Reporting the issue to Evanston’s 311 system gets the problem officially recorded with the City. Report the problem every time it affects you and your neighborhood by calling 847-448-4311 or using the 311 contact information.

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Keep your own log of 1) the complaints you make using the 311 system, and 2) any other communications or actions you take as you try to resolve the issue. This could be valuable information if the number of your complaints grows without a resolution to the issue. 

Also, every time you submit a complaint to the 311 System, 1) describe what solution you would like to see happen for the issue, and 2) ask how long it will be before you receive a response to your 311 complaint. Give the City the opportunity to respond and work with them to resolve the issue. If your issue is not resolved, proceed to the next step. 

Currently, the City of Evanston does not have staff dedicated to solving environmental justice issues. This may limit their ability to respond to your submission. However, it’s still important to get your issue recorded into the 311 database so it is on file with the City for future reference.

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Share the issue definition you created with your council member (alderperson). Make sure the definition has an accurate history of actions you’ve taken so far to resolve your issue. 

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Ask your council member if they 1) know of other ward residents who may be experiencing the same EJ issue as you and 2) if they can help you address your EJ issue or recommend some appropriate steps to take. If they can help, work cooperatively with your council member to resolve the issue. If the issue persists, continue to the next step and keep your council member informed of your progress as you take additional actions.

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Contact the identified department or division and confirm they are the right people to be informed about and resolve your EJ issue. If not, ask them to direct you to the appropriate department or division. 

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Share your definition of the issue with the identified department or division along with any log file you have used to capture your or your group’s actions on the issue, and ask them to address the issue. Inform your council member that you have shared the EJ issue definition with the City. If the issue still isn’t addressed to your satisfaction, move on to the next step. 

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