July 6
Three members of the five-member Illinois Pollution Control Board were present at a meeting and voted to approve several motions unanimously. The board accepted the filing of a petition contesting an administrative citation of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) against the Robert C. Crowder Trust, the Mary E. McClelland Trust, and Max McClelland. The citation stated that the owners allowed open dumping of waste, resulting in litter and open burning in connection with the demolition of a house reported by an IEPA inspector. The board authorized the reimbursement of $20,054 in legal fees to Parker’s Gas & More, Inc., by the IEPA. The board approved a settlement of $5,000 by the BP AM PM Gas Station, without BP admitting violations, in connection with the station failing to properly test vapor emissions and to provide pollution reports.
July 10
At its meeting the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability 8th Police District Council–Chicago Lawn took questions about the treatment of migrants being housed in police stations. The meeting took place just days after there were reports that police officers were being investigated for having improper sexual relations with immigrants sleeping in police stations. In response, at the meeting, Chair Jason Huff said the council is trying to support the process to expedite work visas and will try to provide an update at next month’s meeting. While the misconduct reportedly took place in the 10th police district, a community member said that it should be considered an issue of public safety across the city. CPD Commander Bryan Spreyne said he wants to “improve communication” and “bridge gaps” and encouraged community members to get involved with Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). Community concerns included police response times and the possibility of a community survey being provided in languages other than English.
July 11
During the Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund Board (CLIHTF) meeting, members heard the latest updates on housing data and strategy. A nonprofit that seeks to meet the housing needs of Chicago’s lowest income residents, at the end of the first quarter the CLIHTF had 2,815 units nearly evenly split between the South and North Sides, with a smaller proportion on the West Side. A board member said that in the future, the trust fund should collect data on landlords and tenants lost as well as those gained. The trust fund provides long-term financing for new rental housing for low-income households. One program—Multi-Year Affordability through Upfront Investment—supplies “interest-free forgivable loans” to replace up to fifty percent of a specified type of a developer’s mortgage. Tenants making less than thirty percent of an area’s median income are eligible for CLIHTF units.
July 13
A report delivered at a meeting of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System Finance Committee and Quality & Patient Safety Committee noted that the system’s budget and patient intake operating numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Responding to a surge in overdoses in the county, Chief Recruitment Officer Charles Jones requested an increase of $115,000 in a contract with Lochness Medical Supplies. Lochness provides medical supplies such as testing strips for xylazine (“tranq”), a horse tranquilizer; fentanyl, an opioid; and benzodiazepines (“benzos”) in connection with “harm reduction” practices, according to its website. It offers mobile drug screening services as well. A grant from the federal government covers the contract.
July 15
The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability 3rd Police District Council–Grand Crossing heard concerns, complaints, and public service announcements from community members at its meeting. Grand Crossing, Woodlawn, and South Shore residents voiced concerns over displacement, carjacking, flooding, gentrification and displacement, and an overall lack of communication from police. One resident related an incident in which an individual claiming the rights to her property called police when she resisted. The individual was eventually removed, but the resident said that police officers must be knowledgeable about more than protecting the community in traditional ways: “They need to be educated on property rights.” Alleged lack of access to the district’s calendar prompted five separate community complaints. Preparing community calendars falls to a district’s community organizer, who is generally responsible for facilitating communication between a community and the police as well as planning events. This role has not been filled in the 3rd district since February 2022. Community members want filling the position to be a priority. The council is struggling with basic administrative issues that affect its ability to function, including the lack of a budget. Council members paid for refreshments for the community attendees at this meeting.
July 18
The pace of construction in sixteen housing developments slated to create 1,800 mixed-income apartments has increased, Tracey Scott, CEO of the Chicago Housing Authority told the CHA’s Board of Commissioners at its meeting. Other issues included roaches in some units, the presence of migrants in a parking lot, and one individual landlord, who a community member said has “constantly harassed [his family] to move and threatened” them. Several attendees complained about this landlord. CEO Scott asked the affected residents to meet separately with her staff after the meeting. Cheryl Burns, the CHA’s chief housing choice voucher (HCV) officer, reported that inspection contracts related to HCV, project-based vouchers, public housing, and other programs total about $55 million over five years. With 47,000 vouchers, the CHA program is the second largest in the country. One contract she summarized was for plumbing to replace galvanized steel risers for 134 units at the Maria Diaz Martinez Apartments. Some residents will be temporarily displaced. Another was for a security management information system to track incident reports, visitor management, video for police and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and other services.
This information was collected and curated by the Weekly in large part using reporting from City Bureau’s Documenters at documenters.org.