Fresh off a week spent repairing and repainting the DuSable Lake Shore Drive underpass at Wilson, on Tuesday evening there was yet another fire in the tents that are now a permanent fixture there.
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| Screen capture from a video posted to the Citizen App |
This is a tragedy that's just waiting to happen, and the City just keeps slapping new coats of paint on the problem and looking the other way.
- What will it take for the City to adhere to its own laws that prohibit people from camping in the underpasses because it is dangerous and illegal?
- How many homeless individuals will have to be injured or die terrible deaths to get the City to pay attention?
- Will the Drive have to collapse due to damage for the City to start paying attention?
It is also a tragedy that existing CHA units sit empty while people are homeless. And the alderpersons, the City departments, and the past and current mayoral administrations all look the other way and pretend it's just not happening.
More white paint and magical thinking will solve everything, right?
To remind readers, the Chief Bridge Engineer of the City of Chicago said this in September 2022 after one of the previous fires:
"Please note that the life of this bridge has dramatically been reduce [sic] because of these fires.... But if these fires continue the structure will be compromise [sic] and we may need to close it."
Thanks to reader PA who sent these photos of the fire's aftermath this morning.
P.S. There were two more fires in April and May that we didn't even report!
During my last month in public office, I sponsored an ordinance that requires the City of Chicago to utilize the 7 point plan for addressing encampments as outlined by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. What I like most about the plan is that involves those living under the viaducts to participate in the process once it's been assessed that an encampment site is deemed dangerous to anyone.
ReplyDeleteThe Fire Department and CDOT have explained to me that it's dangerous, but the Dept. of Family and Support Services and the Mayor's Office don't agree with that assessment. All are in agreement, however, that work should be done to get people into housing with wrap-around services. My concern is this site will always have new people arrive to this encampment site as others there move to permanent housing with wrap-around services.
If a fire sets off multiple propane tanks that are stored inside the tents, the explosions could close down DLSD. As it appears right now, it's no longer if someone gets killed, it's now when. When that occurs, the City will be faced with a lawsuit that will also entail punitive damages due to their lack of action that's been documented.
Alderman, canyou please write the President of the Council and the mayor about this? Obviously the current alderman isn't listening.
DeleteThe mayor is incompetent, the alder woman is a stooge…it will take somebody dying and the resultant publicity for something to get done. Both of those horrors must be voted out of office. Cappleman had done a yeoman’s job of getting uptown to live up to it’s potential. Now we have this shiller shil.
DeleteYet, another reason you are missed, Mr. Cappleman.
DeleteI don't understand why there aren't spikes or barriers on the underpass sidewalks. They're on the montrose underpass; correct? maybe a volunteer group can put some big huge planters down the sidewalks. Why wait for the city to do it>?
ReplyDeleteMontrose is a single span structure - you have vertical abutments at both sides, and beneath is one boxy area - there is no hostile architecture installed, it's just 4 lanes of traffic, curb to curb with two 6 ft. sidewalks. It isn't amenable to tents the way that 3 spans over Lawrence and Wilson are.
DeleteAdditional steel or concrete posts should be installed on the sidewalks under each viaduct that will only allow people to pass through on foot in both directions. The width of walkway should also meet ADA requirements to accommodate people who are in wheelchairs and families using baby strollers. There should not be sufficient space for tents or any type of encampment to be erected under the viaducts that allow for unsanitary and dangerous conditions.
ReplyDeleteIf the viaducts are no longer a viable place that offer shelter from the weather elements, perhaps those in need will be more inclined to seek appropriate and available services.
For decades, the 46th Ward has provided significant support resources to those in need - more so than any other Ward. Perhaps it's time to start assessing taxes to other non-participating Wards and reallocate those resources to the 46th Ward. And in turn, property tax incentives should be provided to homeowners and businesses who choose to live and work in our 46th Ward while other Wards resist to acknowledge and assist with this growing crisis.
Miss Alderman Cappleman already!
ReplyDeleteAngela Clay is the lazy idiot we all knew she was. She’s in bed with horrid Schiller.
ReplyDeleteTime to throw her azz out in the street….completely worthless!
DeleteI'd like to know who voted for her???
DeleteI can't speak for Ald. Clay, but I ran into plenty of obstacles with trying to eliminate the use of propane tanks under DLSD and the problem didn't go away while I was in office. This issue goes way beyond what a City Council member can do.
ReplyDeleteOne important element is to focus on outcomes; all interventions should be measured and tweaked to make sure we're accomplishing the goal of getting people housed sooner rather than later, and that can only happen when there's a coordinated effort with the unhoused person's case manager closely involved. The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness spells out the way to do that, and cities that rely on their expertise have produced results.
Also, as it stands now, the City of Chicago still has no clear parameters on what are the specific line items that would indicate an encampment needs to be relocated to a safer spot. CDOT and the Fire Department have told me it's dangerous to have encampments under the viaducts, but other City departments and the Mayor's Office have not accepted their assessments. However, when someone is injured or killed, a judge will go along with CDOT and the Fire Department, and punitive damages will follow.
Getting the "homeless" and unhoused into housing is a no-brainer. If we can pay vacant property owners of commercial buildings millions of dollars, then convert that commercial bldg into Micro apartments for migrants, we can do it for anybody that needs a home. How much would it cost the city to buy those vacant warehouses and buildings populating the west side? THEN, take a crew and rehab it. It's doable. But as with othe things, it's low priority. I was watching a youtube videos about a low-income 1) Germany's "NON-CAPITALISM SOLUTION" to the Housing Crisis 2)Co-living trend helps renters save hundreds monthly
ReplyDeleteThere are hundreds of projects across the US that are low-rent.
Homeless, what homeless? We block club leaders lived through the city's "10 year plan to end homelessness" Just Wait. Just give us ten years. Just be patient. It will take 10 years but we will get it done. Just another stalling technique. I remember the harmless homeless men that murdered my neighbor walking to Weiss. I remember the homeless man that shoved my 9 month pregnant neighbor backwards down the stairs. I remember the homeless men who played with a little girl in the park, putting their fingers up her vagina as they shoved her up and down in a park tree. Oh, but they are harmless I am told.
ReplyDelete