Started in 2007, [Rev. Steve] Stanley's accidental advocacy has forced him into an uneasy adversarial position. Most recently he has stoked tension by pulling together a coalition of religious organizations and social service providers to push high-rise owners Sam and Don Menetti, who also operate the Green Dolphin Street jazz club and several other popular Chicago bars, to meet with tenants. While Stanley has organized the building's first tenants association, his co-pastor Frank Ward has taken it upon himself to change light bulbs, replace carpet and make other repairs.
The article describes the deteriorating conditions at Lawrence House, and in light of the recent fire there, this brought us particular pause:
Lawrence House also has not yet filed a required blueprint for high-rise safety in the case of a fire. The plan was due in 2006, and the measures it prescribes must be implemented by 2012.
Read about it here. (Photo courtesy Lake Effect News/Lorraine Swanson.)
The Tribune article states "Lawrence House is now one of the few remaining housing developments in Uptown that offers affordable rental units."
ReplyDeleteOne of the few? Really!?!
I think the term "affordable" needs to be defined because its being used quite loosely in this neighborhood.
I agree that these residents should have safe and clean conditions to live in. Perhaps Helen should offer the units at Wilson Yard to the residents of the Lawrence House. I mean, shouldn't we help the current residents of the ward out first?
On a side note, I remember hearing that this building was for sale about two years ago. I'm guessing that's no longer true?
Why don't I see anyone questioning the competence and concern of the various social service agencies that are dumping their patients into an inappropriate home setting for their mental and medical needs? It takes two to tangle and create this mess - 1st and foremost is the social service agency and their reps who GET PAID to make these placements and the landlord that inappropriately accepts them. I wonder how much disclosure is required or given to the landlord about these placement's mental and medical conditions before the lease is signed? Is this another situation where all the parties hide behind the privacy rights of the tenants while making inappropriate placements, without disclosure, that in the end will harm those tenants.
ReplyDeleteThe Tribune story glossed over the story of how a 24 year downstate pastor just "accidentally" ended up as an Uptown housing activist among a long list of other Uptown housing activists, who often have something organizationally to gain from their activism.
ReplyDeleteThe Church Without Walls in Chicago is the infamous Salem Baptist Church with controversial Pastor James Meeks, now State Senator Meeks, presiding. (Yes, the same James Meeks whom Channel 2 political editor, Mike Flannery, profiled in an unflattering report on Meek's use of anti-white and N-word racial language.) Years ago, before he took a hard left turn, James Meeks cut his teeth in Uptown as an assistant pastor and activist at Uptown Baptist Church. Looks like he's back (if he ever truly left) operating with this buddies in another form.
I have looked into Lawrence House a little since the fire took place there a few weeks ago. It appears that they do indeed accept people to live there that have serious mental health issues. However, there is no programming or services for this population. That would be fine if the people suffering from mental illness were able to go out to the community to get the services they need. However, many are not. I am told Lawrence House was much more careful who could live there in the past but more recently they have been accepting more mentally ill to fill rooms. I am also told that some of the residents came there from Somerset Place when it closed. They may not have gotten much structure or treatment at Somerset Place but they will get none here and there is no one working at Lawrence House with any experience working with this population. Remember it was the State of IL that transferred these people to Lawrence House, because they did not need nursing home care anymore. I am wondering who started that fire and what the situation was. I hope it was not set on purpose by a person who needs a lot more structure to make good decisions.
ReplyDeleteWhat is affordable housing these days?
ReplyDeleteIs $527 per bedroom affordable? That is the going rate for my previous apartment in Uptown.
A great deal of Lawrence house residents are affiliated with Thresholds, which connects them to mental health services in the community. Whether they choose to be in compliance with their meds and other treatments, unfortunately, is up to them. From what I see they just choose to smoke crack and limp around the neighborhood all day. Only my opinion, though
ReplyDelete"Truthbearer", i think you are spreading some falsehood.
ReplyDeleteWhen exactly was James Meeks a pastor at Uptown Baptist Church.
As far as I know, the only African American Pastor at UBC was Milton Johnson, who now heads Bread of Life in Uptown.
UBC has had Afircan American pastoral INTERNS. Perhaps you were thinking of Paul Jakes, another activist who has run for mayor.
It is very cartoonish and bizarre to live on Lawrence. What I'm confronted with on a daily basis is so stereotypical and contrived the most hacky writer couldn't come up with something less realistic. People trying to sell something they just stole from their neighbor, in front of the building they stole it from, people with housing claiming they are homeless and panhandling, then climbing into a nice car and leaving, smash and grab-type shoplifting, it's like living in a nightmare around here.
ReplyDeleteCan't think of a clever name,
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct that many mental health agencies seem to have contracts with Lawrence House. Thresholds has continued to advocate that almost all person's suffering from mental health issues need to leave more structured living situations and be discharged to places like Lawrence House. Certainly many people have the insight to remain compliant with treatment. (Getting to appointments, taking their medications regularly and avoid substances) However, what happens to those who do not. How unstable do they become before someone gets them help? There often needs to be intensive follow-up by mental health professionals to make this work type of placement a success. Thresholds is not well know for doing this in my experience. The State of IL wants to remove 5,000 people from nursing home placement and put them in "community placements". Since they don't have any "community placements," or money to build any new ones, I fear they will be relying on places like Lawrence House. Where will all the needed follow-up come from? As UU and the Trib have documented this place is not even close to being up to date on its code violations. They are fortunate there was no loss of life during the fire a few weeks ago.
Isn't there some for profit mental research institute right across the street?
ReplyDeleteJP Paulus, for once you are right. I did confuse the former Uptown Baptist Church pastor, Paul Jakes, with James Meeks. Thanks for the correction to this mind that warehouses over 20 years of Uptown trivia. The rest of the comment is correct, however.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but question why the activists are running to the press when I don't see any complaints about the organizations who are placing those persons there. Nor do I see them complaining to or about the Dept of Buildings, whose job it is to make sure housing is safe in this neighborhood. One would think that following the normal channels for correcting building violations in Chicago would be the first, not the last step.
Sometimes I see those same activists organizations that are complaining about the problem as being involved in creating the problem. And, I often wonder why the Dept of Buildings fails to respond - and actually clears 311 housing violation complaints off the system - without ever visiting the property or making the corrections. Take, for example, the 810 W Grace coop. How many years did that sit there with the exterior walls and windows burned out and boarded up while the city did nothing to enforce the building code complaints? Look at the Wilson's Men's club that still operates as the last cubicle hotel years after many persons died their in the heat wave. How about the Leland Hotel? Who or what keeps that building out of housing court for serious code violations?
It seems that code enforcement in Uptown is relative to who you are and what the powers that be want to happen to your building.
So, I simply think that the facts surrounding this whole Lawrence House story seem a little strange. I am all for safe affordable housing. But why all the press releases? Why not just demand that the Building, Fire, and Health Departments inspect the building and force them into compliance?
truthbearer,
ReplyDeleteAll very good questions.
If you create a neighborhood that encourages low income housing, then the Alderman needs to commit to having staff keep tabs on these buildings. Its not difficult, you visit each building conduct record search and stay on top of it.
ReplyDeleteIs it a lot of work, yes, it is, especially since nothing has been done historically.
This is basic urban Aldermanic duties 101. Its the 21st century we need a modern Alderman who does not live in the 1970's.
As one set of activists work to get mental patients out of institutions into community care --in any community that person chooses--- another set of activists (and social service providers) work to keep those mentally ill persons herded into a small geographic area so that they can control their vote. The activists who believe in concentration hold a fundamental belief that the mentally ill and poor will lose their cumulative power if they are assimilated into the broader community. (And those so called "poverty pimp" politicians who depend on their votes need and want concentration to keep their own political careers.) Particularly in Illinois, the land of legislative gerrymandering, and in the computer age, this makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteYou can see this play out all over Uptown. While the federal housing authorities embraced the Section 8 system to de-concentrate public housing in Chicago,these activists promoted project Section 8 buildings and coops to keep those persons concentrated in certain areas, such as Uptown.
While the Olmsted case has just been used to open all communities to the disabled and mentally ill, these activists work to put all services that those mentally ill persons need in certain areas. Then they do media blitzes to point out that there is not enough low income housing in that concentrated area to service all the clients that they want to place there. Instead, the housing and services should go out to all communities instead of having the disabled and poor relocated to virtual leper colony communities for the disabled and poor.
I hope that Lawrence House and its residents get community support to help it stay a valuable residence alternative to people with limited resources. Please, everyone, realize that it is not easy to find an apartment when you have bad credit and/or do not have first and last month's rent. At LH you can get a one room efficiency apartment for about $600 per month which includes weekly housekeeping service.I visited a resident and found the apartment clean and freshly painted with nice wooden floors. It's decent affordable housing near transportation. Where else can you find such a place to live with the meager circumstances many folks find themselves in? Please support Lawrence House in any way you can. LH is necessary to our great city of Chicago. Its residents need our help and support!!
ReplyDelete