Community

Boundaries: Major streets, intersections and highways that mark neighborhood boundaries.

Character: Links to articles and information from the Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago Neighborhood and City Guide, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Department of Planning and Development. Information describes the type of housing, history, amenities and community character, and provides statistics about each area.

If you are interested in a community, review each link in the character profile, as each organization offers a unique perspective of the neighborhood. For example, the Tribune provides articles profiling neighborhood amenities, schools, history and types of housing, while the Center for Neighborhood Technology site offers statistics on an area’s space issues. City of Chicago information includes demographic data from the 2000 census, while the Neighborhood and City Guide offers information on demographics, crime statistics and other community amenities such as restaurants and banks.

Links to Retail Chicago provide statistics on such aspects of an area as restaurant-generated income, the number of rehab loans, and the number of apartment units rented for a certain price.

Neighborhoods: This section lists the names of neighborhoods associated with a community area.

Transportation: Lists Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus and train lines, as well as Metra train lines and Pace buses. For more information, contact the CTA at 312-836-7000; Metra at 312-322-6777, and Pace Bus at 847-364-7223.

Map of Community and Art Resources: Contains detailed information about a community, including art resources, street names, CTA and Metra train lines, parks, ward information and zip codes. Art resources include listings of:
- Arts Venues and Exhibition Spaces: Information on visual art galleries, museums, theaters, music and dance performance spaces, and multi-media spaces

Education: Information on art schools and academic institutions. These organizations may be colleges and universities, professionals art and business schools or offer art workshops (i.e. Hyde Park Art Center, Palette and Chisel, etc.)

Resources, Facilities and Supplies: Information on park district facilities, arts organizations, arts facilities (camera labs, foundries, printmaking facilities, etc.), libraries, art-related businesses and suppliers.

Multi-purpose Facilities and Spaces: Includes spaces and facilities that offer multiple art opportunities and uses in one location. For example, an arts center that offers workshops, runs a gallery/performance space and has space for rent for individual uses.

Other: Spaces that do not fit into the above categories.

Community Safety: Each police district in Chicago has a District Advisory Committee (DAC), which consists of residents, community leaders, business owners and others who work together to address crime and public safety issues. Many DACs have subcommittees devoted to specific community concerns, such as senior citizens, neighborhood development or youth.

If you are considering a particular area, contact the local DAC to get an idea of the type and frequency of crime in the neighborhood. Click here for the Chicago Police Department.

In addition to the main departmental information, each Police District has its own site with specific information on the community it serves. The main Website offers general information on safety programs and what you can do to make your community safer.

Community Development Organizations: Chicago has many chambers of commerce and economic development agencies that provide housing information, business development assistance, seminars, legal aid, networking events, community service and other forms of support.