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Participatory Budgeting View the winning locations of the 30th Ward 2025-26 Participatory Budget Vote! Participatory budgeting (PB) is an innovative democratic process that allows community members to directly decide how to allocate public funds. Alderwoman Cruz has decided to use PB for three reasons: Community Involvement: 30th Ward residents propose and vote on projects, ensuring that funding addresses local priorities. Transparency: PB allows greater transparency and accountability in how public funds are spent. Empowerment: By providing neighbors a say in budget decisions, PB empowers communities and strengthens civic engagement. Funding for participatory budgeting projects come from the ward's annual "menu" money, which is the $1.5 million provided annually in the City budget to each ward, whose alderperson can decide how to spend this money on infrastructure projects. Funds can only be used for capital projects, not operating costs. Examples include street repaving, lighting, pedestrian safety projects, and sidewalk repairs.

< Back Festival Re:SET: organizadores y comunidad discuten la celebración del evento en Belmont Cragin (Univision Youtube) N+ Univision Chicago (YouTube) - Jul 31, 2023 https://youtu.be/JMP-aNJqGNU?si=qnnwBR39DLSBhaA1 Previous Next

< Back “Bikeway Hearing Parking Lot”: Talking with folks from the massive crowd outside and inside the Portage Park Neighborhood Bike Network meeting Streetsblog Chicago John Greenfield Mar 6, 2026 https://chi.streetsblog.org/2026/03/06/bikeway-hearing-parking-lot-talking-with-folks-from-the-massive-crowd-outside-and-inside-the-portage-park-neighborhood-bike-network-meeting Garrett Barnes, an engineer, lives on Waveland and Long avenues in Portage Park. "I am here to support bike lanes in our community, as a person who drives to and from work [in the suburbs] every day, but also will bike occasionally around the city," he said. "I have been surprised by how much biking has improved my life and I think it's a fun way to get around. And I realize that I tailor my travel to where there are bike lanes, especially with the death of [bike rider Josh Anleu, 16, that happened on my block, it feels like this is something that I want to support. And I think that our alderwoman Ruth Cruz has been really good about helping to implement some of these things." Previous Next

< Back Committee approves $55M tax break for United Center's 1901 Project as some voice concerns ABC 7 Chicago Sarah Schulte May 11, 2026 https://abc7chicago.com/post/united-center-chicago-news-city-council-committee-approves-55m-tax-break-1901-project-voice-concerns/19082713/ Some nearby residents and United Center hospitality union workers voiced their opposition to the tax incentive at a city council committee on Monday, and some alderpersons expressed concerns over minority contracts. "Why was not a Latino owned company selected?" said 30th Ward Ald. Ruth Cruz. "As much as my Latino colleagues here are advocating for their businesses, I'm going to same thing for ours," said 11th Ward Ald. Nicole Lee. Previous Next

Know Your Rights Everyone is protected by fundamental rights under the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws regardless of status. Learn more here about your rights, how to assert them, and what steps to take if they are violated. Please feel free to share resources with individuals who you think can benefit. City of Chicago - Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee – Know Your Rights and Resources Illinois Immigration Information Hub for KYR information, legal support services, FAQs, and more What to do if ICE detains you (Spanish Video) Undocumented Student Services

< Back Nominee to lead Chicago animal control draws critics and defenders ahead of confirmation vote Chicago Tribune Jerry Wu Mar 10, 2026 https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/10/chicago-animal-control-susan-cappello/?share=6n1actaipwswtaw6bgoa Previous Next

< Back How Should The 30th Ward Spend $1 Million? Portage Park Neighbors Can Submit Ideas Block Club Chicago Molly DeVore Aug 27, 2024 https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/08/27/how-should-the-30th-ward-spend-1-million-portage-park-neighbors-can-submit-ideas/ Previous Next

About Us Alderwoman Cruz 30th Ward Team About the 30th Ward Schools Parks Neighborhood Associations Community Organizations Maps Residential Permit Parking Zones Elected Officials SSAs and TIFs Community Areas Mission and Vision The mission of Alderwoman Cruz's 30th Ward Office is to create a progressive and inclusive community that prioritizes public safety, education, and participatory budgeting. Led by Alderwoman Ruth Cruz, we are committed to transparency, grassroots community support, and utilizing the perspective of a dedicated mother. Our vision is to foster a safe and thriving environment where every resident can live, work, and raise their family without fear. We strive to implement innovative policies that address the root causes of crime and promote treatment not trauma, as well as economic development measures that create more housing, especially workforce housing, and foster small businesses. Education is at the heart of our mission. We aim to provide equitable access to quality education, empowering our youth with the tools they need to succeed. Through transparent decision-making and involving the community in budgeting processes, we ensure that education receives the necessary resources. Participatory budgeting is central to our mission, giving residents a direct voice in allocating public funds to projects that enhance our neighborhood. We believe in empowering our community to actively engage in decision-making, fostering a sense of ownership and pride. With Alderwoman Ruth Cruz's leadership, we embrace a grassroots approach that puts the needs of our diverse community at the forefront. We are dedicated to open communication, collaboration, and building bridges between residents and local government. Together, we are shaping a future where progress, safety, education, and participatory democracy thrive in the 30th Ward.

Going Green! Tips from the Youth Committee There are multiple ways to adopt environmentally friendly practices in our every day life. Recycling by Sandra Beltran, Summer 2026 The City manages the recycling collection program for residential buildings with 1 to 4 units, and collection schedules vary depending on your home address. You can check it out here ! If your recycling bin is ever lost, stolen, or damaged, our office is here to help. Call or stop by the ward office to request a replacement, and the City will deliver a new bin directly to your home. A very important part of protecting our environment is knowing what can and cannot be placed in your recycling bin. Recycling the right items helps reduce contamination, improves the efficiency of the recycling process, and ensures more materials can be successfully reused. See examples below: ✅ Glass ✅ Plastic ✅ Paper ✅ Aluminum ✅ Cardboard ✅ Metals/tin ❌ Plastic bags (these can be recycled at grocery stores - look for bins near the entrance) ❌ Clothes ❌ Styrofoam ❌ Electronics ❌ Batteries See video for more examples! *Note: You should throw items individually because plastic bags CANNOT be placed in the recycling bin. Food Scrap Drop-Off by Sandra Beltran, Summer 2026 Green bins are for food scraps and other compostable materials. Composting keeps food waste out of landfills, where it would otherwise produce harmful greenhouse gases like methane. Instead, those food scraps are transformed into nutrient-rich compost that helps enrich soil, supports healthy plant growth, and contributes to a cleaner, more sustainable environment. Find a location here . Holiday Tree Recycling by Sandra Beltran, Summer 2026 Each year after the holidays, Alderwoman Ruth Cruz offers a Holiday Tree Pickup Service to help residents dispose of their natural Christmas trees with ease. Natural Christmas trees can be difficult to dispose of because they are too large for regular recycling collection and are not accepted in curbside compost bins. Through the City of Chicago's annual Holiday Tree Recycling Program, collected trees are chipped into mulch that is made available to residents free of charge while supplies last. As part of this effort, our office coordinates holiday tree pickups for residents who may not be able to transport their trees to a designated drop-off location. Before setting out your tree for pickup or dropping it off at a recycling site, please remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel, tree stands, plastic bags, and other decorations. For information about Holiday Tree Recycling locations, program dates, and pickup details, visit the City's Holiday Tree Recycling webpage or contact the 30th Ward Office for assistance. Don’t Let Your Environment Go Down the Drain! by Kevin Rzepka, Summer 2026 Little did you know, keeping some smaller household plumbing items up to date can be vitally important for your environment too! And no, it doesn’t necessarily mean spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on the latest appliances, but rather little things such as replacing old showerheads and leaky faucets, which can drastically decrease the amount of water you use. In fact, according to the World Wildlife Fund and the US EPA, older showerheads can use 2.5 gallons per minute or more while newer, more efficient models use 2 gallons per minute or fewer. Although one might think that those numbers aren’t much far apart, it is estimated that by replacing your showerhead, the average family can save 2,700 gallons of water every year, the amount of electricity needed to power a home for 11 days, and more than $75 in energy and water costs each year! The same goes for your faucet, where even if one leaks at a rate of one drop per second, it can waste more than an estimated 3,000 gallons of water per year. That’s why it’s so important to fix your leaky faucet even if it just drips! More specifically, when using a faucet for water to brush your teeth, turn the tap off when brushing, as you can save as much as 3,000 gallons of water per year. That way, you don’t just save on your water bill, but also save the environment. But what about those expensive appliances I mentioned earlier, like TVs, microwaves, and stereos – how can I help protect the environment without being able to spend money on newer, more efficient models? Oftentimes when we use those appliances, which are all idle electronics, they use energy even when switched off to keep display clocks lit and remote controls working. As a result, even when you think they’re turned off or losing very little electricity, they are still running your electricity bill and impacting the environment! So, what could you do? Well you could switch off power strips, unplug electrical devices when unused, or if possible, go into settings and turn the screensaver/ambient feature off. That way, the power saving feature could kick in and turn off the TV (or other idle electronics) after a period of inactivity. Sometimes, it’s the little things that can make a huge difference, especially when everyone works together. Sustainable Transportation and Reducing Waste by Pavle Bumbic, Summer 2026 Use transportation sustainably. Transportation is a significant contributor to pollution. One way we can help reduce pollution is by using cars more reasonably and increasing our use of greener alternatives, such as biking, walking, and public transportation. Reduce waste . One of the best ways to protect the environment is to reduce our consumption of products such as single-use plastic bottles. Instead, we can switch to reusable stainless-steel bottles. This can help reduce plastic waste and limit our exposure to microplastics, which can negatively affect our health. Our planet is increasingly polluted, and we all have a responsibility to take action to protect it. By making small, sustainable changes in our daily lives, we can help create a cleaner and healthier environment for ourselves and future generations. Donate, Don’t Throw Away by Sandra Beltran , Summer 2026 We encourage everyone to donate unwanted clothing instead of throwing it away. Donating clothes helps reduce waste and gives items a second life with someone who may need or enjoy them. Thrift stores are a great option for giving your gently used clothing a new home. Consider donating to: Salvation Army Savers Thrift Unique Thrift Village Discount Outlet These stores accept clothing donations and place items on their shelves for others to purchase and reuse. Donation boxes are also available in many public locations, making it easy to drop off unwanted clothing and other items. Finally, Give N Receive, Inc., is a nonprofit organization that the 30th Ward has proudly collaborated with on multiple community events and clothing drives. Through these partnerships, clothing and other essential items are provided to residents and community members who need them. Supporting organizations like Give N Receive, Inc., is another great way to keep clothing out of landfills while helping neighbors in need. Before throwing something away, consider one of these options! Organize a Community Clean-Up by 30th Ward Staff , Summer 2026 Want to help make your neighborhood cleaner and greener? Organize a community clean-up with your neighbors, friends, or local organizations! Gathering together to pick up litter, clean public spaces, and care for our neighborhood is a simple way to make a meaningful difference. Every clean-up, big or small, helps create a cleaner, healthier, and more welcoming community.

< Back City Animal Shelter Chief’s Appointment Clears Key Committee Despite Pushback Block Club Chicago Quinn Myers Mar 10, 2026 https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/03/10/city-animal-shelter-chiefs-appointment-clears-key-committee-despite-pushback/ Previous Next

30th Ward Newsletters

< Back Woman Killed At Busy NW Side Intersection Where Planned Traffic Light Was Never Installed Block Club Chicago Alex V. Hernandez Jun 3, 2026 https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/03/woman-killed-at-busy-nw-side-intersection-where-planned-traffic-light-was-never-installed/ Previous Next