DNAinfo posted an article yesterday about Bruce Johnson, a 51-year old homeless man who had built himself a concrete block shelter from materials found on a foreclosed property in Wicker Park.
Meanwhile, his neighbors said they have “no problem” with Johnson and requested that his address not be revealed, for fear police would force him to leave.
“I think it’s cool he took advantage of it. The poor man is homeless, clearly. He doesn’t pay attention to anyone, he’s in his own little world, in his little mini-house,” said one neighbor who wished to remain anonymous.
DNAinfo, honoring the request of neighbors, didn’t disclose the address (2341 – 2347 W North Ave) but it was easy enough to locate based on the description in the article. It was also easy to determine that Mr Johnson has an arrest record, a fact that apparently escaped the attention of DNAinfo and that would certainly be of interest to parents taking their children to The Kids’ Table two doors to the east.
The comments at DNAinfo reflect differing views about Mr Johnson’s presence on the site and, as of the time I checked yesterday evening, a stunning ignorance about the legality of his situation. You’ll find more pictures of Mr Johnson and the interior of his abode at DNAinfo.
Mr Johnson wasn’t home at the time of my visit. I phoned in a police report. It’s what anyone familiar with the typical realities of the situation would do. It’s what you should do if a homeless person takes up residence in your neighborhood.
Maybe the alderman or some other official should have a conversation with the owner of the foreclosed property as well. Not too long ago, it was common that homeless or squatters of some sort would use new construction I was showing to clients as shelter in Lakeview and Lincoln Park. It was not a safe or comfortable situation for the neighbors or me. Some of the debris and paraphernalia left over were less than pleasant.
In fact, one morning on West Patterson in Wrigleyville, I was opening up a 6 unit condo building for showings and there was a guy right there in the stairwell. NOT COOL. I just blurted “You have to get out of here now!” Scared the heck out me.
Neighbors would really hassle the alderman and brokerage company on the signs (sometimes also the developer of the project)… to what result was never clear.
Joe, you really crossed the line this time. Stick to real estate news and lay off the helpless.
Chris,
Do you have any personal knowledge of this individual? Or just making an assumption that he’s “helpless?”
We differ about where lines need to be drawn and who should draw them. My view is that the Chicago Police Department should draw the line.
A hit piece against a homeless man, who by his neighbor’s own admission, has no intentions of bothering anyone.
Congratulations on your ongoing career as the embittered, crotchety hall monitor of the real estate industry, you’re really saving lives out here, Joe.
Nice …
No one who has had any contact with the realities of homeless squatters puts their head in the sand and makes sweeping assumptions about an individual homeless person.
Wow, Joe. Wow. Your compassion knows no bounds. Simply because an article was written about this man, you take it upon yourself to go on the attack. Nice. If the neighbors aren’t bothered, I’m not sure why you should be.
Michael,
Your presumption about my supposed lack of compassion seems to be boundless.
How do you know the neighbors aren’t bothered? Simply because that’s what a writer reported some of them said?
Consider the possibility that I’m compassionate towards the many people who’ve been suckered into taking stories about the homeless at face value and been burned as a result.
Consider the possibility that I’m compassionate towards the people and children who might be put at risk by this individual. I don’t know whether he poses a risk and I’m guessing you don’t either, but you’re apparently willing to disregard whatever risk he might pose. I’m not. The police need to be aware of his presence. Concealing it or ignoring it is irresponsible. Reporting it isn’t an “attack.” It’s what adults do when they see a situation that might prove problematic.
Consider the fact that my compassion extends to you. Do you really want to live in a society where people can squat wherever they want to?
Finally, consider the possibility that the most compassionate thing that can be done for this individual is to bring him to the attention of authorities who might help him find a better living environment.
What’s your compassion worth to Mr Johnson if some teenagers push over a wall on his makeshift shelter and fracture his skull while he’s asleep?
jesus christ get a life
if neighbors have a problem they can report it
your extent of your concern seems to how you can use a poor man’s suffering to play hero, and *not* to rescue him
your narcissism is what poses a risk to the community (n.b. not even just your community, but any community you come across)
absolutely disgusting
gcoa,
You’ve completely lost touch with reality when you can interpret taking a socially responsible action as narcissism.
whatever you tell yourself to sleep at night, joe
at least you have a roof over your head – God only knows why He bestowed it on someone who choses spite over grace with such glee.
Dear commenters,
Get a grip and grow up.
A homeless self-described alcoholic with an arrest record who has been unemployed for a dozen years is camped a few feet from pre-schoolers. You know nothing about him and object to having the police made aware of his situation.
That’s a heartless, irrational and anti-social approach in these circumstances.
His big bad arrest record is for damaging property less than $300. It’s not like he’s a sexual predator.
I understand it’s inconvenient for whoever owns the property, but that man is not a danger to the neighborhood. At least not based on your stellar investigative journalism.
I’m with the others, Joe. This is a hit piece against a homeless man, and you are heartless.
christine
What rational objection can you possibly state to having the police investigate a potential danger to nearby pre-schoolers?
Do you know this man personally and well? Do you know that the arrest I referenced is his entire record? Do you have any direct and sustained experience with chronically unemployed homeless alcoholics? Do you know that this man isn’t suffering from a severe mental illness, as are many of the homeless?
If you can answer yes to any of the above questions, put your real identity behind your answer and explain.
You’re anonymous and have nothing to lose if you’re wrong, so you can easily afford your flip, callous, unserious approach to a situation that demands to be taken seriously.
One of my reasons for writing this post was to caution the many people who are as naïve as our commenters about the realities of homeless people to alert the police when they see squatters in their neighborhood.
You don’t know this guy personally either. I know as much as you do. But I don’t go around accusing him of being a danger to society.
If you were writing about homelessness in general it would be one thing. But to call someone out by name and location and accuse him of being a dangerous person is not right.
Also, I don’t have a problem with you alerting the police necessarily. (Except that I think that’s a call for the people in the neighborhood to make and not your business.)
What I have a problem with his naming him and giving his location online.
christine,
DNAinfo published his name, pictures of him, and enough of a description of his location for me and anyone else familiar with the area to find it with near-zero effort.
I have not said this person is dangerous, only that his situation needed to be brought to the attention of the police. I did that. I don’t live by the principle that addressing potential problems I become aware of is someone else’s responsibility.
I spent eight years of my early life working full-time with mentally ill people in a hospital and as a social worker and had many direct encounters with the homeless during my career as a landlord and business owner. What’s your experience?
It’s just that the people in the neighborhood know if he’s a troublemaker or not. And apparently he’s not. So it’s not your business. Have some compassion.
Have some common sense and some compassion for the nearby kids.
His neighbors might be afraid to report him or reluctant to contact the police for any number of reasons.
courageous joe zekas makes a phone call, saves neighborhood children.
something for us to aspire to.
Better than aspiring to be an anonymouse snarking about honest citizens.
Added: I’ve sent your most recent piece of trolling to the trash bin where it belongs and where your future comments will land.
Like everyone else I have limited patience with people who have nothing to add but juvenile sarcasm.
Wonder how his house held up in those winds last night!
Reminds me of a homeless man who used to live (for years!) in an abandoned newspaper stand and Armitage and Milwaukee, in front of the White Castle there. Every evening he would take screws out of the wooden door, open it, roll his cart in, and call it a night inside. I was amazed everyone left him alone to live in his little shack at such a visible intersection. He was living in it till they knocked it down for the Walgreens.
This homeless guy stole over $3000. from a family member who took him in over and over again, and bailed him out of jail many, many times.
It’s indecent to make this kind of a charge anonymously.
Your comment will be disregarded by everyone who’s fair-minded.