Providing Safer Neighborhoods

Molly supports efforts to put at least 1,000 new officers on our city streets. But as the daughter of an Uptown social worker, Molly knows that, to truly address crime, we need more comprehensive solutions.

Safer Streets

As CAPS facilitator for beats 2322 and 2323, Molly has built productive relationships with the Chicago Police Department. Molly opposes reassigning officers from the community policing program. A member of Molly’s aldermanic office will attend every CAPS meeting in the ward so that she can stay on top of emerging issues. As alderman, she’ll work closely with police to ensure that issues are addressed and everyone in our neighborhoods is protected from crime.

Of course, police cannot be everywhere all the time. That is why Molly will work to revitalize our business corridors by cleaning the streets and recruiting businesses into our community. Crime thrives in places people avoid. By filling vacant storefronts, we make our streets inhospitable to crime. More filled storefronts means more people on the street reporting crimes when they occur and discouraging criminal activity before it occurs.

And Molly will work to keep kids in school longer each day, either through a longer school day, or through expanded access to after-school activities. There is no reason that kids should be out of school and on our streets at 2:45 pm. With most parents at work, this becomes a prime time for gangs to recruit new members. Our schools have some valuable after-school programs, but student families must pay tuition to outside contractors to utilize these programs. For some, the tuition can cost $300 a month. Many families don’t have the money to spare. And unfortunately, those families are the ones who often need these programs the most. Molly will work with local business groups and social service agencies to expand access to these after-school athletic and academic programs for the children who need them the most.

Safer Buildings

Molly understands what it takes to go after problem landlords. While attending Loyola University Law School, Molly interned with the city’s Drug and Gangs Housing Department, going after problem landlords whose buildings were hotspots for gangs and drugs. As alderman, Molly will go after problem landlords and force them to clean up their act.

Molly understands that some tenants are too afraid of landlord and gang retribution to speak on their own. She will speak for them. Molly will set up a hotline within her office where residents can anonymously report buildings that are unsafe, either because of gang activity or building code violations. She’ll share that information with police, and she’ll use that information to work with other city departments to hold problem landlords accountable for irresponsible property management.

Molly also will work to inform neighbors of court hearings regarding problem landlords, and she’ll send an aldermanic representative to the hearings. When neighbors and community leaders show up to court hearings, it sends a clear message to judges that the community cares and demands accountability.