Crime prevention, public health surveillance, and disaster preparedness programs across the country are getting hit by federal funding instability and the end of COVID-era grants.

Chicago used federal money to launch two pandemic-era programs to help renters with cash and legal assistance to keep them ...

Newswire: Inside the Bridgeport vs. Amtrak controversy Welcome to Newswire — your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic ...

Our Fall 2026 Civic Information Fellows (L-R): Ann Marie Scheffel, Robert Speed, Kesha Selvey, Sol Sanchez, Maia McDonald, Musu Bangura.

A designated space or phone line where you can begin the process of getting immediate housing assistance. Ex: Chicago uses a Coordinated Entry System to help connect people experiencing homelessness ...

This is an introductory guide to navigating Chicago’s resources for homelessness and housing insecurity. It includes where to go to find shelter, how to get help if you’re being threatened with ...

NOTE: “Perfect Storm” is a series produced by City Bureau in partnership with Documenters Network sites focused on how federal funding instability is affecting local communities. It looks at how ...

The City of Chicago is selling debt residents and visitors owe for municipal fines and fees to a private debt collector as a way to help cover its 2026 budget gap. While owing money for traffic ...

Money that individual residents or employees owe directly to a municipality. Such debt can include vehicular debt (unpaid speeding, red-light camera or parking tickets), utility bills (water, ...

Editor’s note: This story discusses crisis mental healthcare and mentions violent crime. Chicago Documenters notes from Nikebia Brown-Joseph, Katie Busch, Fabienne Elie, Ava Grubb, Holland Harmon, ...

“Our seniors, low-income families with small children, and persons with disabilities simply can't afford this. They are also not able to walk those long distances into those parks.” — Anne Holcomb, an ...

Chicago Documenters notes from Layla Brown-Clark, Katie Busch, Madeleine Davison, Katrina Herring and Brandi Scarber were used to help report this story. Find more public meeting coverage at ...