City's highest rated schools in the wealthiest neighborhoods (Walter Payton, Northside College Prep, and Lincoln Park High School).
The budget cuts are primarily due to a change in Federal and State funding, for Title 1 (Federal funds for schools with high poverty) and for Federal Special Education (SPED) Funding. State funding (SGSA) for improvised schools also declines.
According to a DNAInfo article, "While schools will get $200 more per student during the 2017-18 school year than they did for the 2016-17 school year, the overall CPS budget will shrink by about $43 million...." Also, despite an increase in the special education student population at most schools, many are receiving less money for SPED than previous years. Special Education modifications and accommodations are a federal mandate so that means more will be cut from core instruction.
The current CPS budget relies on a $250 million payment from the Illinois State government that was just vetoed by Governor Rauner. CPS has not made any comment on how the hole from the state will be filled; instead, only days after releasing the 2017-18 budget, CPS also released a list of employee layoffs and how those will impact individual schools.
It is important, now more than ever, for all Hermosa residents (and residents all over the city) to get involved with individuals and organizations that work to promote equitable and fully-funded public education for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or geographic location in Chicago. You can reach out to organizations like Raise Your Hand IL, The Chicago Teachers Union, or Stand for Children (to name a few) and get involved in advocating for students in Chicago and Illinois. You can also call, email, or write to ALL of your elected officials and demand that they support equitable public education for all students. Lastly, ensure you are registered to vote so you can support candidates of your choice in all local and national elections.
Recently there was a story regarding a zoning amendment for The Fields development located at 4000-4180 West Diversey Ave.
You can read that story here :
HNA was mentioned in the story as it pertains to writing a letter to the Alderman. Here is that letter in its entirety here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B86BIFyJYGvsZHhfSVRTOFJzXzQ/view?usp=sharing
We had a really great conversation on TIFs and where the money is going in Hermosa earlier this month with The TIF Illumination Project.
There is over $10 million trapped in TIFs in Hermosa that could be going to improving our parks, schools and streets TODAY.
Over the past 30 years some $76 million has been spent on TIF related projects in or near Hermosa, including $26.5 million on the Brickyard Mall and over $6 million on building two Home Depots in, or near, Hermosa.
Educate yourself and then ask the question.... are your tax dollars being spent in an ideal way?
Below is the presentation deck and the podcast
