“Part of the problem is that these neighborhoods are changing anyway, so not all of the poor people moving in are from the C.H.A. I think it’s become a socially accepted way to say, ‘My neighborhood is changing and I don’t like it.'”
There’s been a lot of discussion lately about the Plan for Transformation’s effect on Chicago’s neighborhoods. Are the former residents of now-demolished projects to blame for a rise in crime? Has there been a rise in crime at all? Today the Chicago News Cooperative published a series of stories on the changes that are (and aren’t) occurring Chatham and Auburn-Gresham, and other neighborhoods.
Yes the Plan for Transformation has changed the south and west sides. It has changed them both positively and negatively. As for Chatham, yes the influx of lease and non lease compliant CHA residents have had an impact on the community. Are they the sole source of the community’s problems No. On the same note returning residents who moved out of the community for greener pastures on “The North side” just to have to come back because of gentrification of some of the communities they moved in sent them packing have had a negative impact as well.
Lastly, the problems can also be attributed to current residents. Many hard working individuals who are chasing dollars to give their children what they didn’t have are unintentionally raising children with no sense of pride and self esteem because they never had to earn anything. These young people think because “Lil dumb dumb” rapper says its cool to throw food out of a moving car its acceptable and because mom and dad are working or socializing they are not being disciplined. Unfortunately, the old way doesn’t work whereas if your neighbor saw you doing dumb things they would chastise you and then tell your parents, now parents tell the neighbor to mind their business.
Overall, this problem didn’t occur overnight and is not going to correct itself overnight. Playing the blame game and other politic games only make the problem worst. The community has to recommit to reestablish standards of excellence in everything we do.