"Chicago offenders caught drinking, gambling and urinating on the public way will no longer be free to ignore their citations with impunity and blow off their administrative hearings — at least not without risking jail time.
Ignoring concern about the impact on overcrowded Cook County Jail, the City Council agreed Wednesday to throw the book at those offenders, up to 70 percent of whom are currently in default because they don’t fear the consequences." Read the entire article here.
A day late and a $ short on this (more like 20 years and $2M). You've even got some landlords in Uptown claiming their "condo" for rent is in Edgewater. Now that's a hoot.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a type of action that follows "the broken windows theory". Hope it helps, I'm a mild believer in the theory.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what the Jesus guy above is referring to with renting out condos, perhaps he means Uptown's brand is damaged by these types of criminals? So people are naming their property location South Edgewater, East Ravenswood, North Lakeview (or Buena Park), West Lake Michigan to remove association?
There’s been so much talk about rebranding Uptown. We need it. We’re almost like one of those Carnival Cruise ships and we just can’t catch a break!
Landlords and apartment renters in Uptown have been advertising them as being in different neighborhoods for quite a long time to avoid the Uptown stigma. It's nothing new. Thanks, Helen.
ReplyDeleteThe whole point of the intended changes to our community is to change that perception and reality around us. At some point in time, hopefully sooner than later, people won't balk at buying a condo or renting an apt because it resides in Uptown.
Many years ago Chicago had a Vagrancy Law on the books. It required every person on the street to have $2 on them. Maybe we need to bring that law back?
ReplyDeleteNot sure how preventative this would be.
ReplyDeleteI think it's worth a shot for drinking and gambling. But for urinating - where are the homeless supposed to pee? I don't know - I guess we shall see how much time police officers have to enforce this.
ReplyDeleteThis and the panhandling/loitering is one of the most annoying things about living in Chicago.
ReplyDeleteThe list of places I no longer patronize because they let the cup shakers and the more aggressive begging take place has grown to the size of a banger's rap sheet.
The minute it got warm I counted at least 30 new panahandlers around the northside, I take note of each and every one for posterity.
I forgot to add I have noticed the subdivisions of what is essentially Uptown when I last searched for a new place.
ReplyDeleteI will be creating a new neighborhood called "Panini Square" that will extend from my living room to the sidewalk in order to trick people into not thinking it's in a more rotten area.
Broken windows theory: No public drunkenness, no broken glass, no boarded up bldgs....it all leads to crime and disrespect for property.
ReplyDeleteNice idea/concept. Not sure how it would ever be enforced effectively, though.
ReplyDeleteSo excited about this! Maybe it'll give Argyle Street the much needed clean up...I see people drinking everyday and urinating at least once a week on my walk home from the train stop...
ReplyDeletebrandon, I agree Argyle street has a ton of winos who linger about outside the big liquor store. I don't think they will be able to afford $1000 "drinking on public way" tickets though.
ReplyDeleteLianna, the broken glass theory doesn't apply in Uptown. The crazies in Leland House have been given carte blanche by the police and our alderman to break as many windows in our neighborhood as they like, without punishment or fear. Say the police, "They have mental illness, there is nothing we can do."
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