Sep 30: CTU fights for safe passage near neighborhood schools
New ordinance seeks to fine banks, owners of abandoned properties
CHICAGO – On Sunday, October 2, leaders from the Chicago Teachers Union will be joined by, teachers, parents, public safety advocates and Aldermen Deborah Graham (29) and Robert Fioretti (2) in a news conference to announce the Vacant Property Safe Passages Ordinance to be presented to the aldermen at the next City Council meeting. The news conference will be held in front of Leland Elementary School, 5231 W. Congress Blvd.
Members of the press will be invited on a short walking tour of problem areas near the school following the news conference.
“We are working together with Graham to address the tremendous foreclosure crisis currently wreaking havoc on families across the city,” said Jackson Potter, staff coordinator. “In 2010 alone there were 10,500 foreclosures completed in Chicago, an increase of 20 percent from the year before. This has resulted in a serious public safety issue for our children around our schools. We want to protect our students.”
The CTU ordinance calls on banks to protect its school children, requiring watchmen in vacant buildings within the vicinity of public schools. An owner must have a watchman on duty upon the premises on which any vacant building within a 1,000 yard radius of a public school is situated between 8:00 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Any bank that violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $300 for the first offense and not less than $300 nor more than $500 for the second and each subsequent offense.
