Editor’s Note

Welcome to Newswire — your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what action we can take to make our city great, featuring public meeting coverage by City Bureau’s Documenters.

Quote of the Week

“Douglass Park has deep problems of soil compaction, yet continues to be damaged each year by festival-goers and heavy equipment in exchange for money. The park needs repair; not for the soil, the trees and the plants to be sacrificed.”

— Karina Solano, speaking against Riot Fest remaining in Douglass Park.

[Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners meeting, Sept. 11, 2024]

ShotSpotter showdown

Today, City Council cast another vote regarding the fate of the controversial gunshot detection technology Shotspotter. Alders voted 37-9 to suspend the rules, which gave Mayor Brandon Johnson contracting power. The decision was followed by another vote 33-14 to give Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling the power to extend the existing ShotSpotter deal or enter into a new contract for similar technology. 

With the impending end of the ShotSpotter contract Sept. 22, the vote took place just hours after ShotSpotter cut its prices by nearly half. The city has spent over $53 million on contracts with ShotSpotter. Despite the ordinance’s passage, Mayor Brandon Johnson has made it clear he will find a way to end the contract.

Projects in Pilsen

The city wants to negotiate an agreement for the Pilsen Industrial Redevelopment Project Area. The redevelopment would include a new eight-story building with 98 units of 100% affordable multifamily housing called Casa Yucatan. The development qualifies for equitable transit-oriented development regulation due to its proximity to a CTA Pink Line stop and two major bus routes. The site is currently a vacant lot at 21st Street and Ashland Avenue with an adjacent gas station. The proposal would be headed by The Resurrection Project, the largest Latino community development organization on the Southwest Side. Total development costs will be $69.1 million, with developers receiving $6.1 million from IDOT and $23 million from TIF funds.

Safe travels

Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter acknowledged the recent shootings at the Red Line Howard Station and on the Blue Line, which have raised concerns about safety as well as the need for increased social services. There is a proven correlation between transit ridership and safety — the more people present on transit usually indicates a lower risk of crime. CTA has struggled to recover ridership since its dramatic drop in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic — in part due to unreliable and infrequent service.

To Riot Fest, Or Not To Riot Fest

In a contentious move, commissioners voted to keep Riot Fest in Douglass Park in North Lawndale, which Ald. Monique Scott (24th Ward) supports. After years of pushback and demands for community input around large festivals, Riot Fest was reportedly leaving Douglass Park for suburban Bridgeview’s Seatgeek stadium, only to be brought back. The public comment period ahead of the vote was dominated by voices in favor of and opposed to Riot Fest — those in favor saw it as an opportunity to feel connected to Chicago’s art scene, and those against it have cited noise violations, lack of community input and poor treatment of the park. Over 1,400 people took part in a letter writing campaign created by organizing group Únete La Villita demanding transparency and accountability from Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Park District officials.

A version of this story was first published in the September 18, 2024 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.

Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Editorial Director Ariel Cheung at ariel@citybureau.org.