Update: We encourage all of our readers to go to this link to send a message to Public Storage Corporate and let them know that chronic loitering, drinking, and threatening acts are not tolerable.We received this email from a resident who, along with most of Uptown, is fed up with the constant loitering that takes place at Public Storage on Broadway. The email is also a reminder to continue calling 911 when you see this activity:
"I am a concerned neighbor who lives close to the Public Storage at 4036 N. Broadway. We have a serious loitering problem at this location of individuals with extensive violent criminal records. They are often threatening to women who walk by and often times are observed abusing substances. Although men still loiter in this location it has improved due to work from community members and area businesses that have installed cameras and pressed criminal charges. However, last Friday I walked past the location with my dog and spotted open alcohol containers. I called 911 and gave a description of those who I had seen drinking. On Saturday I happened to walk by this location again and about 7 men were hanging out there and started to yell at me calling me “CAPS” because “You always call the police on us." Never mind that they appear to break the law almost on an hourly basis. I thought little of what was said until one of the men started to make specific threats on how he knew I lived in the area and was going to find me and make sure I could not call 911 again. Well, I walked away and called 911. The police came to my home in about 12 min and took me to look for this gentleman. As we were looking I was told that indeed there were several tickets that were issued for public drinking the day before. We did not find the gentleman but a description was given and I am sure he will return to the location in the next day or two. I am sending this info to Uptown Update because as in many other locations of Uptown people seem to think that because at one time public drinking, drug use, prostitution, and public violence was more accepted it still will be allowed to take place. I am telling anyone who will listen that as long as I live in Uptown I WILL NOT TOLERATE IT. It has been a difficult journey over my past 4 years in the area but so much has changed for the positive because many community members will not allow these types of antisocial behaviors to take place without a positive reaction. The fact that these men regularly make angry statements at community members they know are active in calling the police tells me they realize the neighborhood has changed and it makes them angry. Please, when you see this type behavior make sure you are safe but then call 911 and demand that a complaint is taken and attend court if you need to. Court advocacy will attend with you to support your courage. It really angers these men to be held accountable. I know it is all to easy to become discouraged but every call to 911 does make a difference in these problem locations."
i call 911 all the time and never see the cops come and those guys are there day in and day out. do they need to just assign a cop to stand there all day or what? its a joke. how can these guys be allowed to come back day after day? even google maps street view has them LOL! i remember those bums hastling me when I went to rent some equipment from U-Haul. left with it as they tried to run after my car. i called cops. they still were there when i came back an hour later to return my equipment. maybe they need one of those blue light cameras right there to keep the riff raff away.
ReplyDeletei'm sure public storage would like to hear your comments as well. make sure to drop them a line here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.publicstorage.com/Corporateinformation/CustomerServiceForm.aspx
it'd be nice for them take some accountability......loitering like this occurs because a business allows it.
Buena Park Neighbors has had a task force that has already tried a number of things. We requested menu money to put a gardening bed on the outside edge of the sidewalk and we had a group of Boy Scouts who would maintain it. That way they could be charged with blocking the public way if they were loitering on the sidewalk. Ald. Shiller told us there were no funds available. We've done some positive loitering and engaged the men there who said they wanted work. They were given referrals to assist them with permanent employment but none of them ever followed up. We learned that a furniture store down the block was calling them to help move furniture and had the police go to the store to discourage it. We've had letters sent to the main headquarters of U-Haul. We tried getting police cameras and that's still a work in progress. I met with all the store owners in the area and they all eagerly signed a petition stating they wanted this problem addressed. The police still go by and do what they can but they can't do much. We did get U-Haul to put up fencing but they don't lock up the entrance at night because of truck returns. They now close the trucks up so that has made it more difficult for the prostitutes in the area. U-Haul is also suppose to now be giving out fliers to their customers that discourage hiring these men.
ReplyDeleteIt is against the law to do what they're doing without a peddler's license, but the only person who can make the complaint is the one who is asked by these guys if he or she wants to hire them.
This problem has existed for over 20 years and honestly, we have never had real support from Ald. Shiller to address this problem with the release of funds for a police camera or a garden. For now, one of the best things is to get people to walk their dogs on a frequent basis there and call 911 every time they see public drinking.
James, I know I'm speaking for the majority of Uptown when I say, THANK YOU. You do MORE for Uptown than Alderman Shiller on countless issues. Your work is greatly appreciated. You figured out long ago that if you want something done, you have to work around the roadblocks.
ReplyDeleteOk - Time to rain on the parade a little, but I do have a solution. The suggestion to write into this public company via website will not get you very far. Being on the receiving end of a forture 50 company via customers writing in through the website. Most likely, the person receiving this is a level one employee or contractor(not very exciting and it will go no where). To get to the Executive staff that opens the CEO's mail. You have to write a letter through the mail. Think of it this way - No pain, no gain. If you don't take the time to mail in a letter - They don't think you are serious. So - If you want to get some attention. Write this guy (CEO) at this address.
ReplyDeleteMr. Ronald L. Havner Jr., 49
Vice Chairman, Chief Exec. Officer, Pres and Chairman of the Board of Directors PSB
Public Storage
701 Western Avenue
Glendale, CA 91201-2349
United States - Map
Not many people go this route anymore, but when a customer does - They get plenty of attention. If you want to go even further. Send it certified mail. You will get a phone call from corporate for sure + it will be a very talented employee that has to log your complaint and give you a solution(over the phone no less). Good luck!
Wow Stankie, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI will mail this on my way home!
ReplyDeleteSeptember 29, 2008
Dear Mr. Havner,
I am writing to you regarding a property that your company owns at 4036 N. Broadway in Chicago, IL. Many of us who live in the neighborhood have had extensive problems with the loitering, public intoxication, drug dealing and prostitution that take place on a regular basis outside this location. Local businesses, the police and neighbors who live in the area have met on many occasions to discuss the problem. However, public storage has refused to be part of the solution. I wanted to make you aware of the problem and ask for your help directly sense the local employees do not seem motivated to help create any change.
The community is demanding help from your company because your property is the closest to the problem and has permitted it to take place for years without any intervention. I would love to discuss the problem in more detail with you at your convince. I have lived around the corner from this property for over 4 years and I can attest that it takes place every single day of the year. There have been more arrests in and around this location then any other place in our police beat. Each month at our community meeting with the police we discuss the problem for at least half of the meeting. What ideas can you offer so that we can find a solution to this problem?
Uptownveg,
ReplyDeleteThe letter looks pretty good, however, make sure to change the word "convince" to "convenience"; change "sense" to "since" and capitalize the company name Public Storage.
I am not trying to be picky, but have those little items correct says a lot to the reader.
Uptownveg...
ReplyDeleteAn additional edit "There have been more arrests in and around this location then any other place in our police beat." Change "then" to "than".
Thank you for making people more aware of this issue. I see these guys all the time and it's irritating and makes me feel unsafe in my neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteAnother way to get Public Storage's attention is to contact their PR rep: Clemente Teng at 818-244.8080. I found this contact on press releases posted on their Web site. I can imagine that Public storage would not want this type of negative publicity for their business.
One thing that might help is to boycott public storage until they take more of an aggressive action towards the men who harass & intimidate the people of the neighborhood.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we can have someone from a local newspaper contact the PR Dept. as well in relation to a story on the issue.
ReplyDeleteFYI I sent an email to the folks at Public Storage and received a response back, saying that the complaints are being investigated by their Chicago Field Office.
ReplyDeleteI did ask the email recipient to escalate the issue to whoever has enough authority in this location to deal with it.
I agree though, writing a paper letter to the top is the best way to get attention.