# Debra Silverstein

Debra Silverstein is the Alderman of the 50th Ward of the City of Chicago, Illinois. She defeated 38-year incumbent Bernard Stone in the 2011 runoff election, a race in which she was endorsed by Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel. She is currently the Chairman of the Chicago City Council’s Committee on License and Consumer Protection, which has jurisdiction over licensing and matters involving the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.

## Biography

Silverstein was formerly married to former Illinois State Senator Ira Silverstein, with whom she has four children. She holds a degree in accounting from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Before entering politics, she founded a small tax consultancy.
In addition to her political work, Silverstein is a co-founder of the Libenu Foundation, an organization creating supervised housing for adults with developmental disabilities in the Metropolitan Chicago area.

## Aldermanic career

In conjunction with the Chicago Department of Transportation, Silverstein oversaw the Devon Avenue Streetscape Project, a $15 million project on Devon Avenue in the 50th Ward. The project was designed to modernize and beautify a "20-block stretch in the West Ridge Business District which is known for ethnically diverse mixture of shops and restaurants." The project covered Devon from Kedzie Avenue to Leavitt Street and included:
* New trees with tree grates
* Landscaped in-ground and above-ground planters
* Light pole, intersection, and gateway community identifiers
* New wider sidewalks with ADA ramps
* New street and pedestrian lighting
* Paver parkways
* Benches, bike racks and waste containers
* Seating areas on side streets
* New crosswalks at each intersection
In 2016, Silverstein and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced plans for a new library and senior housing facility in the 50th Ward. A partnership between Chicago Public Library and Chicago Housing Authority, Northtown Apartments and the new Northtown Branch Library are located at 6800 N. Western Avenue. The project was designed by Perkins + Will and features 44 apartments designated for senior use on top of a 16,000 square foot library. The library opened on March 5, 2019.

## Legislation

Silverstein has passed many major pieces of legislation during her administration, including:
* Traffic Crash Review and Analysis Ordinance - Requires the Chicago Department of Transportation to study fatal traffic crashes in the City of Chicago and make recommendations on how to improve traffic safety.
* CHI vs Hate – The first comprehensive amendment to Chicago’s hate crimes ordinance in more than 30 years. The legislation introduced a new reporting category called “hate incidents,” which are defined as non-criminal acts that target “an individual or group based on their actual or perceived race, color, sex, gender identity, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, or sexual orientation.”
* Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Ordinance - This legislation seeks to prevent deadly fires in Chicago by requiring safety certification for electric scooters, e-bikes, and powered mobility device batteries. The ordinance includes penalties for retailers who sell products using batteries that do not meet UL or EN safety standards, as well as anyone who assembles or reconditions battery cells removed from used lithium-ion batteries.
* Bed Bug Ordinance - Adds strong rules and regulations regarding the reporting and treatment of bed bugs. Bed bugs are now considered a public health nuisance in Chicago, requiring property managers to hire qualified exterminators to deal with infestations in a manner that shows demonstrated success.

## Footnotes

* ↑ "Debra Silverstein Ousts Longtime Alderman Bernard Stone in 50th Ward," Chicago Sun-Times.
* ↑ "Legislative Body Details - Office of the City Clerk". chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
* ↑ "After old tweets emerge, 50th Ward rival aims to shift focus". Chicago Tribune. February 10, 2023.
* ↑ "About Debra Silverstein," debrasilversteinforalderman.com/
* ↑ "About Alderman Silverstein | 50th Ward Chicago". 50thwardchicago.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
* ↑ "Libenu opens first group home". Libenu. May 24, 2017.
* ↑ "About Us | Libenu". Libenu. Archived from the original on 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
* 1 2 "City of Chicago :: CDOT Launches Final Phases of Devon Avenue Streetscape Project". www.cityofchicago.org. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
* ↑ Spielman, Fran (January 26, 2018). "Emanuel to break ground on three library-housing partnerships". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
* ↑ Ballew, Jonathan (March 5, 2019). "West Ridge's Bright And Bold New Library Now Open, With Attached Affordable Housing For Seniors Coming Soon". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
* ↑ "Matter - Office of the City Clerk". chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
* ↑ "Matter - Office of the City Clerk". chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
* ↑ "Matter - Office of the City Clerk". chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
* ↑ "Matter - Office of the City Clerk". chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
vteMembers of the Chicago City Council :
Daniel La Spata
Brian Hopkins
Pat Dowell
Lamont Robinson
Desmon Yancy
William Hall
Gregory Mitchell
Michelle Harris
Anthony Beale
Peter Chico
Nicole Lee
Julia Ramirez
Marty Quinn
Jeylú Gutiérrez
Raymond Lopez
Stephanie Coleman
David Moore
Derrick Curtis
Mat O'Shea
Jeanette Taylor
Ronnie Mosley
Michael Rodriguez
Silvana Tabares
Monique Scott
Byron Sigcho-Lopez
Jessie Fuentes
Walter Burnett
Jason Ervin
Chris Taliaferro
Ruth Cruz
Felix Cardona
Scott Waguespack
Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez
Bill Conway
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
Gil Villegas
Emma Mitts
Nick Sposato
Sam Nugent
Andre Vasquez
Anthony Napolitano
Brendan Reilly
Timmy Knudsen
Bennett Lawson
Jim Gardiner
Angela Clay
Matt Martin
Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth
Maria Hadden
Debra Silverstein :