East Village Association membership meeting Aug. 3, 2020, via Zoom. Presiding: John Gantner, president Renters and homeowners can apply for relief set aside in this spring's emergency Illinois legislative session. State Rep. Delia Ramirez gave the outlines of the program at the East Village Association's Aug. 3 online meeting. Staring Aug. 10, renters can apply for up to $5,000 in rent assistance to cover COVID-19 related hardships, drawn from $396 million in federal coronavirus relief funds. Five local organizations are administering the $150 million available on a first-come, first-served basis, Ramirez said. On Aug. 24, the mortgage relief program opens with $150 million set aside, up to $15,000 per household . Ramirez will offer details in online  information sessions Aug. 11-13 ; her office is open by appointment .

Monday's meeting previews the opening of Kasama restaurant, 1001 N. Winchester Ave. with owners Tim Flores and Genie Kwon. State Rep. Delia Ramirez reports on the legislative session in Springfield. The Chicago Reader recently featured her efforts to aid renters . Join us at 7pm Aug. 3 on Zoom .

The Arts for Illinois Relief Fund supports the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art and other local arts groups and artists. Chicago thanks EVA for its $1,000 donation to support local artists in the COVID-19 crisis.

As Chicago began considering street closings for restaurant patio seating, Roots Handmade Pizza asked EVA to support its application to close from Winchester Avenue from Chicago Avenue north to the alley. Members in the June 1 meeting on Zoom had questions about days and hours of operation, emergency vehicle access, table setup and takedown, supplier dropoffs and delivery driver pickups. They were generally supportive of discussing a limited trial. With looting in West Town stores the weekend after the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Association vice president Grant Chamberlain suggested staging a neighborhood cleanup once disturbances end. The scheduled speaker, state Rep. Delia Ramirez, did not attend the meeting. EVA will not meet in July.

Congressman states his priorities in Zoom session East Village Association membership meeting May 4, 2020, via Zoom. Presiding: John Gantner, president U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley says recovery from the COVID-19 lockdown might require $2 trillion to $3 trillion in infrastructure spending–not only roads and bridges but also schools, parks, Blue Line improvements, broadband access and shoreline protection. "It's a little surreal we're over $3 trillion right now" in federal aid, Quigley told EVA members from his Washington office in a May 4 Zoom meeting. Quigley offered his staff's help navigating the Paycheck Protection Program and other small business initiatives. "They say it's a stimulus bill and it's not. It's really a survival bill." Nursing home residents and people at high risk will need more protection, he said, with summer COVID-19 transmission expected to drop by only 20%. Quigley noted the budget sent to his House subcommitte...

As restaurants closed in the coronavirus outbreak, EVA members met in an April 13 Zoom video conference East Village Association membership meeting April 13, 2020, via Zoom. Presiding: John Gantner, president EVA's first Zoom meeting likely won't be the last. Members logged on in an April 13 video conference to brainstorm ways to support the West Town community in what promises to be a slow transition from lockdown to the new normal. President John Gantner said donations to support local COVID-19 relief drained half the EVA treasury, and solicited feedback on other intitiatives to support. Members noted restaurant closings and delayed openings, and cancellation of the Do Division and West Fest Chicago street festivals. A thread on the Community Page for Ukrainian Village lists restaurants still open for takeout and delivery. In a long lockdown, some temporary closings are likely to become permanent. Openings may come with lower occupancy limits, as in Austria and Den...