This our old house right here.

Over twenty years, right?

What house?

That house right there.

The blue house?

Yeah, you remember?

You was born over there.

Yeah you was, you used to live there.

Yeah, you used to live there.

Um, why are they gonna knock that house down?

Cuz the railroad buyin' it all.

So, they need everything.

Huh?

The railroad is buyin' it all.

So they need it, they need all of the houses down.

So they can make a shipyard.

What's a shipyard?

Where all the trains go.

Why are they gonna knocking our house down?

Whoo!

I think a lotta people wear wigs just for the convenience.

And you put that wig on, and you like, hey... That's the person I'm looking for.

You get a chance to be... Whoever you wanna be.

So I actually heard a conversation of the railroad people, saying, "We don't never know her because her hair is always different."

In fact, she's a Tina Turner girl... Rollin'!

Rollin'!

And I'll look through... Ok wait one minute... Yeah I have seven grandkids.

Seven grandkids, and three great-grandkids.

I have been at this house since June of 1980.

And my kids were small then.

My dad had moved downstairs in the basement, and the upstairs was still vacant.

And I said well ok.

If I can stay here long enough to raise my kids and they finish high school, then I'm out.

But I'm still here.

Because I got involved!

Good morning!

I know all of you aware of what's going on on the other side of the track, right?

Yes, we do.

I don't.

About the railroad asking to buy the properties over there?

To put an intermodal over there?

The more houses they get, the more moving they gonna do.

This will let us know what actions to take?

Uh huh, it gives you the script to say, I'm calling to file an objection to selling 104 vacant lots to Norfolk Southern, that's the railroad, for 1.1 million dollars.

You have a good day!

Thank you.

Okay!

When Mr. Wright came with the letter, announcing the Norfolk Southern intermodal, I was actually moving.

When he explained to me that the homes in this area, were becoming... a storage yard?

That changed the whole thing.

We're objecting to these sales.

We wanna stop it!

They sayin' who gonna buy it right here.

Norfolk Southern.

Norfolk Southern Railroad, absolutely.

All it's gonna be is a freight yard.

That ain't bringing no revenue, that ain't bringing no jobs to us.

No, we not gonna get none of those jobs they gettin'.

It ain't bringin' no jobs at all, this a lie.

Intermodal transportation is on the rise.

These intermodal terminals offer domestic and international service with most major US ports.

Chicago handles 1/4th of the nation's freight rail traffic, or 37,500 rail cars each day.

It can now take up to 30 hours for freight trains to pass through the Chicago region.

Delays in rail freight threaten the economic vitality of the region.

Mayor Emanuel has asked the city council to approve the sale of 105 vacant lots to the railroad for 1.1 million dollars.

Chicago is a intermodal capital of the United States.

And we plan on keeping it that way.

The logistics business is a good business.

It is a industry that pays people very well.

Everything here is for the benefit of this city, of your community, of the future, of job growth and economic development.

Our biggest issue right now is the overcrowding of our parking for our trailers, that move on our intermodal trains.

And we saw that we had the opportunity to continue South, to expand our railyard.

We did hire a real-estate agent and a lawyer, they went door to door, talked to people about selling their property, did what they could to reach everybody down there.

Now like I've said we have not forced anybody to sell.

It's all been willingly sold and people have come to us, so... You say that people sold willingly.

Yes.

At a later time we can unpack that, and I'd like to.

When you say you're surprised at how many properties you acquired... Part of the question is how many have you acquired?

I wanna say right now we've acquired about 65 to 70% of the properties inside the, inside our area where we want to build our terminal.

Do you give the property owner what they paid for their home, or is that a different price?

That's the appraised value.

The fair market value is what we offer for the price.

Ok, fair market value.

To say that my $100,000 home is now worth 35, because that's the fair market value... rather than what we will need to have to purchase something of equivalent value.

If you were to sell your house right now to me, what would be fair?

I wouldn't sell my house.

I wouldn't sell it.

Why should I move and suffer and get a mortgage, when I have a house that's paid for?

You can put it in the garbage, I don't want it anyway.

Garbage schmarbage.

I'm trying to see... now most of them need to be wrapped in newspaper.

Let me see, here's the paper here.

We need to do that, but it sure it ain't no more boxes, huh?

We had this house built from the ground, in 1972.

The sale about to go through now, cuz I was a volunteer seller.

What we heard at the meeting, is "you can go now or you can stay till the end of the three years, but you must leave this area."

I wanted to move, to get my baby to a better neighborhood.

This is a HORRIBLE neighborhood At this point in time, it IS a bad neighborhood!

This one here don't want to go, cuz he has to go so far.

No, I do not.

This is where I grew up, I know everybody here, and I don't wanna go.

I wanna stay.

I mean, what's the track for anyway?

I mean, it's another railroad track?

Uh, they're just gonna build, they say an intermodal exchange, or something they callin' it.

Where all the freight cars gonna sit over here.

They gonna have the freight, um... yeah, them things.

Oh, so pretty much it's gonna be a parking space.

Basically.

That's crazy.

What if it was a old, real real old lady and she by herself?

It is a lot of those!

How they expect for them to just up and move out they house they done been in for so long... since they was kids!

And they kids' kids.

They gotta go.

They don't care.

No, they got to go.

If you wanted to be a volunteer seller, they would come out and tell you what they think your house is worth.

And how much mortgage you still have left, so they can try to figure out how to lowball your financer to see... if she owe one-twenty, maybe I can get it for sixty-five.

Not gonna give you the difference!

But they did offer to give twenty to thirty thousand for you being dislocated.

And your closing costs, IF you can secure another mortgage.

I could get paid to leave?

Sound like a wonderful thing to me!

As we gather in this circle one more time our heavenly father, thank you for each and every one of us here.

As Ms. Payne start this meeting and try to come together and stay together until this deal is over, amen.

The reason for the meeting is, we're still here and we don't know how long we're gonna be here.

We don't want to lose anyone.

They did a whole lot of talking up there, at that initial meeting, and I picked up on that he was full of game.

They came to our door, and all they asked, "Do you wanna sell your house?"

Really?

Twice they did it.

And that was all, that's all we heard.

And I mean no explanation or anything, they say, "Well here's a card if you wanna sell your house."

The faster they can move stuff, the more money they can make.

The value of my property may not be as high as the mortgage is, right now.

But, I can wait.

I'm not in no hurry to go.

The longer you hold out, you get more money.

Cuz they have some time tables, that they have to live by.

We've been really silent.

And I think that we're being taken advantage of.

It's time to make some noise.

Fourth of July we throw a big-ass party.

My man's gonna get about five thousand on fireworks... and we get it in!

This gonna be the biggest one ever.

It gonna be the biggest one ever.

Cuz it's the last one!

Yeah, cuz it's the last one.

You having a good time?

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

You welcome.

Any time!

Yes, I love my hood.

I dunno what I'ma do.

It's the last year, y'all!

Last year.

It's the last one of em over here!

Yeah, the railroad not gonna let us over here!

I don't know much about history I don't know much biology Don't know much about the French I took Don't know much about the science book But I do know that I love you And I know that if you love me too What a wonderful world this could be Where we goin'?

Which way?

Uh, let's go back to Normal.

We work for Bronzeville Green landscaping and, we just get a list and all the properties we have to clean so that's what we do.

We spotted a couple - I think it might have been a eagle or a hawk.. over here on, like 59th street in a big cell phone tower it was teaching its little, I guess, little son or daughter birdie how to fly and glide, and it was like the best thing ever, man.

It was like, the best.

Just seeing it like, in your neighborhood it's like man, breathtaking almost.

Norfolk Southern's 47th street intermodal yard expansion is part of a proposed ten-year, 200 million dollar capital investment to accommodate the current and expected growth in intermodal transportation.

The entire expansion will encompass 84 acres at completion.

Our department will recommend an advisory group be created along with the cooperation of Alderman Cochran on how that money is to be spen.

When this expansion came to my attention, we brought the community together for an information briefing, and I heard those concerns.

As such, I have insisted on environmental issues which affect each and every one of us, to be made a priority.

I'd like to thank Norfolk and Southern for investing in my ward and many of the residents who have reached out to me with their opinions on this project.

And that ends my speech.

Thank you, Alderman Cochran.

At this time we will hear public testimony.

The enlarged intermodal transfer station will significantly increase the number of rail cars, trucks, and traffic in Englewood.

Since both rail and trucks use diesel fuel, there will be a major increase in emissions inhaled by residents.

The Chicago Plan Commission and the City of Chicago have a responsibility and duty to ensure that these changes do not harm the people who live in Englewood.

The area in the Englewood neighborhood TIF is described as largely vacant land and, not residential.

That's accurate today, but it is not accurate to the character of the neighborhood at the time that the railyard began acquiring property.

And if proper procedures had been followed.. these amendments would look at a very different world today.

This is a residential neighborhood.

Thank you.

Long-haul rail service is nearly four times as fuel-efficient as long-haul trucks.

And so what we have to do is we have to balance the business imperative with our desire for the environmental need..

This just makes it more clear that we have to make them more accountable.

And anything that we can do to help with that.

Let's get together real quick and debrief.

More teams need to be brought to the table, particularly Aldermen, our state officials, our Cook County commissioners, and those other Aldermens who didn't show up today.

All have to have all hands on deck.

And they have to care about environment.

And they have to care about our community's future.

I've been working on the railroad All the live-long day I've been working on the railroad Just to pass the time away Can't you hear the whistle blowing?

Rise up so early in the morn Can't you hear the captain shouting?

Dinah blow your horn Norfolk blow your horn.

Dinah won't you blow?

/ Dinah won't you blow?

/ Dinah won't you blow your horn...

I don't see why this is appropriate.

Get the weeds out the way.

My wife said she want some more flowers.

I said, I know where they at!

All down the street, where they tearin' these houses up at.

I got these out the yard, from the people that moved out.

I dig em up, and she replant em.

They grow up pretty.

Houses 'round here, they had such a beautiful yard.

I take a little piece of everybody's out they yard, and plant it here.

They not here no more, so we might as well get em!

They gave us three days to move this out, and get our stuff out.

That's what they did.

We should at least had two weeks, at least.

Three days.

So that's why we got it out here like we got it.

So we're gettin' everything out before they board up.

That's what we doin.

They doin' this house.

All this was in the garbage.

See they had put all that in there and my, my, my, my roaches... just throw everything any old way out here like this.

Roaches?

Crawling roaches?

No, no, no, no, no, no, my two-legged roaches.

You know, it's bad enough we look like nobody loves us over here, but... you try to at least have it, keep it up.

And we have some coalition members... they not cutting they grass, they not picking up no trash, they not doing anything.

I don't want the railroad to sit back and just think, "well the rest of them is stupid, look how they live."

They allowed this to happen.

You need to make it hard for them!

By complaining about the stuff that needs to be done around here.

I mean, you just gonna sit and constantly, "You heard anything yet?

You heard anything?

My whole fight is because they had no respect.

Right!

I'm still paying taxes, water bill and... until I leave, I want respect!

Entering an unauthorized... unauthorized is strictly... Man!

"Why can't be men be men, and women be women?

Men are machines, just not real or good ones."

Oh my God... Hi Officer Jefferson, I'm in front of abandoned building at 5901 and 5903 South Eggleston.

The boards have been torn off, the glass is all broken, it's just open, it's horrible.

I need to know who to get in touch with, to get it re- boarded, or maybe come out and look at this disgraceful stuff that I'm seeing, right now.

After the 30 days, that's when we start writing citations.

Most of the properties here in Englewood, the banks aren't taking 'em back from the owner, so then if nobody ever boards it, it'll go to the demolition team which will take anywhere from 18 to 24 months, before the City looks at it if it's not in bad shape.

If I could just have information as to, who's held accountable for what, that's all I need.

Well, the railroad is!

You're not gonna get, I mean... Ok, say, you saying the railroad is responsible for everything?

Everything they own.

We've got a bunch of buildings like this.

Everything between 55th and 61st, the railroad is gonna own it Eventually.

But they don't own it yet.

Ok, well, until they tear 'em down...

It ain't until they tear 'em down!

I want to be...

I want the City, and the railroad to be accountable, until we're gone!

Yeah, well...

While they tear 'em down!

Until they tear 'em down.

I want shit like this torn down!

So that, that I can see these people around me.

I want it clean!

I'm sick of seeing rats and raccoons and possums, and shit that I don't even know what it is!

They everywhere.

That's besides the point!

I'm complaining about me, I can't complain about you, I don't know what your problem is.

All I can do is my part.

And as long as I'm in this community, I'm going to fight for this community.

So yeah!

I'll give you a lot to do.

So where you going now?

I'm gonna go take some more pictures to send for you to do some work.

Chair recognizes Alderman Burke.

...and number nine, your honor, is a substitute ordinance, approving an amendment to the Englewood neighborhood tax increment finance redevelopment plan and project and an amendment to the neighborhood investment fund agreement with Norfolk Southern railway It will make it possible for th railroad to clear a blighted area.

To expand economic opportunities, to clean up the environment, to clean the air, and make the environment safer and more healthy, for the entire South Side, that is affected by it.

So unless there's objection, I move to concur on the recommendation of the committee by the same roll call which was applied to item number one on the agenda along with the same last motion to reconsider.

Alderman Cochran?

Thank you Mr. President.

I just wanted to bring some things to the attention of the body public that the Norfolk and Southern intermodal yard expansion is very important to address supply chain efficiencies and is a top priority for the US and the City of Chicago.

My role in this agreement has been a broad one.

in which I had to look out for economic development, this city, this country, as well as the community itself.

It has been quite a negotiation, the centerpiece of which has been improving the environment and the personal health in the Englewood community.

Maintaining and creating jobs and economic opportunity is a constant focus of mine in the 20th ward.

The sale and acquisition of the homes that Norfolk and Southern had to go forward with went without a hitch.

I had no complaints.

Not one.

About the compensation that homeowners received.

And we leave this with our heads up.

With the respect that we need as a city, for that community.

Thank you Mr. President.

Alderman Burke?

I move to, unless there's objections, same motion to concur and the same motion to reconsider.

Hearing no objections, so ordered.

Don't pull it like that, you gonna pull the tape through.

Now, do you give the copy, to the lease, to the people at Section 8, or do I?

Do I get a copy of, what copy?

Do they get a copy of the lease?

Is that the police?

Nah he ain't no police, that's the landlord.

I hate to leave her here, but... You're gonna come back and see me, right?

Yeah.

You know I'll be around.

41 years, when the powerful railroad come, you gotta move over!

It's just amazing man, to see all these families gone, man.

Ugh...

I can't breathe.

I can't breathe.

That's what it is.

I don't know why I can't stop cryin', or... cuz I'm not really sad.

I can't understand this emotion, I don't know where I'm at in this really.

Cuz I'm not sad.

I still have fight!

With the Aldermans, they sold us out!

They really did, and I tried to bury that, but the real truth is they sold us out!

They allowed people to buy all of this property, until it was blighted and it was nothin' that we could do, but be invited to a meeting, that said that they are sorry.

That somebody should've done somethin'.

Willie Cochran sat there and skinned and grinned.

To him it was like, "screw 'em."

Who really cares... who is willing to try?

To save a community that's destined to die.

Oh what a shame!

What a bad way to live.

Who is to blame?

My Alderman.

Politicians.

Who is to blame?

And we can't stop livin'.

Hi David, this is me Deborah.

Calling to let you know I'm in the hospital.

I had a stroke.

They helicopter... helicoptered me to this hospital.

My toes was tingling, my hands was tingling.

Stuff going all up and down my leg.

And my face was, you know, tingling, and like I was having a nagging headache.

They say that that's something to kind of worry about.

I mean I shouldn't play it lightly.

I am hoping that this tingling and all of that is healing, you know like nerves healing, from what happened to me.

That's what I'm praying it is.

But I have to be grateful because I could be on my way to the morgue, right?

It was the stress of the railroad, that's what must've... mmm, I dunno that I can say.

I'm kind of scared to take this MRI.

I just know I don't wanna be here the whole weekend.

I wanna get outta here.

You're running too much, you need to slow down.

Slow down.

She always say that.

You just do too much.

Too much.

But of course she doesn't listen.

I said, my doctor said, follow what's ever on your schedule.

Cuz I told her, I said I got two meetings, I got a meeting at 11 o'clock.

I got dancing at 7.

Today?

I got a CAPS meeting at 6:30, and it's a very important meeting.

It would be good, if you could, just let all that stuff go.

Whatever's out there.

I can't.

Cuz in the end, you know, the railroad is gonna come.

Oh I'm not trying to stop that from coming, I kn-know that that's gonna happen.

That's not my problem.

M-my thing is while I live here, you gonna respect me.

But right now... Somebody gotta stand up.

Well you... you stand up so much, but it's time now for you to kinda sit down.

And rest.

And if I sit down, and then it won't get done.

Well... somebody'll do it.

No they won't!

I've been going a whole... almost two weeks, and nothing has been done.

Well leave it alone then.

A lotta that stuff... And then they win!

They win!

That's OK!

That's OK.

I had a stroke, they had a strike!

And I refuse to be And thestruck down!

So you'd rather be struck down... or stroked out.

I'm not gonna be struck down!

Girl!

This or that!

It take a whole lot more than that for me to be struck down.

A whole bunch... there the train go, see that, Norfolk Southern, They be messin with me!

Two of their cars!

If you would just turned it a little more, ya think?

Hahaha.

It wasn't an area I wanted to go, but I had looked for over four months.

I was tired, and it's ok for temporary housing, I was not able to buy a house.

I got screwed.

Because, the railroad did not want to pay off the mortgage, so they figured out how to get it from the short sale.

And in order to do a short sale, you must be behind on your mortgage.

31 days.

And I went along with the short sale, and not paying the mortgage for two months.

And by the time I tried to secure another mortgage, It had hit my credit report, that I didn't pay my mortgage for two months.

Even though I have a piece of paper saying that the railroad and the bank told me not to do it, they say I shouldn't a did it.

Now I'm forced to rent a house.

They knew what they was doing.

They in the business of buying houses!

Because when you get it on the short sale and you tell us, don't pay our mortgage, and we're foolish enough to do it!

I don't know if everybody was, but I was.

And if you foolish enough to do it, you get screwed in the end, cuz it hits your credit report.

And that's the worst strike you can have on your credit report.

That little money they gave me wasn't worth me not owning another home.

I was supposed to own something.

I shouldn't have to pay no rent.

And I'm payin' an extra $500 a month!

And he gotta tell me if I can have a dog, or what color, you can't paint, you can't attach this I shouldn't have to live like that.

It's bullshit.

Where is your coat?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, honey!

Happy new year, honey!

I guess I always was nutty enough to feel like I would stay in the coalition until the end.

Because, in my mind, I feel like, we can win.

But, Joe had some issues on this house.

Norfolk Southern was like, we've dealt with you guys long enough.

You either have 30 days to take the last offer we've given you, or we'll see you in court.

So we're down to maybe 15 days or something when of all this start comin' up on Joe, that he had a lien on the house.

Now I'm gambling with time.

OK Joe, do you have any paperwork?

To prove tha tyou don't owe thi?

And he says, "yes," but he needed time to get that, you know?

And it was true.

Joe had paid the lien off.

But, we're runnin out of time.

So he was like, "I'm ready to let it go."

I'm lik OK, what can I do?

So, it was not my decision to bail out.

And Joe wouldn't have bailed out, but... is he strong enough to go through whatever he has to go through, To possibly only get 38,000, or not?

And I found out that, they have already start processin', the eminent domain.

On the 15th of this month.

You got my head spinning...

I fought some hard battles when I was deployed, but it seem like this is... this is the worst!

You can do it, you fought harder battles.

Yeah...

It was... been a good ride.

Five years.

Yeah...

I mean, it just hurtin'.

And you hate to say it this way, but right now we look like just a group of black people... that has to move.

I definitely think it's over.

I think it's really, it's over now.

Well, it gotta end some day.

Nothing is certain, but death.

That's true...

Nothing is certain... but taxes, and death.

Alright Deborah thank you... Ok, thank you all, thank you all, thank you all for coming.

What I'm trying to do is find me a home.

Next month I'll be 65, and...

I need to look for something, I can live with for the rest of my life.

And I think about, I'ma be in the house by myself?

And then I'm.. a little scared.

If it's any more hurt, it'll be the day I stand outside and see them knock this down.

Hey!

I'm talking to you!

You enjoying the snow?

Not at all!

It's pretty!

This ain't no snow boy!

You know I'm from Georgia.

I'm a country boy!

You ain't from no daggone Georgia.

I'm from Georgia!

I'm from Hinesville.

Yeah but you was little when you were there.

So you don't remember nothing about that!

It's where your heart is!

Your heart ain't in Georgia, your heart is right here!

You don't even have on gloves!

That's why you can't appreciate it.

That's what it is?

Because you ain't prepared.

But you gotta get in the house and get the dogs?

Yeah I'm about to feed my puppies, and walk 'em.

What street is this?

Uh?

Uh?

What street is this?

And didn't Mr, the man from the Park District mother stay there?

The Jones, I mean the Jacksons.

Yeah.

Right, AJ Jackson.

Right.

Then it was the Lewis's, then Dorothy, then there was a house right there that burnt up in like two thousand and somethin', Then I forgot who stayed there, but the green house.

And then it was that house.

And then it was ...

So it's like five houses?

I say, where are the people?

Where is the house I used to lean on?

Where is the house that my roots stopped up the sinks?

Where are the kids?

And even in all this disgusting affected area mess, it still looks beautiful.

And it's still our homes.

It's not just houses.

These are our homes.

Gone!

Gone.

Yep, if I could have one dream, just for one day.

I'd like to have it all back.

But it's OK.

It's alright now.

All gone.

First it seemed like it was the country after they knocked everything down.

They did that, and took away the trees.

Now they done added more dirt.

Made it look lik a rock quarry.

What's next?

Lord knows.

He used to come all the way from Zion, here to help take care of my momma.

Until momma got sick... Then I moved on back here, and stayed here.

And I know the story behind everything in this house!

It may look a little cluttered now, but this is only one third of everything that was in here.

She used to have this full of crystals, glasses and all sorts of crystal stuff.

Goblets...

Your home, is your anchor.

And with a person developing Alzheimer's or dementia...

When you take their anchor, away from em, they have nothing, as they say, to hold their soul here.

They start shutting down.

I didn't want my mother to shut down.

So a lotta stuff in there was for memory.

We buried my grandmother from this place.

We buried my baby brother, Tony, from this place.

And I wanted her to be able to pass away from this place, without having to go through a lot of trauma.

Those were my plans.

And it didn't happen exactly like I wanted it to.

But I knew that she didn't suffer for long.

And I kept my word, that she will still be here.

We will fight to the end.

And now, she's gone.

I don't have to fight no more.

It's the end.

I look at the neighborhood... knowing what all was here, and how alive it was here... it hurts, it really hurts.

Hello.

I'm your new neighbor!

My name Mary.

This is a letter, that was sent to Department of Housing and Economic Development.

Norfolk promised me that I would own a house after they displaced my family.

They ruined my credit, due to the short sale.

I was unable to purchase a home.

I support Norfolk's expansion, but not at the expense of me having to rent a house for three years.

I haven't got no response.

Oh, what I do, huh?

Yeah it happens in Bronzeville too.

What I have here is what I asked for.

I wanted a duplex, I got all that.

And yes, I'm grateful.

But I constantly ask myself, are you lonely here?

It's nothing that you can do alone.

People in communities, and in neighborhoods, need to stick closer together.

I feel good that we stood up, to people that thought they can do anything to you.

I think that it gave me energy.

It gave me fight.

It gave me all kinds of hair.

Stop domestic violence!

Honk your horn for peace!

I have gotten involved with the domestic violence, over here in the 2nd district, and I have a wonderful team of women that I'm workin' with that have the same passion.

We're live, on Loomis!

For domestic violence awareness, and also, breast cancer awareness.

You know, I just haven't found that perfect peace, like I had over in Englewood.

But, now all I gotta do is focus on stayin' well and healthy, and energetic, so, it could be about somebody else besides me.