Chicago

[Ken]

There are actually crime statistics that one can use to compare various cities. For example, we can do a comparison of Chicago with the small rural town of Madras Oregon (population 7,800) where one of the frequent posters on this site lives and helped found a Menno church. And what do we find? https://www.bestplaces.net/crime/?city1 ... 2=54145250

Well, Chicago has a higher violent crime rate but a lower property crime rate than Madras. Both are above the national average. And I suspect if we talk to someone from Madras they would say "well, that's the bad side of town" which is the same thing anyone from Chicago would say too. And it is probably true. I drive through Madras on occasion on the way to see my daughter in Bend and there are indeed some ragged parts of town. https://www.madraspioneer.com/news/neig ... 028aa.html And it is probably the same exact story. Poverty, addiction, social dysfunction. These things know no boundaries. And the fact that Madras has a Republican mayor and Chicago has a Democratic mayor probably has little to do with the crime rates in either city.

And yet life goes on for those who choose to live in Madras as it does for those who live in Chicago.

There are indeed ragged parts of Madras. Madras is also the most racially diverse city in Oregon: https://www.homesnacks.com/most-diverse ... in-oregon/ According to https://www.bestplaces.net/people/city/oregon/madras Madras is merely 51% white. Compared with 71% white in Portland.

I happened to drive by that place in Madras. I would say "That house looks like it is in a pretty decent part of town". There was no garbage around. No feces anywhere in sight. No homeless camps. Seems like the someone took care of the problem. That troublemaker seems to have moved on out, having been arrested on 1/12/2023.
The government seems to have taken action, per your article that says:

"The new mayor of Madras and Deputy Chief of EMS Mike Lepin stated at the city council meeting “I’ve responded to this house on calls before. I know it’s frustrating, and I know we have a plan but it’s going to take time.”
The plan Lepin mentioned only really began taking shape in the last week after neighbors continued to voice concerns to the police, the city and the district attorney.

“We are working on responding in a new way,” said City Administrator Gus Burril. Burril, Madras Police Director Steve Bartol and Community Development Director Nick Snead recently went out to the property to take photos and are speaking with attorneys, including the district attorney’s office, to identify what they can do.

“We met as a team today to go over an action plan for the community,” said Burril during the January council meeting. “In the next couple weeks, we'll need to figure out what we need to do to get permission to step in. We can't go into details, but we need to go through that process. It’s outside of our authority, but we're going to ask for authority to step in.”

Madras Police arrested the homeowner on Jan. 12, and have tagged multiple vehicles for removal since then.

City Councilor Lamar Yoder, who is also a local realtor, stated at the meeting he also has heard from an investor that is interested in the property. He mentioned the possibility of the house selling at a city council meeting in September when neighbors first voiced concerns to the council. “I have an investor that was interested in that property,” said Yoder. “He came to me earlier this week on Monday and he said that he has an agreement with the owner of the property to purchase the property.”

Incidentally, Yoder is an ex-Mennonite, yes.

After selling on 1/27/2023 for $127,500, the house was resold for $299,900 on 3/20/2023 after an extensive refresh, and is now a really nice looking place. Nice yard, green grass, a sprinkler cheerfully watering the yard. Even a new camper onsite. Here are some pictures that look like they were take mid-face lift. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/475- ... 3998_zpid/

This story seems to actually be a story about a city government that actually did put their big boy pants on, and competently dealt with a problem. As opposed to doing the opposite.

Sure. And flippers in Portland are doing the same exact thing every day, buying up old blighted homes full of trash and flipping them for big profits.

My larger point is that blight, crime, addiction, poverty, and social dysfunction are not urban or rural problems. Or red or blue problems. They are American problems.

The partisan glee that some on the right take with pointing fingers at and pretending to be scandalized by news events from cities is mirrored by people on the left doing the SAME EXACT thing. Pointing fingers at and pretending to be scandalized by dysfunction and ignorance they find reported about red rural areas. Left and right twitter is literally full of that stuff and people preaching to their own insular choirs. They are just mirror images of each other. I think the pandemic made it worse actually.

The more interesting and difficult questions are how to we set aside the partisan nonsense and work to make both urban and rural areas better and more healthy places for everyone.

[temporal1]

Code: Select all

 [b].. The partisan glee that some on the right take .. [/b]

^^off-topic and unwelcome.

The ANCIENT dynamic between country mice+city mice is unlikely to disappear.
TO REPEAT: This topic is not about curing ancient human dynamics.

The focus is on identifying CHICAGO problems, no matter how universal, then pointing to those involved who are working IRL to address those problems.

People are suffering, unlikely interested in hearing about how their suffering isn’t so bad compared with others.

The more interesting and difficult questions are how to we set aside the partisan nonsense and work to make both urban and rural areas better and more healthy places for everyone.

i look forward to your fascinating enlightening new topic.

[Josh]

I have yet to face any homeless in my village nor any public defecation, which are definitely problems in SF.

[Ken]

I have yet to face any homeless in my village nor any public defecation, which are definitely problems in SF.

What county do you live in?

I'm sure the county police blotter has plenty of social dysfunction of every kind.

[Szdfan]

I have yet to face any homeless in my village nor any public defecation, which are definitely problems in SF.

When I was a small town pastor, I had to deal with homelessness on a regular basis. The homeless often slept under the bridge over the Arkansas River. There were no resources for homelessness in town. So when local churches received requests for help, they might put people for a night or two at a motel, but they typically bought a bus ticket and sent them to the closest city.

Rural homelessness is real, even though it might be invisible. Just because you don’t see something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

[temporal1]

Forget the topic. Do as you please.

Most of all:
Deflect from responsibility for voting for/supporting poor policies that harm thousands+thousands of people everywhere.
Insult and undermine those who hope for better.

[temporal1]

There are indeed ragged parts of Madras.
Madras is also the most racially diverse city in Oregon: https://www.homesnacks.com/most-diverse ... in-oregon/ According to https://www.bestplaces.net/people/city/oregon/madras Madras is merely 51% white. Compared with 71% white in Portland.

I happened to drive by that place in Madras.
I would say "That house looks like it is in a pretty decent part of town". There was no garbage around. No feces anywhere in sight. No homeless camps. Seems like the someone took care of the problem. That troublemaker seems to have moved on out, having been arrested on 1/12/2023.

The government seems to have taken action, per your article that says:

"The new mayor of Madras and Deputy Chief of EMS Mike Lepin stated at the city council meeting “I’ve responded to this house on calls before. I know it’s frustrating, and I know we have a plan but it’s going to take time.”
The plan Lepin mentioned only really began taking shape in the last week after neighbors continued to voice concerns to the police, the city and the district attorney.

“We are working on responding in a new way,” said City Administrator Gus Burril. Burril, Madras Police Director Steve Bartol and Community Development Director Nick Snead recently went out to the property to take photos and are speaking with attorneys, including the district attorney’s office, to identify what they can do.

“We met as a team today to go over an action plan for the community,” said Burril during the January council meeting. “In the next couple weeks, we'll need to figure out what we need to do to get permission to step in. We can't go into details, but we need to go through that process. It’s outside of our authority, but we're going to ask for authority to step in.”

Madras Police arrested the homeowner on Jan. 12, and have tagged multiple vehicles for removal since then.

City Councilor Lamar Yoder, who is also a local realtor, stated at the meeting he also has heard from an investor that is interested in the property. He mentioned the possibility of the house selling at a city council meeting in September when neighbors first voiced concerns to the council. “I have an investor that was interested in that property,” said Yoder. “He came to me earlier this week on Monday and he said that he has an agreement with the owner of the property to purchase the property.”

Incidentally, Yoder is an ex-Mennonite, yes.

After selling on 1/27/2023 for $127,500, the house was resold for $299,900 on 3/20/2023 after an extensive refresh,
and is now a really nice looking place. Nice yard, green grass, a sprinkler cheerfully watering the yard. Even a new camper onsite.
Here are some pictures that look like they were take mid-face lift.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/475- ... 3998_zpid/

This story seems to actually be a story about an apparently Republican city government that actually did put their big boy pants on, and competently dealt with a problem. As opposed to doing the opposite.

After purchasing for $127,500, investing $30-50,000+?? .. $299,900 isn’t a large profit. It’s possible there was no profit.
The property is improved, inside+out. (i didn’t see a new camper in pics.)

These problems will require varied efforts of MANY, there is no one-size-fits-all.

[temporal1]

P.2: TY SMITH video

The immobiliser in my 2000 VW is acting up when I used my spare key. Wish it were a Kia or Hyundai.

(We normally leave our keys in our vehicles here including when parked in the city;
if someone wants to steal a car, they’ll find a way to steal it.)

^^TY SMITH’s point. THEFT is the wrong, locks-or-no-locks.

He offered the deterrent MANY are defaulting to: responsible FATHERS in homes to teach right from wrong.
He briefly describes how his (church group) actively works with young ones to set them on right paths. God bless their work.

Maybe like TS, i have no idea why Chicago would choose such a mayor. Will they consider a recall??

i enjoy TS’s energy and enthusiasm. i expect he’s effective with young ones coming along, starved for Truth.
Many hands are needed.

[RZehr]

There are indeed ragged parts of Madras.
Madras is also the most racially diverse city in Oregon: https://www.homesnacks.com/most-diverse ... in-oregon/ According to https://www.bestplaces.net/people/city/oregon/madras Madras is merely 51% white. Compared with 71% white in Portland.

I happened to drive by that place in Madras.
I would say "That house looks like it is in a pretty decent part of town". There was no garbage around. No feces anywhere in sight. No homeless camps. Seems like the someone took care of the problem. That troublemaker seems to have moved on out, having been arrested on 1/12/2023.

The government seems to have taken action, per your article that says:

"The new mayor of Madras and Deputy Chief of EMS Mike Lepin stated at the city council meeting “I’ve responded to this house on calls before. I know it’s frustrating, and I know we have a plan but it’s going to take time.”
The plan Lepin mentioned only really began taking shape in the last week after neighbors continued to voice concerns to the police, the city and the district attorney.

“We are working on responding in a new way,” said City Administrator Gus Burril. Burril, Madras Police Director Steve Bartol and Community Development Director Nick Snead recently went out to the property to take photos and are speaking with attorneys, including the district attorney’s office, to identify what they can do.

“We met as a team today to go over an action plan for the community,” said Burril during the January council meeting. “In the next couple weeks, we'll need to figure out what we need to do to get permission to step in. We can't go into details, but we need to go through that process. It’s outside of our authority, but we're going to ask for authority to step in.”

Madras Police arrested the homeowner on Jan. 12, and have tagged multiple vehicles for removal since then.

City Councilor Lamar Yoder, who is also a local realtor, stated at the meeting he also has heard from an investor that is interested in the property. He mentioned the possibility of the house selling at a city council meeting in September when neighbors first voiced concerns to the council. “I have an investor that was interested in that property,” said Yoder. “He came to me earlier this week on Monday and he said that he has an agreement with the owner of the property to purchase the property.”

Incidentally, Yoder is an ex-Mennonite, yes.

After selling on 1/27/2023 for $127,500, the house was resold for $299,900 on 3/20/2023 after an extensive refresh,
and is now a really nice looking place. Nice yard, green grass, a sprinkler cheerfully watering the yard. Even a new camper onsite.
Here are some pictures that look like they were take mid-face lift.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/475- ... 3998_zpid/

This story seems to actually be a story about an apparently Republican city government that actually did put their big boy pants on, and competently dealt with a problem. As opposed to doing the opposite.

After purchasing for $127,500, investing $30-50,000+?? .. $299,900 isn’t a large profit. It’s possible there was no profit.
The property is improved, inside+out. (i didn’t see a new camper in pics.)

These problems will require varied efforts of MANY, there is no one-size-fits-all.

If they put in $72,400 in improvements and costs, they cleared $100,000 in profit in 59 days. That doesn’t seem to bad to me.
That averages to $618,644 per year, which is well into the top 1% income in Oregon.

[temporal1]

If they put in $72,400 in improvements and costs, they cleared $100,000 in profit in 59 days. That doesn’t seem to bad to me.
That averages to $618,644 per year, which is well into the top 1% income in Oregon.

You’re right! My big error. At least i was puzzled with my bad math.
i don’t often lose $100,000 like that.