Community activists want vacant buildings like this one, which are owned by banks after foreclosures, to be boarded up, cleaned up and secured before the first day of classes for the Chicago Public Schools. (Credit: CBS)
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CHICAGO (CBS) — It seems parents are in favor of an idea that will be proposed this week in the City Council, to make it safer for children to walk to their neighborhood schools.
As WBBM Newsradio’s Bernie Tafoya reports, Shaquita Nichols walked her 14-year-old son to Curtis Elementary School, at 32 E. 115th St. on the cusp of the Roseland and West Pullman neighborhoods.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Bernie Tafoya reports
The community has many more vacant and boarded-up buildings than anyone would want, and has had more than its share of crime in the city.
For that reason, Nichols is in favor of the new city law requiring security guards in vacant buildings.
“For our kids’ security, you know, we’ve got a lot of kids coming from different directions, and they’ll be scared to walk past abandoned buildings, you know, they want to be secure, so I think we need the security, wherever it’s needed,” she said.
The proposal would require any landlord who owns five vacant buildings or more to place security guards at the buildings from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Violations could bring $500 fines.
