Politics
Hyde Park Community Services Referendum Sets November Vote on Local Aid Expansion
The measure would raise an estimated $4.2 million a year through a half-cent sales tax to support food assistance, housing aid and job programs serving Hyde Park Chi residents.
How we reported this
The Community Services Referendum on the November 3, 2026 ballot proposes a half-cent sales tax increase to create a dedicated fund for local social programs. The measure would affect every Hyde Park Chi resident who shops in the city and every household that uses city-funded assistance services.
City officials placed the question on the ballot after the 2025 annual budget showed a $3.1 million shortfall in community service allocations. The shortfall followed the end of federal pandemic relief grants that had supported temporary expansions of food pantries and rental assistance through 2024.
Effects on Resident Services
If approved, the new revenue would go to contracts with 12 existing agencies that operate inside Hyde Park Chi boundaries. One example is the South Side Food Network on 55th Street, which currently serves 1,800 households monthly; the added funds could extend hours to evenings and weekends for working families. Another recipient would be the Hyde Park Job Center, which projects it could add 40 training slots each quarter for residents seeking employment at nearby hospitals and university facilities.
The legislation states that at least 35 percent of the annual proceeds must support housing stability programs, including eviction prevention grants capped at $2,000 per household. Local advocates note that 1,250 Hyde Park Chi renters received such grants in 2024 before federal money ran out.
Budget Figures and Next Steps
The city clerk's June 15 filing projects the tax would generate $4.2 million in its first full year based on 2025 retail sales data. That figure appears in the referendum ordinance attached to the 2026 budget papers. The same document caps administrative costs at 8 percent of collections.
Ballots will be mailed to registered voters beginning October 15. Results are scheduled for certification by the Cook County Board of Elections no later than November 20. If passed, the tax would take effect on January 1, 2027.