South Shore residents in Chicago are taking a stand against crime and the rising number of squatters causing trouble near 70th and South Merrill. City officials met with locals on Thursday to discuss their complaints about boarded-up apartments in the area becoming hotspots for illegal activities. Neighbors are particularly worried about the impact on children, given the city’s failure to enforce ordinances meant to prevent crime near schools.
Dianne Hodges, leader of the South Merrill Community Garden, expressed the community’s frustration. “It affects us physically and psychologically,” she said. “We had addicted people in the building, then drug dealers moved in, and it became too much to handle.” Hodges believes that a change in ownership of the building led to these problems. “It was like overnight it turned into a slum,” she told WGN News.
Giancarlo Palladinetti from Midwest L & T Construction agreed with Hodges. “A lot of these buildings have fallen out of compliance to the point where they’re hazardous,” he said. Residents point to a specific 51-unit apartment building across from the garden as a hub for squatters and illegal activities. Hodges noted, “We hadn’t had any incidents on this block for three years, then suddenly, we had three shootings in about six weeks.”
Police are working to reduce the violence, but community leaders insist that building owners must also take responsibility. “It has to be one block at a time,” Hodges said. June Norfleet, founder of the anti-litter community organization Talking Trash, added, “We need building management to step up. They can put up ‘no trespassing’ and ‘no squatting’ signs, which would allow public safety officers to remove these people.”
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Hodges emphasized the community’s resolve, saying, “We will not tolerate people being gunned down near a school and in our neighborhood, creating trauma for us.” Chris Cady from CKO Real Estate mentioned that the building, which had been a center for drug activity and squatting, was recently vacated. “We’re working hand-in-hand with the ladies who run the garden here,” Cady said. The new building owners have promised to address the community’s concerns and improve the situation.
