Dear Friends,

In response to feedback from the 43rd and other wards, the Chicago Police Department 19th District has created a new unit dedicated to homelessness. Run by Chicago Police Department Officers Eitel and Higham, who are trained in crisis intervention, the unit keeps our community safe and coordinates with welfare agencies to assist homeless individuals. 

 

Last week, I rode along with Officers Eitel and Higham over part of their route, which covers Lincoln Park, Lakeview and Uptown. Based on 911 calls and community knowledge, they patrol areas where homeless are known to congregate to develop rapport, do outreach and enforce quality of life laws. 

 

Fortunately, in one case when I was with the officers, a man sitting in the park asked for help.  The patient efforts of these officers resulted in the man's successful placement at a Salvation Army rehab center that very day.  I learned the

difficulty some homeless face in getting help, as many do not have the identification required to enter shelters, along with having substance abuse and mental health problems.    The officers have learned to navigate the bureaucratic obstacles and have developed resourceful strategies to help homeless individuals enter shelters and get off the streets. 

 

I look forward to collaborating with Officers Eitel and Higham. If you would like to report an issue with homeless individuals in our neighborhood, call 911 or 312-744-0064 (19th District Community Policing).

 

Ald. Smith with Officers Eitel and Higham

 

Legislation under review by Governor Quinn will prohibit condominium associations from including special assessments, chargebacks, and limit a condominium association's ability to collect late fees, attorney's fees or court costs, from third-party purchasers following a foreclosure. The total amount that can be collected may never exceed 9 months of regular assessments. The end results in most cases would have associations receiving less repayment than under the current statutory scheme. Less repayment means more fees for unit owners.

Join me to march in the annual Pride Parade, which will take place on Sunday, June 29th.  The parade will certainly be a celebration of marriage equality, now the law in Illinois.