"Uptown Update" was named one of the top 5 neighborhood blogs by the Chicago Tribune. We are in good company, along with "The Broken Heart of Rogers Park" and "The Bench."
Now that we know the Trib reads UU, let's hope they do an investigative piece on Wilson Yard or maybe why the Wilson Club Hotel is still open. We can dream can't we?
The Trib deserves to be in the sorry-a state that they are in. If I could find balanced, insightful challenging local news there, I'd be a loyal reader. However, when you go corporate, it is awfully hard to hide your (pin)stripes.
Congrats UU! Keep up the awesome work. Though one thing- if the Wilson Club Hotel becomes closed, where do you plan to move or put them? I have mixed feelings about that place, and I too am sick and tired of what we all see there. But where else would they go? I read a lot of comments about closing that place, but no answer to where they would go. Would that just further the homeless problem?
If the doors just shut---then yes, these men would likely become homeless.
However, this is exactly what proponents of this place want you to focus on. An alternative would be to offer them a living situation like Lakefront SRO has...one with affordable housing but also community and counseling opportunities. This would be a much improved solution for the men and the community. However, a lot of those guys are loners for a reason (sometimes very heartwrenching and complex reasons.) I understand why certain people have pushed to keep this option available in the neighborhood. What I have never understood is why they were ok letting people live in such deplorable conditions with nothing better to look forward to.
That catch phrase ---drummed into our brains --- was Shiller's mantra for years and it still echos in our minds, drawing us like Uptown Rats, to the inevitable Skinner Box reaction - that they must live in Uptown's low income housing stock.
But wait. A random brain cell has fired. It has exercised free will. It has had a logical thought.
Bad housing is bad for poor people. Slum housing is worse. Poor people do not need to be herded to city leper colonies. They can integrate into society using Section 8 vouchers.
Secondly where would they go? That is a good question. They would likely have to go someplace that had rules and expectations. Most people are not allowed to hang out on the corner of their home and drink and pan handle for money. They are not aloud to sell or buy drugs in the hallway and they need to do something to earn some money to pay for rent. In short they might have to dramatically change their lifestyle to put in more in line with a lot of other people in society. I do not mean to make light of the problems many of these men have but allowing them to just exist within all of those problems is not going to help. Society has rules and expectations for all of us. It is not helpful to just give “people with problems” a free pass to do what they want all day. Of course they could choose to not follow expectations of society, in that case they may end up homeless. But like a lot of homeless people if they wanted to follow the rules of society there would be a place for them to live. There are programs that can help and find stable places to live for men like this but to remain in that type of program you have to address the issues that got you into the situation in the first place. If you refuse to do so you have to leave.
We cancelled our Tribune subcription because we were tired of their biased reporting. Thanks Uptown Update for giving a clear and honest voice to what's really going on in Uptown!
I cancelled my Trib subscription when they backed Shiller last February. Not only did they back Shiller, but all of their "facts" about Wilson Yard were false. They still had the theaters included in the plan, and a Target that still isn't committed.
Right, 9:51. They actually followed Helen's smoke-and-mirrors trick in their endorsement. It basically said that she has overseen a lot of change in this neighborhood, the biggest and best of which is to be WY...so, why block progress?
"It basically said that she has overseen a lot of change in this neighborhood, the biggest and best of which is to be WY...so, why block progress?"
Come election time, Ald. Shiller likes to say "Look at all the progress and gentrification that's happened while I've been alderman!"
What she fails to say is that she's opposed all of it. And that it's happened in spite of her, not because of her.
The "Bad Apples" comment is priceless! And much more indicative of the truth about how she feels about her constituents who don't consider her their savior.
Way to go, UU. I bet the Chicago Tribune would like to have those stats with a constituency this small. Guess you can't get that unless you report what the people want to hear about and provide them with ways to connect to enact change.
Now that we know the Trib reads UU, let's hope they do an investigative piece on Wilson Yard or maybe why the Wilson Club Hotel is still open. We can dream can't we?
ReplyDeleteThe Trib deserves to be in the sorry-a state that they are in. If I could find balanced, insightful challenging local news there, I'd be a loyal reader. However, when you go corporate, it is awfully hard to hide your (pin)stripes.
ReplyDeleteCongrats UU! Keep up the awesome work.
ReplyDeleteThough one thing- if the Wilson Club Hotel becomes closed, where do you plan to move or put them?
I have mixed feelings about that place, and I too am sick and tired of what we all see there. But where else would they go?
I read a lot of comments about closing that place, but no answer to where they would go. Would that just further the homeless problem?
If the doors just shut---then yes, these men would likely become homeless.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this is exactly what proponents of this place want you to focus on. An alternative would be to offer them a living situation like Lakefront SRO has...one with affordable housing but also community and counseling opportunities. This would be a much improved solution for the men and the community. However, a lot of those guys are loners for a reason (sometimes very heartwrenching and complex reasons.) I understand why certain people have pushed to keep this option available in the neighborhood. What I have never understood is why they were ok letting people live in such deplorable conditions with nothing better to look forward to.
Northside bloggers rock! These are the only places to get the news other than Lorraine Swanson. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteWhere Will They GO?
ReplyDeleteThat catch phrase ---drummed into our brains --- was Shiller's mantra for years and it still echos in our minds, drawing us like Uptown Rats, to the inevitable Skinner Box reaction - that they must live in Uptown's low income housing stock.
But wait. A random brain cell has fired. It has exercised free will. It has had a logical thought.
Bad housing is bad for poor people. Slum housing is worse. Poor people do not need to be herded to city leper colonies. They can integrate into society using Section 8 vouchers.
Ouch!!!! The Electric Shock just hit me......
First of all congrats UU.
ReplyDeleteSecondly where would they go? That is a good question. They would likely have to go someplace that had rules and expectations. Most people are not allowed to hang out on the corner of their home and drink and pan handle for money. They are not aloud to sell or buy drugs in the hallway and they need to do something to earn some money to pay for rent. In short they might have to dramatically change their lifestyle to put in more in line with a lot of other people in society. I do not mean to make light of the problems many of these men have but allowing them to just exist within all of those problems is not going to help. Society has rules and expectations for all of us. It is not helpful to just give “people with problems” a free pass to do what they want all day. Of course they could choose to not follow expectations of society, in that case they may end up homeless. But like a lot of homeless people if they wanted to follow the rules of society there would be a place for them to live. There are programs that can help and find stable places to live for men like this but to remain in that type of program you have to address the issues that got you into the situation in the first place. If you refuse to do so you have to leave.
We cancelled our Tribune subcription because we were tired of their biased reporting. Thanks Uptown Update for giving a clear and honest voice to what's really going on in Uptown!
ReplyDeleteI cancelled my Trib subscription when they backed Shiller last February. Not only did they back Shiller, but all of their "facts" about Wilson Yard were false. They still had the theaters included in the plan, and a Target that still isn't committed.
ReplyDeleteRight, 9:51. They actually followed Helen's smoke-and-mirrors trick in their endorsement. It basically said that she has overseen a lot of change in this neighborhood, the biggest and best of which is to be WY...so, why block progress?
ReplyDelete"It basically said that she has overseen a lot of change in this neighborhood, the biggest and best of which is to be WY...so, why block progress?"
ReplyDeleteCome election time, Ald. Shiller likes to say "Look at all the progress and gentrification that's happened while I've been alderman!"
What she fails to say is that she's opposed all of it. And that it's happened in spite of her, not because of her.
The "Bad Apples" comment is priceless! And much more indicative of the truth about how she feels about her constituents who don't consider her their savior.
Congrats to UU!
ReplyDeleteI haven't caught on to the "bench" but I stopped reading the "broken heart" when he published video and pictures of dead pets
To "One who flew over..."
ReplyDeleteThank you for your answer! Hope someone in power will read that.
3,212 blog visits to Uptown Update today as of 7:02pm.
ReplyDeleteWow!
Way to go, UU. I bet the Chicago Tribune would like to have those stats with a constituency this small. Guess you can't get that unless you report what the people want to hear about and provide them with ways to connect to enact change.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, March 25, was our best reader day ever. We had 4,166 hits. Thanks to everyone.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work. Glad you got some traffic out of it!
ReplyDelete