City Council Meeting December 15, 2021 Joint Committee on Public Safety/ Zoning
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A HEARING ON THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT'S COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS
WHEREAS, The Chicago Police Department (CPD) - Troubled Buildings Unit (TBU) is responsible for identifying problem drug, gang, and vacant buildings throughout the City, and taking appropriate enforcement action when such properties violate the City Code; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the TBU, members of CPD, the City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB), and the City of Chicago Department of Law (DOL) formed the Strategic Task Force (STF) aiming to: (1) identify properties connected to crime, (2) ensure inspections, investigations, and mitigation efforts are conducted at such properties, and (3) prosecute owners of such properties if problems persist; and
WHEREAS, While cross-department coordination is necessary for efficient enforcement of the City Code, recent reports allege a disproportionate amount of properties in Black and Brown neighborhoods have been referred by CPD to DOB in effort to discourage criminal activity, resulting in irremediable financial harm and sometimes closure of such properties, for minor violations unrelated to crime; and
WHEREAS, Equitable enforcement of the City Code is of the utmost importance, and the City Council must review enforcement practices to determine whether it is appropriate to alter existing reporting requirements and enforcement mechanisms; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this fifteenth day of December, 2021, do hereby call upon the Committee on Public Safety and the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards to convene a*, joint hearing regarding Police Department referrals to the Department of Buildings, including investigations or inspections initiated by the Strategic Task Force and data regarding the locations of properties referred to the Department of Buildings; and
GILBERT. VILLEGAS Alderman, 36th Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we call upon personnel representing the Police Department and Department of Buildings with knowledge of the Strategic Task Force and data on referrals from the Police Department1 to the Department of Buildings to testify at the hearing.
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