[♪♪♪] >> "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... >> GOOD EVENING TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES".

I'M MARISSA PARRA REPORT ARE WITH CBS2 CHICAGO AND YOUR HOST FOR TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

HERE IS WHAT WE HAVE ON THE SHOW... A SHORTFALL OF 120,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE ARE LOOKING HOW NEIGHBORS ARE WORKING TO FIX IT.

PLUS, SUMMERTIME MEANS SWIMMING IN THE LAKE FOR MANY CHICAGOANNESS A NEW LAW AIMS TO MAKE THAT SAFER.

AND A PROGRAM WORKING TO CREATE BETTER TREE COVER IN UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS HOW YOU CAN GET A FREE TREE PLANTED ON YOUR STREET.

>> I TOLD MY GRANDSON YOU HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

>> AND A FAMILY OWNED HARDWARE STORE THAT HAS BEEN A FIXTURE IN PILSEN FOR DECADES GETS READY TO HAND OVER THE KEYS TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

FIRST, THE CITY HAS A SHORTFALL OF 120,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PER NUMBERS FROM CHICAGO'S DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING.

AND IT IS A BIGGER PROBLEM IN GENTRIFYING NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE LOGAN SQUARE AND PILL LEN WHERE LURK YOURRY DEVELOPMENTS ARE PRICING LONG TIME FAMILIES OUT.

LUCY GONZALES' APARTMENTS OPENED IN MAY NEAR THE BLUE LINE STATIONS.

IT'S SEVEN STOREYS TALL AND FEATURES RETAIL SPACE AND 100 UNITS THAT ARE MEANT TO BE AFFORDABLE.

THE PILSEN HOUSING COOPERATIVE HAS BECOME A BLUEPRINT FOR COMMUNITY LED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

OFFERING A WAY FOR FAMILIES TO STAY IN THE AREA DESPITE THE GENTRIFICATION HAPPENING AROUND THEM.

WE HAVE JOY ARUGUETE, C.E.O.

OF BIGGER REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND AMANDA CORTES, AND CHRISTIAN DIAZ, DIRECTOR OF HOUSING.

JOY, TO YOU FIRST.

IT TOOK ABOUT EIGHT YEARS TO GET THE LUCY GONZALES PARSONS APARTMENTS BUILT AND OFF THE GROUND AND BICKERDIKE MANAGES AFFORDABLE UNITS IN THE CITY.

HOW TYPICAL IS THIS TYPE OF PROJECT IN TERMS OF THE SIZE AND THE TIME IT TOOK TO GO THROUGH WITH THE PLANNING?

>> WELL, IT TAKES UNFORTUNATELY IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO GET AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT BUILT AND THAT IS USUALLY BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY LAYERS OF FINANCING THAT WE NEED TO ASSEMBLE TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE.

AND SO I THINK IT IS 100 UNITS MAKES SENSE ON THE LOGAN SQUARE BLUE LINE STATION BECAUSE IT IS A TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

AND IN ORDER -- THAT IS A PLACE THAT SUPPORTS HEIGHT AND DENSITY AND IT'S RIGHT ON KENZIE AVENUE ALONG THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.

AND JUST OFF OF MILWAUKEE AVENUE.

AND IT IS A PRETTY LIVELY AREA.

SO 100 UNITINGS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SITE.

AND MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

>> CHRISTIAN WE KNOW THAT IT WAS PART OF THE EFFORT TO GET PARSONS APARTMENTS BUILT.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE LOGAN SQUARE?

SHE TOUCHED ON THE LIVELY AREA IS THERE ANYTHING THAT MADE YOU THINK THAT LOST COST HOUSING WAS NEEDED?

>> LOGAN SQUARE HAS BEEN SUFFERING FOR A LONGTIME.

SUFFERING THROUGH THE IMPACTS OF THE DISPLACEMENT AND THAT HAS ONLY BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE HEALTH CRISIS WE HAVE BEEN LIVING THROUGH WITH COVID-19.

AND DESPITE THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN OF COVID-19, RENTS HAVE ONLY GONE UP.

AND MORE COMPETITION FOR HOUSING IS HAPPENING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES PARTICULARLY FAMILIES WHO HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOLS, WHEN THEIR RENTS ARE RAISED OVERNIGHT BY 500 TO $600.

AND WHEN THEY LOOK FOR NEW APARTMENTS TO MOVE INTO, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANYTHING BELOW $1500, $1600.

AND THOSE UNITS THAT WE DO FIND ARE OFTEN ONE BEDROOMS OR STUDIOS THAT CAN'T FIT THE AVERAGE LATINX FAMILY.

SO WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT THE GONZALES PARSONS APARTMENTS WHICH WE CELEBRATED THE RIBBON CUTTING WITH JOY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IS THAT THESE ARE FAMILY SIZED UNITS.

NOT ONLY ARE THEY AFFORDABLE BUT THEY CAN FIT THE AVERAGE LATINX FAMILY AND THIS IS A MONUMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY INTO A NEW DIRECTION THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS TAKING.

WE'RE PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

WE'RE HAPPY THAT THEY ARE THE DEVELOPER AND WE HOPE WE CAN SEE MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE.

>> I CAN SEE THE PRIDE ON YOUR FACE.

AMANDA, FIRST, THE PILSEN HOUSING COOPERATIVE IS THE SUBJECT OF ONE OF WTTW'S FIRSTHAND SERIES ON SEGREGATION.

I WANT TO PLAY A SHORT CLIP FOR YOU.

>> WE HEARD THAT IN SPANISH.

AND WE SAW SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH.

AMANDA CAN YOU TELL ME HOW DID THIS PROJECT COME TO BE?

AND WHEN AND WHY DID YOU BECOME A MEMBER?

>> WE HAVE BEEN WORKING SINCE 2016 AS RESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

FOLKS WHO LIVED NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

AND I THINK WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR AN ACTION BASED AMERICAN WAY WE COULD -- PERSONAL WAY WE COULD SAY NO TO THE DISPLACEMENT THAT WAS HAPPENING IN PILSEN AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING AND PLANNED FOR A LONGTIME.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S JUST A PERSONAL AND POLITICAL AND ACTION-BASED MODEL THAT HAS REALLY, REALLY WORKED.

YOU HEARD THEM TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR HER TO STAY IN HER COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE BUILT UP SO MANY RESOURCES OVER MANY DECADES IN PILSEN.

AND A LOT OF THAT WORK I FEEL LIKE WHEN FOLKS GET DISPLACED IT KIND OF GOES AWAY.

THAT WAS OUR MOTIVATION FOR FORMING THE PILSEN HOUSING COOPERATIVE.

>> JOY, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE BARRIERS FACING LOW INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE BIGGEST RESISTANCE IS THAT YOU FACE?

>> THERE ARE SO MANY.

I THINK FIRST OF ALL, JUST GETTING -- TALKING 0 NEIGHBORS GETTING THE NEIGHBORS ONBOARD.

ADDRESSING ANY RESISTANCE THAT COMES UP AND THERE'S TYPICALLY IN A GENTRIFYING AREA THERE IS RESISTANCE.

PEOPLE HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PEOPLE THEY DON'T REALIZE SOMETIMES IT'S THEM OR THEIR NEIGHBORS OR THE PEOPLE THEY SEE EVERYDAY.

THEY ARE NOT UNKNOWN PEOPLE.

AND SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE SO MANY CHALLENGES BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK NONE THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE AND NONE THAT PREVENTS US FROM BUILDING THE HOUSING THAT IS NEEDED.

WE BUILD FAMILY HOUSING.

AND LUCY GONZALES PARSONS APARTMENT IS FAMILY HOUSING.

AND THAT MEANS THAT IT'S GOING TO COST A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE YOU HAVE MORE SQUARE-FOOTAGE IN THE BEDROOMS.

THE COST PER UNIT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE AND YOU GET PUSHBACK FROM THE FUNDERS WHO ARE USED TO FUNDING SMALLER SIZED DEVELOPMENTS.

BUT IT'S WORTH EVERY MOMENT THAT WE SPEND AND YEARS THAT IT TAKES TO PUT THIS DEVELOPMENT TOGETHER BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEE THOSE FAMILIES MOVE IN.

AND I WILL TELL YOU WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM AN APARTMENT AND THEY CAN SEE THE APARTMENT FROM THE NEW PLACE THAT LUCY GONZALES PARSONS A PLACE THAT THEY CAN DEPEND ON TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN AND TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'VE CALLED HOME FOR SO MANY YEARS.

>> AMANDA, CHRISTIAN WE HAVE JUST OVER A MINUTE HERE.

I WANT TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO GETTING A CO-OP OFF THE GROUND?

>> DEFINITELY, THE DOMINANT MODEL OF HOUSING AND THE HOUSING MARKET IS ONE THAT EMPHASIZES LAND USE OF AN INVESTMENT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE USED TO GENERATE WEALTH.

AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE TO ONE WHERE WE SEE LAND AS A BENEFIT FOR PEOPLE WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO HOUSE US AND TO PROVIDE STABILITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> I WOULD COMPLETELY AGREE WITH CHRISTIAN A NEW SORT OF OR OLD ACTUALLY, VIEW ON LAND AND WHAT LAND OWNERSHIP IS FOR IS DEFINITELY WHAT IS CALL IMPORTANT IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE DEFINITELY DOING AT THE PILSEN HOUSING CO-OP.

>> YOU HAVE ALL BEEN PIVOTAL CREATING A NEW WAY FORWARD FOR FAMILIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

THANKS TO JOY ARUGUETE, AMANDA CORTES AND CHRISTIAN DIAZ.

>> EVERYTHING ABOUT A SUMMERTIME WALK THROUGH THE CITY IS MADE BETTER BY TREES.

THE AIR IS CLEANER AND THE SHADE OFFERS A RESPITE FROM THE SUN.

NOT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF A TREE CANOPY AND THAT IS SOMETHING A NEW PARTNERSHIP HOPES TO CHANGE.

OPEN LANDS AND A NEW SEARCH ENGINE ARE WORKING WITH ACTIVISTS TO SPREAD THE WRD TO RESIDENTS ABOUT THE GRANT PROGRAM CALLED TREE PLANTERS.

COORDINATOR SHARES WHY TREE EQUITY IS IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTH OF CHICAGO'S COMMUNITIES AND HOW YOU CAN GET A NEW TREE PLANTED ON YOUR STREET FOR FREE.

>> OPEN LANDS IS A NATURE CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES THE TRISTATE METROPOLITAN AREA.

AND WE DO WORK WITH TREE PLANTING, FORESTRY, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION AS WELL.

TREE EQUITY IN REGARDS TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO, TO ME MEANS WE WANT TO PLANT MORE TREES IN THE SOUTHWEST SIDE.

IT IS OUR PRIORITY AREA BECAUSE WE HAVE A POLLUTION IN THIS SIDE OF THE CITY.

THERE ARE SURFACES THAT ABSORB HEAT WHICH CREATES THE HIGH ISLAND EFFECT.

OUR MISSION IS TO GET TREES PLANTED ON THE SIDE OF THE CITY TO EXPAND THE TREE CANOPY.

BECAUSE IT HAS LOWER THAN AVERAGE TREE CANOPY COVERAGE.

SO MAY 28, WE SHOWED UP WITH OUR TOOLS AND OUR TREES TO GET TREES PLANTED AROUND KELLY HIGH SCHOOL.

WE PLANTED FOUR TREES.

AND THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY HELPED US GATHER ADDRESSES FOR THE TREE PLANTERS GRANT AND GOT TO GRANT 17 TREES IN THE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE TREE PLANTERS GRANT IS AVAILABLE FOR ANYBODY IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO OR THE SOUTH SUBURBS WHO WANTS TO GET A FREE TREE PLANTED IN THE PARKWAY AS LONG AS THEY AGREE TO WATER THE TREE.

>> WHO DOESN'T WANT MORE TREES?

YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOUT THE TREE PLANTERS GRANTS ON OUR WEBSITE.

>> WHAT A NEW LAW MEANS FOR WATER SAFETY ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN.

>> A NEWLY SIGNED STATE LAW WILL REQUIRE WATER RESCUE EQUIPMENT ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN IN ILLINOIS.

THAT MEANS THINGS LIKE LIFE RINGS AT PIERS AND WARNING SIGNS IN MORE DANGEROUS AREAS.

THE LAW IS A CULMINATION OF A YEARS' LONG EFFORT THAT CAME TO THE HEAD AFTER THE DROWNING DEATH OF 19-YEAR-OLD MIGUEL CISNEROS LAST SUMMER.

THE PARK DISTRICT BEGAN PUTTING UP LIFE RINGS BUT ONCE THE LAW GOES INTO EFFECT NEXT YEAR THAT EQUIPMENT WILL BE REQUIRED ANYWHERE PEOPLE CAN ENTER THE LAKE AND IT TOOK A LOT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

JOINING US IS MIGUEL CISNEROS' MOTHER MARIA DIAZ, WATER SAFETY ADVOCATE HALLIE QUEZADA RASMUSSEN AND 49TH WARD ALDERWOMAN MARIA HADDEN.

OBVIOUSLY WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR REACTION LEARNING ABOUT THE LAKE MICHIGAN RESCUE EQUIPMENT ACT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE TOO NUANCED GIVEN THE FACT YOU HAD A HEAVY LOSS IN YOUR FAMILY AND SEEING SOMETHING COME OF IT.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, I WILL SAY THAT AFTER THE LAW PASSED I FELT GOOD.

AND THEN WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT IT HAD ACTUALLY PUT INTO USE THIS WEEK WHEN A PERSON WAS SAVED ON NORTH AVENUE BEACH THAT MADE MY DAY HAPPIER.

I KNOW MY KID'S LEGACY IS BEING CARRIED ON AND IT MAKES ME VERY, VERY HAPPY.

>> I CAN IMAGINE THAT JUST KNOWING THAT HE HAD A ROLE IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN AT LEAST BRINGS A LITTLE BIT OF PEACE.

HALLIE QUEZADA RASMUSSEN, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING YOU HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR LIFE RINGS AT BEACHES SINCE 2018.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE ON THIS FIGHT?

IT IS A TRAUMATIC MOMENT FOR YOU?

>> IT WAS AWFUL.

YOU KNOW WE WERE ON THE BEACH WHEN TWO 13-YEAR-OLDS WERE STRUGGLING IN THE WATER AND WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO SAVE ONE.

AND THOSE MOMENTS WHEN SHE HAD SUBMERGED AND WE WERE SEARCHING FOR ANYTHING THAT FLOATED.

WE HAVE TWO TRAINED RESCUE DIVERS ON SCENE.

BOTH HAD ENOUGH TRAINING TO NOT GO IN WITHOUT EQUIPMENT KNOWING WHAT THE CURRENTS WERE AT THAT PLACE.

AND IT TOOK 30 MINUTES FOR SOMETHING THAT FLOATS TO GET THERE AFTER WE CALLED 9-1-1.

SO THE URGENCY FOR THIS WAS REALLY REAL AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO FINALLY SEE THE LIFE RINGS THERE.

>> ALDERWOMAN HADDEN DO YOU AS THE ALDERWOMAN OF A LAKEFRONT WARD, I'M CURIOUS WHAT RESPONSIBILITY YOU THINK THE CITY AND STATE HAS IN HAVING A ROLE IN PREVENTING DROWNING INCIDENTS ALONG THE LAKE TO BEGIN WITH?

>> IT'S BEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, MYSELF AND OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE USED OUR LEGISLATIVE ABILITIES AND OUR ROLES AS ADVOCATES PARTICULARLY AS AN ALDERPERSON NOT HAVING DIRECT OVERSIGHT OR CONTROL OVER THE PARK DISTRICT THAT IS A SEPARATE AGENCY, THAT ROLE THAT HAS BEEN MOST USEFUL AND FOCAL ADVOCATE AND SUPPORTER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

AND PUSHING FOR THINGS LIKE HEARINGS THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE BODY IN ORDER TO ADD PRESSURE.

AND SO IT'S BEEN SOMETIMES CHALLENGING TO NOT BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE RULES YOURSELF.

OR MAKE PEOPLE TAKE THE IMMEDIATE ACTIONS THAT YOU KNOW ARE RIGHT.

BUT IT'S BEEN A REAL HONOR TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY MORE BROADLY ON THIS ISSUE AND TO SEE US GET THIS WIN.

>> IT WAS A LONG BATTLE WITH THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT.

SOMETHING WE SAW PLAY OUT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

MARIA DIAZ TO YOU NOW.

ONE, I KNOW THAT EARLIER THIS WEEK THERE WAS A WATER RESCUE USING A LIFE RING.

I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOUR REACTION WAS TO THAT.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CITY CAN DO TO INCREASE WATER SAFETY?

>> SO WHEN I HEARD THIS WEEK I WAS VERY HAPPY.

I A BITTERSWEET BECAUSE I KNOW NOTHING WILL BRING MIGUEL BACK AND FROM WHAT I HEARD THERE WERE TALKS WITH THE PARK DISTRICT ABOUT INSTALLING LIFE RINGS AND THE IDEA GOT PUSHED AWAY AS NOT NEEDED.

EARLIER IN THE SUMMER IF THEY HAD BEEN INSTALLED MY SON WOULD BE HERE.

AS FAR AS WHAT IS NEEDED THIS IS A FIRST STEP.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WE CAN DO TO PREVENT DROWNINGS WHICH ARE SOMETHING THAT IS EASY TO DO.

I WILL START MAYBE WITH EDUCATION IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHING KIDS HOW TO SURVIVE OR GAIN TIME EXTRA TIME IN THE WATER.

I, MYSELF, WAS NOT AWARE.

I'M 42 AND I THINK EDUCATION IS A MUST AS WELL.

>> HALLIE QUEZADA RASMUSSEN YOU ARE ALSO A C.P.S.

TEACHER AND I KNOW THE CITY DOES OFFER WATER SAFETY TRAINING.

DID YOU THINK THAT WATER SAFETY EDUCATION BELONGS IN CITY CLASSROOMS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE KEY TO DROWNING PREVENTION IS LAYERS OF PROTECTION.

AND THE LIFE RINGS ARE AN IMPORTANT STEP THAT IS THE EQUIPMENT.

AND ANOTHER LAYER IS THE EDUCATION THAT PREVENTION PIECE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE MISCONCEPTION THAT WATER SAFETY IS COMMON SENSE IT IS A LAKE HOW BAD COULD IT BE?

THERE ARE SO MANY HIDDEN DANGERS AND SURVIVAL STRATEGIES THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY JUST DON'T KNOW.

AND THE KEY TO TEACH PEOPLE IS REALLY A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.

IF YOU THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SIGN UP.

CAPTIVE AUDIENCES WE FIND AT SCHOOLS AND CAMPS.

AND WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A SPONSOR IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE FOR ANOTHER BILL THAT WOULD ADD WATER SAFETY EDUCATION TO AN EXISTING SAFETY EDUCATION LAW.

SO DROWNING ACTUALLY TAKES MORE LIVES OF SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN THAN TORNADOES, FIRES, EARTHQUAKES AND ACTIVE SHOOTERS COMBINED.

YET WE TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST ALL OF THOSE THREATS IN SCHOOL.

BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY LAW.

SO THE BILL WE HOPE TO GET IN NEXT SESSION WOULD ADD WATER SAFETY TO THE LIST.

>> I KNOW THIS FIGHT IS FAR FROM OVER.

THIS IS SOMETHING ALMOST FEELS LIKE YOU'VE TAKEN ON AS A SECOND JOB FOR THOSE LISTENING AND WATCHING, WHAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO LEARN WHEN IT COMES TO WATER SAFETY TRAINING?

>> YEAH YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT BODY OF WATER YOU ARE IN, BEING ABLE TO FLIP AND YOUR BACK AND FLOAT WILL BUY YOU TIME.

IT CAN HELP YOU CONTROL THE PANIC AND PANIC KILLS.

CAN KEEP YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER SO YOU CAN BREATHE.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY RIGHT NOW, TOP PRIORITY WOULD BE TEACHING AND PRACTICING THAT FLIP AND FLOAT.

ESCAPING YOUR DROWNING EMERGENCY CAN HAPPEN LATER YOU HAVE TO FLOAT FIRST AND CONTROL YOUR PANIC.

>> AND PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SPOT RIPTIDES AS WELL.

ALL IMPORTANT THINGS.

ALDERWOMAN HADDEN THE ACQUIRES THE NEW LAW REQUIRES CLEAR SIGNAGE AT HIGH INCIDENT AREAS.

DO YOU THINK SIGNAGE IS EFFECTIVE IN KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE DANGEROUS AREAS ALONG THE LAKE?

>> I THINK IT'S EFFECTIVE AT HELPING PEOPLE BE ABLE TO BETTER CALCULATE THEIR RISKS.

YOU KNOW, LIKE HALLE SAID AND AS WE'VE SEEN TOO MANY TIMES, BOTH IN THE CASE OF MIGUEL'S TRAGEDY AND ALSO OTHER RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY AT PIER IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A HIGH-RISK AREA.

YOU CAN GO OUT THERE ON A DAY LIKE COUPLE DAYS AGO I WAS OUT THERE AND IT DOESN'T FEEL HIGH-RISK.

IT DOESN'T LOOK HIGH-RISK SO THE SIGNAGE IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WHEN WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION.

AND THAT IS AN EASY THING THAT WE CAN DO IS TELL PEOPLE WHO THE RISKS ARE.

AS WE WORK ON THE MULTILAYERED APPROACH TO HELP THEM BE SAFER AND MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT -- >> WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

I WANTED TO SAY I KNOW THIS IS A MULTIPERSON EFFORT AND ALL OF YOU HAD A HAND IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU TO MARIA DIAZ, HALLIE QUEZADA RASMUSSEN AND MARIA HADDEN.

>> THE STORY OF A FAMILY OWNED HARDWARE STORE.

>> THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE CITY'S HISTORY FAMILY OWNED HARDWARE STORES HAVE BEEN ANCHORED IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN CHIP.

OVER TIME, COMPETITION FROM BIG BOX STORES AND A LACK OF SUCCESSORS TO TAKEOVER THE FAMILY BUSINESS FORCED MANY TO CLOSE.

NOW THE OPENER OF A LONGTIME FIXTURE ON 18TH STREET IS NAILING DOWN PLANS TO INSURE HIS STORE HAS A DIFFERENT FATE.

ERICA GUNDERSON TAKES US TO ALVAREZ HARDWARE.

>> I TELL MY GRANDSON YOU HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

THEY HAVE TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

YOU HAVE TO TREAT EACH AND EVERYONE WITH RESPECT.

>> PEOPLE YOU WALK AROUND PILSEN AND THEY SEE HIM, PEOPLE HEY Mr. A.F.L.-C.I.O.

REZ THEY WILL SALUTE HIM.

>> GIVING PEOPLE THE SERVICE IS MY PASSION.

I LIKE TO BE WITH PEOPLE AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE.

AND GIVE SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE.

>> OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES, JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IN PILSEN HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY CHANGE.

BUT IN THAT TIME, THE FACE BEHIND THE COUNTER AT ALVAREZ HARDWARE HAS BEEN THE SAME.

THE STORE HAS BEEN THE PLACE TO GO FOR PILSEN RESIDENTS LOOKING FOR A SHOVEL OR PIPE FIGHT FITTING SINCE HE BOUGHT THE BUSINESS FROM HIS FATHER-IN-LAW IN THE 1980s.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE HARDWARE BUSINESS.

>> IN THE EARLY DAYS THE FINANCES WERE TOUCH AND GO.

>> I USED TO RUN TO THE SUPPLIERS FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A DAY BECAUSE I COULD NOT BUY A BOX OF ELBOWS OR NIPPLES OR WHATEVER YOU KNOW.

I USED TO BUY FIVE PIECES AT A TIME.

AND THEN WHEN I COME MY WIFE SAYS GO BACK.

HERE'S THE MONEY.

AND IT WAS A STRUGGLE.

BUT IT PAID OFF.

>> OVER THE FIRST FEW YEARS HE SAYS THE COMMUNITY TAUGHT HIM WHAT IT NEEDED FROM THE STORE.

>> I LEARNED WHAT TO GET AND SELL TO OUR PEOPLE.

AND WITH THE TIME, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN CHANGING.

SO NOW WE SELL A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENT MERCHANDISE ACCORDING TO THE CLIENTELE AND TIMES.

>> AT ALVAREZ HARDWARE THIS WASHER COSTS 18 CENTS.

AND AND YOU ARE GETTING 40 YEARS OF KNOW HOW AND THAT IS WHAT Mr. ALVAREZ SAYS HAS PEOPLE COMING BACK.

>> WE ASK THE CUSTOMERS AND THEY GO TO THE SUBURBS OUT SOUTH, THEY COME BACK BECAUSE THEY KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE'LL TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLAIN THINGS TO THEM WELL.

>> NOW, HE IS TEACHING HIS GRANDSON THE SOFTER SIDE OF THE HARDWARE BUSINESS.

>> THIS WAS A DAYCARE FOR ME.

I GREW UP HERE.

EVERY SATURDAY MORNING WAKE UP EARLY, GO FOR THE MERCHANDISE AND BRING AND MARK IT UP.

I WILL ASK QUESTIONS WHAT DOES THAT DO?

WHAT IS IT USED FOR?

AND MY GRANDFATHER HE WOULD TELL ME.

>> TELL MY GRANDSON ANDS THERE ALWAYS WILL BE A NEED FOR HARDWARE STORE IN PILSEN EVEN THOUGH THE BIG BOXES ARE MONSTER, THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE AND KNOWING WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, MAKE US UNIQUE.

>> INI'M DEFINITELY GOING TO TAKE THIS OVER AND KEEP IT GOING.

IT'S THE LEGACY WE HAVE.

>> I'M LOOKING FOR A PIPE INTERTUBE.

>> YEAH, I'M GOING TO MAKE HIM PROUD.

YEAH.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" THIS IS ERICA GUNDERSON.

>> LEGACY, INDEED.

NOW HE WANTS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HE IS NOT RETIRING SOON.

IF YOU NEED ADVICE ON YOUR DIY PROJECT HE WILL BE THERE BEHIND THE COUNTER SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

AND THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT, YOU CAN CATCH US ON SUNDAYS BEGINNING AT 10:00 P.M. AND YOU CAN CATCH MY REPORTING ON CBS2 CHICAGO.

NOW FROM ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" I'M MARISSA PARRA.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY.

STAY SELF AND GOOD NIGHT.

STAY SAFE AND GOOD NIGHT.

[♪♪♪]