+ Ethics and Government Accountability

What We've Done

• Required timely appointments for the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General, an independent oversight agency that investigates waste, fraud, and abuse in government.
• Prohibited Alderpeople from taking side jobs that create a conflict of interest with their duties to the people of Chicago.
• Strengthened lobbyist regulations that increase public transparency and accountability for special interests that seek to influence City Hall.

What We Are Working On

• Pass a Fair Elections ordinance to amplify the voice of regular people in our elections and to require more transparency from dark money Super PACs.
• Close political loopholes that allow city contractors to bypass play-to-play restrictions.

+ Housing and Economic Development

What We Have Done

• Legalized accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in the 47th Ward and other broad swaths of Chicago.
• Doubled the share of required affordable units in new developments as part of the Affordable Requirements Ordinance (ARO).
• Approved the construction of a fully-affordable mixed-use development at 4715 N. Western Ave.
• Helped convert Thorek Senior Center into 150 affordable senior homes
• Approved the creation of over 300 new affordable units to be built in the 47th Ward, including:
  • A fully-affordable mixed-use development at 4715 N. Western Ave.
  • 150 affordable senior homes at Thorek Senior Center"
• Successfully fought for:
  • $20 million for rapid rehousing
  • $65 million for permanent supportive housing
  • $75 million for affordable mixed-use multi-family development
  • $20 million for repairs at existing shelters
  • $5 million to preserve Single Room Occupancy buildings

What We Are Working On

• Legalize ADUs across all of Chicago
• Protect two- and three-flats in the 47th Ward by discouraging their demolition or conversion to single-family homes, and identify sources of revenue to help current owners renovate their buildings.
• Hold the CHA accountable to more quickly fill vacant units
• Support United Power for Action and Justice in their efforts to build thousands of new affordably priced homes on vacant lots across Chicago.

+ Transportation and Infrastructure

What We Have Done

• Secured $20M to renovate the Western Brown Line station (2024-25).
• Built pedestrian safety improvements including curb extensions, flashing beacons, and raised crosswalks by every public elementary and high school in the 47th Ward.
• Passed the Complete Streets Ordinance, which requires the Department of Transportation to create, maintain, and regularly present a toolkit of traffic safety improvements, and to incorporate these improvements into the resurfacing and reconstruction of arterial streets.
• Developed, with city and state partners, a first-in-the-nation agreement between the Chicago and Illinois Departments of Transportation to bring more pedestrian safety improvements to state-owned streets.
• Added 7.5 miles to our bike network, including 5 miles of low-stress neighborhood greenways and 2 miles of protected bike lanes.
• Worked with the CTA to extend the #9 Ashland bus route from Irving Park Rd to the Ravenswood Metra Station.
• Improved bus facilities through bus bulbs and rush-hour bus lanes along Western Ave, Damen Ave, and Ashland Ave (2024-25).
• Implemented the 47th Ward’s first Participatory Budgeting process**, empowering residents to vote on the allocation of $200,000 in infrastructure funds annually.

What We Are Working On

• Build a coordinated grid of protected bike lanes citywide
• Implement Bus Rapid Transit on Western Ave to connect neighborhoods across the city.
• Appoint a new President of the CTA to lead it to recovery

+ Public Safety

What We Have Done

• Voted for $45 million in new funding for violence prevention organizations.
• Helped lead efforts to secure $25 million in new funding for survivors of gender-based violence, including domestic violence — three times the amount included in previous budgets.
• Voted to establish a new body that will provide strong civilian oversight of the police department, including nominating the CPD Superintendent and setting CPD policy
• Sponsored and passed legislation to empower an independent body (COPA) to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct involving police officers — a requirement laid out in the consent decree.
• Wrote and passed an ordinance mandating a workforce allocation study to ensure CPD resources are being used efficiently and effectively
• Passed an ordinance mandating semi-annual hearings on compliance with the federal consent decree governing CPD

What We Are Working On

• Build the CAN Hope Project, a multi-discipline, multi-agency center to support adult survivors of gender-based violence and sexual assault
• Fully implement the consent decree, of which only 5% is currently entirely met
• Conduct a robust analysis of 911 calls to better inform which calls require responses from sworn CPD officers
• Pass my proposed ordinance to make it easier for victims of crimes to access police reports online and automatically dismiss illegitimate tickets obtained after cars are stolen.

+ Environment

What We Have Done

• Re-established the Department of the Environment.
• Led the charge to declare a climate emergency in Chicago — a community-led initiative of the 47th Ward Green Council.
• Voted for funding to plant 75,000 new trees to restore and expand Chicago’s urban tree canopy.
• Sponsored and passed legislation to expand electric vehicle infrastructure in new developments.
• Funded regional composting drop-off programs across the City of Chicago
• Spearheaded the filing of a lawsuit against big oil companies for their actions that are causing climate change
• Founded EcoFest, an annual festival focused on environmentalism and sustainability at a local level by bringing together nonprofits, community groups, businesses and advocates.

What We Are Working On

• Establish carbon-output guidelines for new large buildings built in Chicago
• Increase funding for the Department of Environment and give it the ability to enforce regulations.
• Implement curbside municipal composting

+ Schools

What We Have Done

• Supported establishment of an Elected School Board, so residents can have their voices heard in our public schools
• Funded $150,000 in grants for mental health resources for high school students and arts education for elementary school students
• Secured funding for ventilation system overhauls at Amundsen and Lane Tech High Schools
• Worked collaboratively with our state legislators to secure needed funding capital improvement projects — including a new turf field at McPherson Elementary and renovated bathrooms at Ravenswood Elementary
• Worked with Lake View High School to implement the first ward-funded school-based Participatory Budgeting process.

What We Are Working On

• Secure funding for Lake View High School to perform much-needed improvements including
  • Renovating one of the locker rooms into a multi-use space
  • Renovating an unused room to a counseling office suite
  • Replacing the elevators
  • Re-keying the building

+ Business

What We’ve Done

• Introduced and passed an ordinance allowing smaller grocery stores to open earlier on Sunday mornings.
• Introduced and passed an ordinance legalizing walk-up windows.
• Ensured that the Expanded Outdoor Dining ordinance allowed breweries in manufacturing zones to obtain Outdoor Patio and Sidewalk Cafe permits.
• Improved access to Sidewalk Cafe permits for businesses with tavern licenses.
• ChiBizStrong: Aided local businesses in obtaining over $380,000 of COVID-era Chicago Recovery Grant funding.

What We Are Working On

• Streamline the process for businesses to obtain sidewalk cafe permits.
• Reduce the Special Use requirements for personal care services such as nail and hair salons.
• Amend the process to apply for street festival-related licenses for non-food-related vendors.

+ Workers' Rights

What We Have Done

• Passed the Fair Workweek ordinance, requiring workers to receive notice of their schedules ahead of time.
• Established a $15 minimum wage, indexed to inflation.
• Passed an ordinance requiring at least 5 paid days off for every full-time employee in Chicago.
• Passed an ordinance requiring neutrality in union drives for organizations that receive significant amounts of City funds.
• Supported local efforts to unionize, including at Starbucks and Trader Joe’s.