Victory! Cook County Passes Vacant Property Ordinance!

Action Now press conference and rally earlier this year calling for enforcement of Chicago's Vacant Property Ordinance

As a result of Action Now’s hard work on the issues of foreclosure and vacant properties, this morning, December 14th, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a Vacant Property Ordinance! The Cook County Vacant Property Ordinance is similar to the one we got passed in the City of Chicago, and it provides for municipalities in the county to have a uniform vacant property ordinance that they can use to address the problem outside of Chicago.

A member helping at a neighborhood clean-up that Action Now held on a block with several vacant buildings

Action Now Housing Policy Director Braden Listmann spoke at the Cook County Board hearing about why this ordinance is so important, “I would like to focus on things that we can all see and all feel when we live and work in the community. One of our members had her home broken into, her belongings stolen and then stored in a vacant property across the street from her. Other members living near vacant properties have to deal with drug dealers and gang members that use unsecured vacant properties as a criminal haven in their community. In some cases, children have been pulled into vacant buildings and assaulted. You know these facts if you live near vacant buildings that have been neglected during the foreclosure process. Action Now members fight for real changes in the community; and that means keeping people in their homes and ensuring that vacant homes are well maintained so they do not become a nuisance and a danger. Action Now members are willing to fight hard for better communities.”

Press coverage:

Chicago Sun-Times (Action Now’s Braden Listmann quoted)

Chicago Tribune (photo of Action Now at top of article)

Fox Chicago