>> AND NOW WE CHECK BACK IN WITH
PARIS SCHUTZ WHO SPENT THE DAY
REPORTING IN THE GREATER
ENGLEWOOD AREA AND HE IS THERE
NOW WITH A COMMUNITY LEADER.
PARIS?
>> YEAH, WE ARE HERE WITH ASIAHA
BUTLER HEAD OF THE RESIDENT
ASSOCIATION OF GREATER
ENGLEWOOD.
GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
YOU HEARD ALDERMAN TAYLOR SAYING
TO GET THE VACCINATION RATES YOU
NEED TRUSTED COMMUNITY PEOPLE,
CHURCHES AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
YOURS?
>> IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT EVEN FOR
RAGE.
WE HAVE A MIX OF RESIDENTS AND
SO EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENT
FEELINGS ABOUT THE VACCINATION.
SOME PEOPLE ARE GUNG HO READY TO
GET IT AND SOME PEOPLE ARE
HESSTANT.
AS AN ORGANIZATION WE COULDN'T
TAKE AN OFFICIAL STAND BUT WE
DEFINITELY PROMOTE WHEN WE KNOW
THE VACCINATIONS ARE HAPPENING
IN ENGLEWOOD.
>> AND WITH COVID AND THE OTHER
ISSUES THAT COMPOUND IN
ENGLEWOOD LIKE RENT THERE IS
EVICTION MORATORIUM RIGHT NOW.
IF THAT GETS LIFTED HOW IS THAT
GOING TO IMPACT RESIDENTS?
>> YOU KNOW, I'M TALKING ABOUT
THAT EARLIER TODAY.
WE ONLY HAVE 25% OF HOMEOWNERS
HERE IN ENGLEWOOD.
SO A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE
RENTERS.
AND SO IF LANDLORD DECIDES TO
PULL THE PLUG OR A PROPERTY
MANAGERS DECIDE TO TAKE ACTION
THAT CAN AFFECT A HUGE
POPULATION OF OUR COMMUNITY
WHICH IS WHY WE DO A LOT OF WORK
AROUND TRYING TO GET RENTERS TO
BECOME HOMEOWNERS SO THEY CAN
HAVE MORE CONTROL.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE EVICTION
PROCESS OR WITH THE MORATORIUM
BEING LIFTED AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S
UNCERTAINTY.
AND EVERYTHING IN LAST YEAR HAS
BEEN UNCERTAINTY.
>> DO YOU THINK RESIDENTS HAVE
BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE
AID THAT HAS BEEN AVAILABLE FOR
RENT TO TRY TO KEEP UP?
>> YES, THEY HAVE.
WE SEND IT OUT ANYTIME WE GET
INFORMATION BUT YOU HAVE TO
REALIZE THERE IS A DIGITAL
DIVIDE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE
INEQUITIES OF CERTAIN
COMMUNITIES THE HEALTH INEQUITY,
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE A LOT OF
FOLKS ARE NOT ON-LINE THEY ARE
NOT ABLE TO GET ON-LINE AND FILL
OUT AN AAPPLICATION.
YOU HAVE TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE WHY OUR ALDERMEN AND
LOCAL GROUPS ARE IMPORTANT FOR
RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT SAVVY ON
THE NET AND OUR BAND WITNESS IS
NOT BANDWITH IS NOT THE BEST.
>> AND 25% HOMEOWNERS.
AND YOU OWN A PROPERTY
>> YES.
>> IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING RENT
HOW ABOUT THE PROPERTY OWNERS IS
THAT HURTING THEM?
>> IT'S TOUGH.
I HAD TWO TENANTS WHO FELL
BEHIND ON RENT AND BEING A
PRIVATE LANDLORD WE CAN TALK AND
COME TO A RESOLUTION AND DO
PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS AND I CAN
OFFER RENTAL ASSISTANCE AT THAT
TIME I KNOW ABOUT.
EVERY LANDLORD IS NOT LIKE
MYSELF.
SOME ARE MANAGED BY PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT COMPANIES WHO THEY
ARE READY FOR EVICTIONS THE
MINUTE THAT YOU NOT PAY RENT ON
THE FIRST.
I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN BEING IN
COURT WHERE PEOPLE ARE
AGGRESSIVE.
AND ENGLEWOOD IS VULNERABLE.
RIGHT NOW THIS IS A VULNERABLE
TIME AND OUR RENTERS AND
RESIDENTS ARE GOING THROUGH A
LOT OF VULNERABILITY AND SOME
PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
IT.
>> BEFORE WE GO, IN A BIT,
GEOFFREY BAER IS GOING TO TALK
ABOUT GO GREEN ON RACINE, A
PROJECT THAT YOU ARE INVOLVED
IN.
>> GO GREEN ON RACINE, A
GRASSROOTS, COMPREHENSIVE
CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
IT'S LOOKING AT A VACANT SCHOOL
IN RACINE AN ABANDONED TRAIN
STOP AND THE REST OF THE
ABANDONMENT THAT IS IT IN THAT
CORRIDOR THAT THE CITY AND
EVERYBODY ELSE SEEMS TO IGNORE
WE ARE NOT IGNORING IT WE ARE
BREATHING LIFE INTO IT AND
TRYING TO GET A GREEN LIGHT ON
THE GREEN LINE ON RACINE.
>> WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT
FROM GEOFFREY BAER NOW THAT