Report From Lunt Ave. (1345 and 1237-43)

For a couple of months a problem has been growing at the building I rent my parking space from, 1345 W. Lunt. With increasing frequency, people who appear to have little or no connection to the building have been hanging out and without official confirmation I’ll say “allegedly” are selling drugs. It wouldn’t be a great leap to think they are trying to set up shop, permanently, particularly since the old Morse spots are under intense pressure due to busts that then lead to the camera at Morse and Glenwood.

This problem intensified and grew even more significant as the temperature increased and one Marcus Herron was identified as one of the participants. Some of you will remember him by name and nearly all will remember him by action. He was one of many who were involved in the random jumping and beating of our neighbors last summer.

As neighbors, several of us, including Don Gordon and Craig Gernhardt, have independently requested that the Alderman set up a meeting with the landlords. With the Alderman’s housing specialist go on vacation we were still able to push the meeting to the first possible date available.  We are meeting with the landlords of two buildings actually, 1237-43 W. Lunt and 1345 W. Lunt, tomorrow at 5:00 PM at the Alderman Moore’s Ward Service Office at 7356 N. Greenview.   All are invited to attend.

At that meeting we will voice our concerns as neighbors and more importantly we will hear the responses of both the landlords responsible for the properties in question and the police. Since the activity occurs on both public and private property no one party can solve the problem. They share a responsibility as will we as the neighbors serving as the eyes and ears for both.

This will be the first meeting of what very well could be multiple meetings, but we will stick with it. I have been paying closer attention to both of these building as of late and I notice that things seem better. Perhaps just the word of neighborhood action was enough to give both the landlords and the people involved reason to do better. One can hope so, but it will take a little more than that to make the changes more permanent.

I will report back here as to what happens at the meeting tomorrow. I will try to give a realistic view not shaped or warped by personal bias and prejudice nor intended to inflame and exacerbate a difficult situation. The best way we can beat this challenge is by working together with the facts as they exist, the police, the Alderman and the other city resources, but most of all with each other here on Lunt.

Comments

[David Fagus]

It was brought to my attention that some might not know how this meeting came to be. Don Gordon and Craig Gernhardt played key roles in getting it together and should be recognized for their efforts.

Don and Craig, Job well done!