Use the map to view complaint hotspots for flooding complaints in Chicago, as well as the location of about 400 alley construction projects as a part of the city’s Green Alleys program: illinoisanswers.org/2024/04/18/chi…

For the past 30 years, two state agencies have purchased over 4,000 flood-prone properties through buyout programs. View this map that plots nearly every property buyout from 1993 to 2023: illinoisanswers.org/2024/04/23/ill…

NEW from Laura Stewart: A state government home buyout program has helped hundreds of people move out of harm's way. But for many, it takes too long.
illinoisanswers.org/2024/04/23/ill…

I promised more great flooding stories!!! Including this one from Alex Nitkin, with an assist from yours truly.

While there are over 400 green alley constructions across the city, the residents that are hardest hit with flooding concerns aren't always benefiting.

🧵of the data:

For the next piece in our series on flooding, cam rodriguez 🔎 and I looked into Chicago's 'green alley' program, which is the only ground-level flood prevention infra offered on a citywide level.

We found many n'hoods with the fewest green alleys are those that need them most.

When it comes to preventing severe flooding, there’s not one fix. Over the next few weeks, Illinois Answers will examine what city and state agencies are doing to protect residents.

Read the first piece in this series, from @merenewman, here: illinoisanswers.org/2024/04/16/chi…

in the next couple weeks, @illinoisanswers will be pubbing some great stories about flooding and the flood risk faced by people across the state, starting with this great piece from @merenewman w/ assist from Alex Nitkin:

illinoisanswers.org/2024/04/16/chi…

Come celebrate journalism with us 🎉 From 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4 at the American Writers Museum, Illinois Answers will host a night of conversations with industry leaders alongside food and drink.

Learn more and reserve tickets here: bettergov.org/event/ink-impa…

We're excited to announce that Ida Bae Wells will be our featured guest at the 20th Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards! Join us for a night of dynamic and thought-provoking conversations followed by this year's awards. Learn more and buy tickets here: bettergov.org/event/join-us-…

Calling all Illinois journalists 📣

Submissions are now open for the 20th Anniversary Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards for Investigative Reporting. Learn more and submit your entries here: illinoisanswers.org/2024/02/27/the…

illinoisanswers.org/2024/02/21/sta… The nonprofit named after the self-proclaimed “people’s mayor”, who steered thousands of taxpayer dollars into its coffers, is no longer allowed to solicit donations after blowing multiple deadlines to produce legally-required tax filings to the state.

From Casey Toner: State Bars Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s Nonprofit From Fundraising
illinoisanswers.org/2024/02/21/sta…

New from SIDNEE: Tenants at an Englewood apartment building are left out in the cold after their landlord pockets rental assistance with little oversight from the state.
illinoisanswers.org/2024/02/12/lan…

A bus driver shortage is forcing school districts to think differently about transportation. Chicago Public Schools has had early conversations with HopSkipDrive, a ride-share company for students. My latest, explores how practical these solutions are. illinoisanswers.org/2024/01/16/chi…

New from @jewljackson1: Could a Ride-Sharing Network Help Get CPS Students to School? illinoisanswers.org/2024/01/16/chi…

NEW: Court-ordered audits show the Illinois Department of Corrections continues to fail
to provide basic care to inmates. We talked to more than a dozen incarcerated people who emphasized this point.

Read more here: illinoisanswers.org/2023/12/13/ill…

On December 6, South Side Weekly and Better Government Association are co-hosting an online workshop for journalists, community organizers, and residents on how to use the Freedom of Information Act to get documents and build investigations from them. Sign up here!

eventbrite.com/e/get-gov-docu…

This Friday will mark the last day for the current iteration of @TheSouthern before its new owners terminate the entire unionized news and sports staff.

This is a travesty for downstate news, Saluki Athletics fans, and organized labor across #Illinois . We must do better.

happy #foiafriday ! 🗃️ want to get started with records requests, but you don't know where to start? come join Jim Daley of South Side Weekly and i for a free FOIA workshop, designed to be a beginner friendly intro into filing public records requests.

eventbrite.com/e/get-gov-docu…

The Chicago Housing Authority is supposed to provide affordable homes for those in need. But the agency has nearly 500 scattered-site units that are vacant — many causing problems for their neighbors.

From Illinois Answers Project and Block Club Chicago: illinoisanswers.org/2023/11/29/chi…