A reader sends in the following photo and info:"Noticed this woman in the neighborhood a lot lately. She has decided she is staying put this time in front of the Jewel (at Broadway and Montrose). Even setting up her own table and getting comfy.
Aren't there laws about this sort of thing? I have watched as cop after cop and even several fire trucks returning from a call passing her by. Only in Uptown are these registered voters treated this way. She is sitting at a very busy intersection where lots of cars are speeding by her. If someone happens to lose control she is inches from the curb. This is a bad scenario waiting to happen."
Hopefully someone has called the police by now. If you haven't noticed.... the police will continue to do nothing in uptown until we take action! It is called loitering and she needs to move along!
ReplyDeleteThe same thing is happening on the Clarendon/Broadway split by the boarded up brownstone.
ReplyDeleteI bet if I set up a photo/art studio on the sidewalk, I would get asked to leave.
Why do you guys hate small business owners?
ReplyDeleteEspecially at that intersection, where people are too oblivious to realize the fact that though they barely need to turn the wheel they're still turning a corner. Near misses happen about every thirty seconds. If I didn't have bright blue hair, I'm sure I would have been run over by now. How does anyone else make it across alive?
ReplyDeleteThough I've seen cars swerving here too many times to count, I don't think I've ever seen one go up onto the sidewalk. The woman will probably be safe. Because that's your main concern -- her safety. Right? She should probably move back against the fence where I saw her the other day, problem solved.
But maybe she moved because she was blocking the sidewalk? In the photo above she is not. I don't know the specific laws that apply in Chicago, but if she is no longer in the way, I'm not sure that this is illegal. All of the stuff, especially if she's selling it (I'd assume so?) -- but sitting/sleeping on the sidewalk is fine AFAIK.
If there was/is a law I doubt it would stand if challenged (shouldn't stand, in any case). All I'm pulling up on Google through a quick search is something about an old dude camping on the sidewalk in Naperville...
Jackie, simply loitering is not illegal.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think it's called homelessness.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone sees her there again, please call 911 for a wellness check. Action is good, but act out of love. "Moving along" doesn't exactly address the issue.
Caught it the other day as well. Sent a photo in to UU. Is this what Helen has in mind when being for "the people?" Are "the people" better off today than their parents and grandparents who worked hard were?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I want to know how Helen's politics work? How does she look herself in the mirror and say THESE PEOPLE ARE BETTER with me in their lives?
What skill has she offered them? What training have they excepted? She gives them methadone, and the promise that they won't be disturbed while they slowly kill themselves with no discretion towards others.
Maybe I am cynical, but there has to be a better way to get people on their feet. In fact, there are places like Inspiration Corp who do just that. They teach people skills, not reliance. While Helen feels she gives these people freedom, she doesn't give them knowledge and without knowledge they will never free themselves.
CFD isn't aloud to just grab people, unless you display that you are a danger to yourself or have intent to hurt others we have no legal right to take someone without their consent it's called kidnapping if we do. Truck 22, Ambulance 31, Engine 83 are extremely busy serving this community. A simple stove fire would become an extra alarm if we just went around freelancing and doing other agencies work. This is a police matter they will have Fire toned out if necessary....that's how that works. If someone looked like they were in distress then we'd definetly stop. And no napping at the bus stop doesn't constitute distress.
ReplyDeleteYou would think there would be a number of local social service agencies that could send a representative out to discuss with this woman alternatives to setting up on the street. Hello Cornerstone??? Can you see this and help out.
ReplyDeleteThe real shame for Alderman Shiller is this. She became Alderman in 1988. Here we are 22 years later. Suppose this had happened instead... Alderman Shiller and the 46th ward could have taken a powerful role in showing the rest of the city how a mixed income, mixed race community works well for everyone. Alderman Shiller could have taken a leadership role fighting gang violence and drugs that lead to death, broken homes, crime and a whole host of other ills. Alderman Shiller could have said to her low income constituants get out of gangs, get out of drugs and get into a better, more healthy life. And we'd love to have you live in Uptown's amazing public housing where your children can freely play outside without worry of violence.
For the last 22 years she's missed many chances to be a leader for all her constituants, especially those less fortunate.
Yep, the lowest common denominator up here...I wish her well, but this is the scenario that our Alderman seems to thrive on, up here.
ReplyDeleteThe perverse irony, is that the 46th pushes for MILLIONS of tax payer money on unwanted tainted castles in the sky, yet lets her 'people' wallow in the street.
Send lawyers, guns, and money.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing we can do is call 311 and ask that the Department of Human Services (DHS) send a van to interview her. Give the exact address and the time of day she camps out and describe the situation.
ReplyDeleteDHS will send out a team of professionals who will try everything they can to get her some help and get her off the street into a safer situation. They will document their interaction with the individual and keep a record.
I've done this before with another individual and it took a few visits from DHS but eventually it worked. There were enough enticements like fresh food, cold water and the offer of a shower and a warm bed were enough to get him off the street and into a better situation.
Please call 311. Thanks.
Sassy, calling 911, because a homeless woman is sitting on a sidewalk, is an abuse of the service. 911 is reserved for life and death emergencies. And since the police department is stretched to its limit, I can certainly understand why police officers are ignoring her.
ReplyDeleteInstead of treating that woman like she is a "thing" that needs to be removed, why don't one of you concerned citizens approach her like she is a human being, and ask her if she needs help.
2:46 AM - Actually 911 is for more than "life or death emergencies".
ReplyDeleteIt's for any crime. Someone selling crack on the corner is not "life or death" but certainly merits a call to 911.
Or, someone breaking into a car... you get the drift
Forget the safety aspect, it a damn eye sore.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing we can do is call 311 and ask that the Department of Human Services (DHS) send a van to interview her. Give the exact address and the time of day she camps out and describe the situation.
ReplyDeleteDHS will send out a team of professionals who will try everything they can to get her some help and get her off the street into a safer situation. They will document their interaction with the individual and keep a record.
I've done this before with another individual and it took a few visits from DHS but eventually it worked. There were enough enticements like fresh food, cold water and the offer of a shower and a warm bed were enough to get him off the street and into a better situation.
Please call 311. Thanks.
June 25, 2010 3:14 AM
I believe this is the right thing to do. She was out there in all of those bad storms, soaked and just sitting there. She needs help. She has a mountain of stuff around her, but no umbrella.
"Sassy, calling 911, because a homeless woman is sitting on a sidewalk, is an abuse of the service."
ReplyDeleteCalling and stating that it is a "non-emergency call" is perfectly fine. Abuse of the service? Last time I checked EVERYONE of my cell phone bills had a service charge (TAX) of $2.50 for 911 service. So I will "ABUSE" this service that I am paying for when I see fit.
Now 246AM, I look forward to seeing the new updated pictures of this woman after she moves in with you.
This post doesn't treat this woman like a "thing." From my vantage point I see people expecting more from this woman BECAUSE she is human. Your and Helen's philosophy is to leave her be on the street like an animal and left to the dangerous elements of Uptown. Real Righteous.
@Abhay - what did anyone say about small business owners?
ReplyDelete@Sassy - I had to dial 311 the other day due to a taxi issue but noticed there is an option for 'Wellness check' via 311 (meaning no ned to tie up the 911 emergency lines)
If you call Helens office the responce you get is call 311. Seems like all our city officals really have no intererst in making Uptown safe and healthy. We really need a change when election time is here.
ReplyDeleteThe Department of Human Services once told me that they wished people would stop feeding the homeless on the street because it serves as a disincentive to get help. I find that what motivates some people is not the hope for something nice, but rather the avoidance of pain. That's why fewer people choose to sleep on the sidewalk during the cold winter months. It's painful to be out in the cold.
ReplyDeleteAvoiding the pain of hunger can be a real motivator to get help too. So if this woman refuses help, I'm fine with it. That also means I won't help her either.
i feel like the trolls are coming out on this site with the election approaching...
ReplyDelete311 said they do not send DHS out to do stuff like that. She offered to transfer me to the police.
ReplyDeleteSomeone should direct her to Ald. Shiller's office. Shiller will give her a brand new $400K condo at Wilson Yard and she wont have to be homeless anymore.
ReplyDelete2:46 AM - I realize you haven't been here in a while, so you don't realize that things have changed.
ReplyDelete311 is for filing reports.
911 is when you need a police officer to do something at that moment.
This is what the police tell us at every CAPS meeting. They prioritize the calls. Obviously if there's a shooting or a robbery, they put that at the top of the list.
But we are encouraged to call 911 if we need an officer.
Did you even read what I said, two46? I clarified that she was homeless, not loitering. I stated that people should act but act out of love. I stated that asking her to move along doesn't solve the problem. What the heck?
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen her there but if I had I might have gently asked her if she'd like some help getting to a shelter. However, every single time I have ever done that the result has never been "Oh, thank goodness! I was just waiting for some good samaritan to come along and point me to the nearest shelter!"
People on the street know where the warming/cooling centers are and they know where to get a meal. The problem is for some reason or other those places are not doing it for them. In short, there is usually a reason why a person is camped out on the street. Thus, what will encourage this woman to move someplace more appropriate for herself and others will be complicated. It will be something more than "hey honey can I help you carry your stuff over to the UBC?" Maybe she has been there for the last month but was asked to leave because she couldn't follow the rules. Maybe she got into a fight with one of the other women there. Maybe she just needs to get her drink on because it is a bad time of year for her. Who knows. To your point about seeing people as people, I think it is imperative that we all recognize that she is making choices just like we all are. (NOTE: I am NOT saying she is making/has made a choice to be homeless!) If you start from a place where you assume that she is making decisions (by virtue of her being a thinking human being) then you better realize that there will be no quick solutions. You don't survive on the streets without willpower and some ideas about what you are going to do. So, what is needed in this situation is the help of someone trained to address this situation, not some harried mom carrying two bags of groceries from Jewel thank-you-very-much!!
I am sorry you disagree but the appropriate response is to trigger the (abysmal) official social service apparatus that we have. Then, the appropriate follow-up is to donate time or money to a homeless shelter, food pantry, etc., and get LOUD and ANGRY. Productive or not, I think part of what this blog is doing is the LOUD and ANGRY part. Right now, the criticism that our social service solutions are not working is falling on deaf ears. It is my hope that things will change in the near future...
With regard to when it is appropriate to call 911. I almost think that this deserves a separate post on this blog.
ReplyDeleteA good rule of thumb to consider when you come across a situation that merits a call for service from the city.
Will the presence of a Police Officer, or Fire Fighter, make a difference? Is the event that is the catalyst for the call in progress or did it just occur? If so call 911.
Calling 911 for the woman camped out on the street is entirely appropriate. It is happening at the moment and the presence of an officer making a well being check could make a difference.
Calling 911 to report graffiti a day after it happened is not appropriate. Calling 911 to report your car was broken into the next morning is also not appropriate. For these types of calls use 311.
Did anyone see the man and woman passed out on the sidewalk this afternoon on the north side of Wilson between Malden and Magnolia?
ReplyDeleteThought about taking a pic, but...
Tried calling 311...They directed me to 911...Received some attitude about not checking myself to see whether they were sleeping, unconscious or dead...
I'm usually more sensitive than this, but having to walk around them on a narrow stretch of sidewalk in the middle of the afternoon was enough of a headache without taking a chance that they would be civil if I started asking questions.
I'm usually more sensitive than this, but having to walk around them on a narrow stretch of sidewalk in the middle of the afternoon...
ReplyDeleteCan't help feeling reminded of a certain parable...
Just a question: those of you who think stuff like this happens "only in Uptown" have you actually been outside of Uptown? Cause I see somewhat similar stuff (not exact, but similar) in Wrigleyville in terms of loitering, homeless people being around aimlessly at times. This is not an endorsement of this woman, but I just wonder if some of you have even seen life outside of Uptown. I know images like these on UU often become photographic indictments of the "failed" social services in and "failed" social experiment of Uptown as I've heard said on here repeatedly--what experiment that is, I'm still not quite clear. If it is economic and racial diversity, well, all I know is growing up in Uptown caused me to have a broader view of the world and greater openness to difference in people and a ability to be empathetic, not to crime or criminals, but to a lot of different people trying to do good, do what's right, and for the most part just live their lives, and doing so in relative peace.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, these kinds of photos bug me because while people say it's about identifying a person in need of help (and maybe sometimes it is) more often it's just to use them as a symbol of Shiller's "failed experiment." AS long as you continue to have such a myopic view of what's going on in the city, your complaints about Uptown's "eyesores" will continue to sound like the rumblings and grumblings of people who just resent that people like "that" are still in the neighborhood. Guess what, in this city, people like "that" are all over, even in places where you may assume they are not. This to me is not about having low expectations for Uptown, it's about being realistic and less simplistic in trying to figure out the problem so we can figure out a solution.
She has been moving up and down sheridan for the past few weeks. I've passed her several times walking to the gym from Leland/Sheridan down to Broadway/Halsted.
ReplyDeleteUptown Writer. Yes there are homeless and people begging for money in Wrigleyville. It usually is up to the 46th ward boundries. Other wards are not as sympathetic and certainly not allowing "campers" on the sidewalks. The mayor even gated lower Wacker Dr. to stop the homeless from camping.
Well Toucan, you might be a better person than I am...
ReplyDeleteHow would you deal with two passed out people blocking your path home from work?
Should I have ignored them without calling 911 for a well-being check? Should I have tried to wake them and move them along myself? Should I have asked them if they needed help, even though I have no help to personally give?
And yea, having to see two people passed out in the middle of the afternoon on the sidewalk is a headache. Why? Because it's heartbreaking. How so? You can start with what might lead two people to such a state and finish with the fact that despite the social services available to them, it's not enough to get them to make healthier choices.
And no, Uptown Writer, this isn't just an Uptown problem, or even an urban problem. Yet, it's apparently one that no one knows how, or is willing to invest what's necessary, to solve.
She has been taken to Weiss Hosp.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you suppose would happen if she camped out on the sidewalk in front of Shiller's house?
ReplyDeleteToucan... such a good analogy. Makes me wince to think of all the times I should have been the good samaritan and instead walked past like the Levite and the priest.
ReplyDelete"You can start with what might lead two people to such a state and finish with the fact that despite the social services available to them, it's not enough to get them to make healthier choices."
40-50% of US homeless are mentally ill. Unfortunately, it's not always about choices.
And even more disturbing, 40% of homeless men are veterans. Thank you for risking your life and your wellbeing for our freedom! Now stop camping out on the streets and pissing on my lawn!... We love to wave the flag and show our support until they are home and desperately need help and assistance for things like PTSD.
But I'm sure all of this is Helen's fault anyway.