CHICAGO | General Discussions - Page 65

emathias · #**1281** Posted **Apr 1, 2019, 7:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

this was a good examination of how difficult that is to implement without additional support structures along the way (mental health support being a big one)

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/right-to-fail/

It does need to be done in a coordinated manner to be most effective. But one of three problems solved by Housing First is removing requirements that recipients of publicly-funded housing be a certain level of stable first. For example, using drugs has frequently been a non-starter, but when you lack the stability of a home, any chance of beating addiction really just disappears for all practical purposes.

Then there are things like Chicago's SRO law, which is actually quite restrictive in who can live in an SRO. You basically have to have a job or be receiving the highest amounts of money that the government gives. SSI recipients, for example, do not receive enough support to qualify for an SRO even if technically they could make the rent payments. And no one can co-sign or sign a promissory note to provide cash assistance (for example if a family couldn't afford to rent a place for a loved one in their own but still wanted to and could help some). And SSI recipients are, by definition, the least likely to be able to functionally support themselves because it means they've never had significant employment. SSI is also set at 75% of the poverty line. I don't know if that's by statute or what, but it's where the top award amount for SSI recipients ends - at 75% if the poverty line. I can't imagine trying to make anything work in that. And then the number actually gets lower if you're homeless, to about half of the poverty line under the theory that if you're not paying rent you don't need the extra money.

Absolutely most housing should be drug-free. But having some housing available for addicts doesn't strike me as crazy, either.

glowrock · #**1282** Posted **Apr 1, 2019, 10:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

I'm dealing with an interesting problem right now with a homeless man living on railroad property directly adjacent to my property. The railroad won't handle it and the guy has been apparently living there for over a decade. He has a shed and multiple dogs. Social worker types show up there almost daily delivering him food or otherwise helping him.

One wonders at what point the system is actually about solving these problems and not enabling it. As far as I'm concerned this guy should not be living on the street, the workers know who he is, where he is, but have not been able to place him in housing for over a decade? Surely the waiting list is not that long, surely he could get a section 8 voucher, surely CHA could find him a unit in that time. So what's going on here? How is it not animal abuse to have dogs on chains living outdoors on a railway embankment? How is not human abuse to be providing this guy services for that long knowing it is not a safe or sanitary living condition. The entire encampment is knee deep with trash and you have a guy living outside in the cold in a pile of trash with a bunch of dogs.

But course it's tricky because it's homelessness, he probably doesn't want to be in a shelter. He probably doesn't want to have to do CHA section 8 inspections once a month, etc etc. In order to truly "end" homelessness you'd have to pass a law making it illegal and forcibly arrest some people and take them to shelters or homes where they can't leave. Society is obviously not about to do that, so how do you fix a problem like what I described?

I honestly don't know what can be done about situations like this. This (like many others) is an exceedingly difficult situation, both for the homeless themselves as well as the city/county government(s). Additional mental health facilities are very important, as well as CHA/Section 8 housing, but something else is driving a good number of these situations. Some people simply choose their homeless situation because they refuse shelters/treatment. Not entirely sure jailing them is the right move, but I'm not sure what else is appropriate.

Aaron (Glowrock)

Baronvonellis · #**1283** Posted **Apr 2, 2019, 4:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Most shelters /section 8 places I imagine don't allow dogs, which puts this gentleman at an impasse if getting rid of his dogs is non-negotiable.

Allowing dogs and pets is up to the landord's discretion in section 8. On the website Gosection8.com there's 773 listings in Chicago that allow pets.

Housing First is the idea that people should be allowed housing even if they are addicts. So if we had that homelessness could be solved.

TR Devlin · #**1284** Posted **Apr 3, 2019, 3:51 PM**

If you were sorry to see the old DNAinfo close, or if you're looking for a good local news site, check out these links:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifes...206-story.html

https://blockclubchicago.org/

maru2501 · #**1285** Posted **Apr 16, 2019, 7:04 PM**

on Chicago's tale of two cities

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Ma...Leaves-Behind/

Le Baron · #**1286** Posted **Apr 23, 2019, 2:16 PM**

Got lucky and took a video of the storm. Some frames from the video. Tried to post to the Essex thread but can't seem to post there.

harryc · #**1287** Posted **Apr 23, 2019, 2:27 PM**

Badass storm shots - you can see the lighting strike evolve.

RedCorsair87 · #**1288** Posted **Apr 23, 2019, 2:28 PM**

^So nice of Thor to visit Chicago, but I'm not sure why he chose to sit on top of Sears...

colemonkee · #**1289** Posted **Apr 23, 2019, 2:51 PM**

^ Avengers: Endgame promo, no doubt.

gebs · #**1290** Posted **Apr 23, 2019, 3:03 PM**

Unbelievable timing, Le Baron. If you have that slow-motion video posted somewhere, please share the link as well if you can.

The Pimp · #**1291** Posted **Apr 23, 2019, 6:04 PM**

Great catch Le Baron. The power generated by those lightning strikes is utterly amazing.

Busy Bee · #**1292** Posted **Apr 23, 2019, 6:22 PM**

Those lightning strike shots are..........electrifying.

TonyL · #**1293** Posted **Apr 25, 2019, 6:02 PM**

Check this out. Lightning striking all 4 towers at once.

https://wapo.st/2GCPeLx

SolarWind · #**1294** Posted **May 2, 2019, 12:08 AM**

May 1, 2019

LouisVanDerWright · #**1295** Posted **May 2, 2019, 3:07 AM**

Wow that's really high. More water on the way tomorrow.

Baronvonellis · #**1296** Posted **May 2, 2019, 2:49 PM**

Yea, as a PSA people should try not to take showers or do laundy this week from all the rain the deep tunnels are totally full! The McCook Reservoir is full and the Calumet Reservoir is almost full. So then the sewers will start going into the Chicago River soon. News agencies in Chicago should try to notify people better about this, so we don't pollute the River.

jpIllInoIs · #**1297** Posted **May 2, 2019, 3:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baronvonellis

Yea, as a PSA people should try not to take showers or do laundy this week from all the rain the deep tunnels are totally full! The McCook Reservoir is full and the Calumet Reservoir is almost full. So then the sewers will start going into the Chicago River soon. News agencies in Chicago should try to notify people better about this, so we don't pollute the River.

Good advice in general.

I thought the Thornton Resv was online. Maybe the central city system doesnt connect to Thornton. Also what is the first lock that can be opened to release water downstream?

F1 Tommy · #**1298** Posted **May 2, 2019, 3:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baronvonellis

Yea, as a PSA people should try not to take showers or do laundy this week from all the rain the deep tunnels are totally full! The McCook Reservoir is full and the Calumet Reservoir is almost full. So then the sewers will start going into the Chicago River soon. News agencies in Chicago should try to notify people better about this, so we don't pollute the River.

Unless you are unincorporated and have a well out in the burbs, but that would be Chicagoland as I don't think Chicago has any unincorporated land left??

Baronvonellis · #**1299** Posted **May 2, 2019, 3:32 PM**

I think the Thornton reservoir is only for the far southside Calumet River watershed and south suburbs.

Here's a tweet from Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Debra Shore yesterday.

Deep Tunnel & reservoirs are full, holding close to 9 billion gallons! I skipped a shower this morning to keep from adding water to the sewer system. Please delay washing clothes, dishes, etc while the system is at capacity. So far 3.83 inches since Saturday— mucho H2O!

— Debra Shore (@debrashore)

LouisVanDerWright · #**1300** Posted **May 2, 2019, 4:23 PM**

Looks like Fri, Sat, Sun should be clear and let the system catch up and everyone dry out a bit. Also today's predicted heavy rain pushed through as a band of moderate rain this morning and it looks like the delluge went a bit South. Hopefully that means no release from this event!

I have a buddy who is a contractor in Colorado and we were just having a conversation a month ago about how Denver and Chicago have opposite water problems. Their entire code out there is built around how to keep as much water as possible when it does come, ours is built around trying to find places to get rid of water when events like this happen. Denver would kill for access to even 1/4 of the water that came this week.

Great Lakes water levels continue to be historically high after a particularly snowy winter and now wet start to spring. Huron-Michigan probably won't set any records this year, but Superior and Erie are both pushing multidecade highs and potentially all time records. What is in Superior must enter Huron-Michigan so that means high water levels here in Chicago for a few years to come even if climate conditions are less moist in the near future.