OK, here it is. Have a look, decide for yourself if he answered the questions to your satisfaction. It's been a long day and I am going to chew on this for a while and post my comments tomorrow.
Thank you for writing to me. You raised many good issues.
What we need is a representative who truly wants to be an advocate for us. Attention to local, not global, issues will be the hallmark of everything I will do as 49th Ward Alderman. Here’s my thoughts about your questions:
“I would like to know; 1) how Mr. Gordon intends to deal with the gangbangers who feel confident enough to threaten civic minded individuals like Craig Gernhardt. See this post http://morsehellhole.blogspot.com/2006/10/hey-cameraman-were-gunna-getcha-ya.html”
Threats to the quality of life we expect to enjoy in Rogers Park deserve attention, not neglect. The concern you raise here clearly relates to crime and public safety. You may not know that people are now getting prison time as a result of such Internet threats. Anyone who receives threats of violence via the Internet should report them to their Internet Service Provider and contact the police – the only entities capable of identifying the person making such threats. No civic-minded individual should hesitate to make a formal complaint about it.
2) what specific ideas he has for cleaning up the Block buildings on Morse and Lunt, and ensuring that affordable housing does not equate to crime-ridden housing
The vast majority of Rogers Park’s landlords and building managers strive to maintain quality housing here. I agree with your concern about the longstanding issues at the now-infamous apartment buildings on Morse and Lunt. We know that there also are others buildings in our community where gangbanging and drug dealing are commonplace. I hope the majority of our neighbors understand that affordable housing does not mean crime-ridden housing. The issue is not about poor people but about poor management.
The lion’s share of responsibility to address these issues rests with the property owner. As far as I’m concerned, even one apartment building here with negligent management is one too many. Unfortunately, we’ve only seen evidence that the current alderman is more concerned about protecting these property owners than ensuring the safety and peace of mind our residents deserve.
My plan to deal with the plague of poor apartment management in our community begins with attention. I will initiate a high level of aldermanic scrutiny to attack the problem, combined with coordinated attention by city inspection services, the police, and the Cook County State’s Attorney. We will establish a “Dirty Dozen” list of problem buildings based on citizen complaints, police reports, and 911 records. Efforts to tackle each building will be maintained for public review in our new 49th Ward Community Service Center office and on our web site.
After we identify problem buildings, some property owners will respond appropriately when I call them to offer my support in the work to clean-up their buildings. I will insist that they be vigilant about tenant screening, ongoing maintenance, and building security. They must make police reports and sign complaints against problem tenants. It is certain that others will need “the stick” of law enforcement and rigorous building inspections applied. If I need to support our community by testifying in Eviction Court, I will be there. If I need to participate in Criminal Court proceedings, I will be there. If I need to leverage the city’s powers to force these buildings into receivership, I’ll do that too.
My goal – through attention, targeted action, and follow-up – is to raise the standard in housing management in our ward. I will not tolerate the neglect that makes life miserable for the law abiding residents who live in these troubled buildings and their neighbors. I’ll do what’s necessary to maintain and promote apartment housing as an asset, rather than a liability, in our neighborhood.
3) what specific ideas he has for bringing retail business to Morse, Sheridan and Howard Streets that amounts to more than additional dollar stores. I shop in the Loop and Evanston because there is no reason to shop in RP aside from Dominicks in Gateway because I can walk to it.
The glut of dollar stores in our community points to the need for focused attention, vision, and work invested to meet our need for quality goods, services, and jobs – in the 49th Ward. Long ago, the U. S. Census and other studies (even Starbucks’ own market assessment) documented that our residents spend millions of dollars a year everywhere but here. We go to Andersonville, Edgewater, and Evanston to purchase what we can’t find here.
Besides not attracting the diverse array of businesses we need and expect, the current alderman compounds the problem by not giving attention to creating a safe and pedestrian-friendly climate for new business growth.
I plan to lead renewal of our economic and commercial development climate and create new opportunities:
1) I will pay serious attention to addressing public safety (such as a push for police foot patrols), neighborhood cleanliness, and support for business licensing and permits as priority activities for my work in this area
2) I will personally reach out to recruit the types of small businesses and entrepreneurs that have made Andersonville (not Morse Avenue) our shopping destination. This will include advocating for more help from the city departments (especially Planning and Development, and Business Affairs and Licensing) that play a role in business development support, as well as the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce (their Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center connects entrepreneurs with the resources and advice they need to grow), the Illinois Restaurant Association, and groups such as Local First Chicago that advocates for small business versus national chains.
3) Involve residents in ongoing decisionmaking and creating a long-term vision with implementation plans for the future of Clark, Morse, Howard, Sheridan Road and other commercial strips in our ward.
4) Install a true Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce that actually works to support business growth and development, and which will assist me in business recruitment and planning efforts
4) what specific ideas he has to assist the homeless, including those who use Loyola Park as their sleeping quarters and those who continually solicit help at the Howard El.
If home is an apartment without basic utilities—or a public park—that is unacceptable in the richest nation in the world. As 49th Ward alderman I will pay attention and address these long ignored issues.
My plan is to marshal all of our resources — from city and state government to private social service agencies — to step up to the plate with help and intervention for our most vulnerable residents.
My 49th Ward Community Service Office will bring together public and private sector resources to assist the needy. Our city’s human services must target the homeless in our parks, help them get emergency and permanent housing, medical and mental health care, and even job training and placement. I would work with groups like Inspiration Corporation to bring jobs and training to our community—not just handouts—so these residents can remain here and develop stable, productive lives.
5) what specific ideas he has to work with CTA and the city to improve the El stops in RP. I use Loyola because it is safer than the rest and doesn't smell as bad. Jarvis is closer to my residence but is a public urinal. Howard is on a street with very little to recommend it as a safe venue for walking home.
Even after it’s built, the new Howard El station will smell bad (people around the city use CTA stations as toilets) and be an unsafe place if we continue to allow neglect of maintenance and security. Again, the solution revolves around aldermanic attention. I will advocate on behalf of our needs with the CTA to address these issues. The technology exists to electronically monitor CTA stairwells that are both dangerous and being used as urinals. The CTA must be prodded to aggressively prosecute those who victimize riders and foul our stations. Better accountability for performance by their police force and station staff, an enhanced cleaning schedule, and more attention by our 24th District Chicago Police to transit station areas will be on my advocacy agenda as alderman.
I look forward to meeting you to discuss these issues in more depth and to listen to your ideas on solutions. In the meantime, feel free to share my response with your neighbors.
Sincerely, Don Gordon, www.dongordon.org
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