Cabrini Green [whats Left of It]

EvilGentleman: 2nd Mar 2006 - 17:06 GMT

K-Money: You wonder why I was in Cabrini Green at 1:30 AM? I was passing through, of course. Being hungry and needing a break after spending all day on the road, I went to the McDonald's at Ontario and La Salle (or also Ohio and Clark. That is one big-ass place, man. A whole block in downtown) When I left, I looked at my trusty Rand McNally road map and decided to go N on La Salle, turn W on Division, and then turn NW on Clybourn, then W on North Ave to reach the onramp for I-90 W so I could continue on my way to Rockford, where my then-fiancee was waiting for me.

Keep in mind I am not from Chicago, but from Canada where bad crime means a few hookers and dealers on the corners, and maybe a few bikers hanging around keeping an eye on things. Add onto that the fact that this was in 1990, 2 years before the release of Candyman, so I had never heard of Cabrini Green, and it was not marked on the map as such, anyways. To top it all off, Cabrini Green has some pretty nice areas of Chicago close at hand, so I felt safe when I left McDonald's, since the map does not have any symbols for "bad-ass neighborhood" on it. So I went on my merry little way and almost got my ass shot for my ignorance somewhere on Clybourn.

I should mention that I love Chicago and usually feel quite safe there, and even today, I would not hesitate to bring my kids there to visit. But not into Cabrini Green or the side streets of the south side late at night. Live and learn.

anon (c-69-249-55-135.hsd1.nj.comcast.net): 2nd Mar 2006 - 17:26 GMT

what is with the bad language and offensive spelling. are there some people trying to show us how bad they are by using a rough english to show they are from the 'hood'. i'm from the 'hood' or rather neighborhood and i knew rough guys, black and white and olive and pale and any other color you care to call yourself. they were just rough ordinary guys and they had honor and self respect. they did not try to impress people about how bad they were, rather they wanted to remain in the bachground where they were less conspicuous and do what they wanted. they did not destroy their neighborhoods and respected the elderly. yes, they were bad, they never ratted, and they went out like men. they kept their neighborhood going and never let it decay. thats why you can still walk around hells kitchen where i went to school and little italy where i played and brooklyn where i grew up.

khalid: 20th Mar 2006 - 03:14 GMT

well im the spokes man for the swords of justice organization and my chairman was born in the greens and she was mickey cobra and he as a man has risen up from what chicago and the main 21 has shown brothers and sistas the wrong they was living and brotha jeff fort or (ford) as some brothas call him can't say what these WORDS THAT MY BROTHA SEIFULLAH CAN CAUSE HE'S INCARATED

drej: 22nd Mar 2006 - 01:48 GMT

Anon - You grew up in hell's kitchen/little italy and brooklyn???

Tell me more about your childhood.......I'm all ears

Peter: 22nd Mar 2006 - 02:10 GMT

ive lived in hells kitchen and brooklyn, both extensively and both to a fault. i feel it... click the tags and see some photos.

Lucky: 22nd Apr 2006 - 05:09 GMT

I was recently in Chicago with my 17 year old daughter so she could visit a few colleges there. I had never been to Chicago nor had I ever heard of Cabrini Green. We stayed in a nice hotel on Delaware Place in the midst of fine dining and shopping. Since the weather was nice, we thought we would walk to the Lincoln Park area to visit DePaul University. We followed the streets according to the map we got at the hotel and walked ourselves right into Cabrini Green. Fortunately for us a resident found it in his heart to rescue us and walk us to the "safe zone". He was surprised to hear we had no idea where we were and informed us they don't see many "white ladies" in that area. He told us how he overheard "the brothers" talking when they saw us and he felt he had to help us. He shared with us a few stories about the gangs, drugs, shootings etc. but it wasn't until later that evening when the magnitude of the whole situation really hit me. I am eternally grateful to that gentleman who probably risked his own safety to keep us from harm. I will continue to pray for him and all the residents of Cabrini Green that they can find peace in their lives and break the cycle of violence because noone deserves to live in those conditions.

Navell Burnett: 8th May 2006 - 19:12 GMT

i lived in cabrini every since i was born
and i feel like they should keep it up 4ever

french 93 aulnay-sous-bois: 7th Jun 2006 - 14:42 GMT

"candyman" very good movie and chicago and cabrini green very dangerous
come see my housing projet http://auln4y93.skyblog.com

french 93 aulnay-sous-bois: 7th Jun 2006 - 14:47 GMT

they have pics of chicago in http://auln4y93.skyblog.com

Nate: 7th Jun 2006 - 16:28 GMT

Can anyone give an update on what's going on with Cabrini and the so-called "transformation plan" in Chicago public housing? I used to know two people who worked as community organizers, doing work trying to stop or at least slow the city government's rush to chuck people into the street. Last I knew the plan called for a loss of 10,000 apartments, which means a lot of people displaced. I don't live in Chicago anymore and have lost touch with those guys. I remember driving once and looking out the window watching bulldozers on top of one of the building, being used to knock down walls and stuff. It was unreal. Would have been really pretty in a movie, but messed up in real life knowing what it means.

Phill : 23rd Jun 2006 - 18:53 GMT

To give you an update cabrini green is still currently alive. There are five buildings still standing that people live in that arn't under demolition, however there are six that have been demolished. The cabrini green extension homes or red buildings, are no longer there they have been demolished, only though three of the green homes have been demolished though, The one that stood out most to me when i drove by was the one that was Spray Painted across The Top "White Boy Killer". The gangs are still present, though new housing and whites do occupy the area. There hasn't been any major crimes recently accept for a stabbing in january. You can walk through the neighborhood without anything happening, the gangs are more laidback and such. Theres a starbucks, right next to cabrini and a BESTBUY, Plus a New huge 80 story condominium being built literally on the site of the old cabrini green. Demolition for the final buildings is scheduled for the fall of 06.

Phill : 23rd Jun 2006 - 18:54 GMT

Can someone get a photo of the spray painted white boy killer at the top?

Jimmy: 23rd Jun 2006 - 20:01 GMT

No love for the southside? Sure Englewood and Cabrini Greens is rough, but good folks still live in Mt. Greenwood and Beverly!

Also, what neighborhood is Cabrini technically in?

Phill: 24th Jun 2006 - 03:47 GMT

Cabrini is technically in the river north neighborhood, or around the gold coast the exact streets are Evergreen Avenue, Sedgwick Street, Chicago Avenue, and Larrabee Street. What do you mean also when you say no love for the southside? Englewood is on the southside. Yes also cabrini green is no longer a tough neighborhood what so ever, cabrini green is very calm, and just has poor people a tough neighborhood technically would Washington Park,Englewood, or southshore, but to be honest Chicago today is nothing at all compared to what is was heres a stat for you in 93 there were 986 murders today this past year there were around 483 so Chicago isn't bad at all non of the housing projects are it will never again be what it was.

willynelly: 16th Jul 2006 - 13:02 GMT

Old neighborhoods that at one time were nice for people to live and work in.It has happened from one end of this country to the other,when blacks move in and take over a neighborhood.Go to Chinatown,Greektown,little Italy or any ethnic area and these people generally take pride in their neighborhood.Show me a black area anywhere in this country that is safe to walk through or shop.Neighborhoods that were once nice are now ghettos,you made them that way,now you can live in them.Anywhere you live you have to care for it,if you want it to remain decent.All the while we listen to how whitey makes them live in the ghettos.Deal with it,it has become exactly what you made it.

ebola12: 17th Jul 2006 - 14:27 GMT

Cabrini-Green exsisted way before there was a "River's North". Actually it was just considered as the Near North side of Chicago. Cabrini-Green consisted of 3 distinct sections: (1) The low rise (roll houses)from Chicago Ave. to Oak St. Cambridge to Cleveland St. (2) Cabrini ext. from Chicago to Division St., Larrabee to Sedgiwick St. (3) Green Homes, Goeth ST. to Halsted ST
Division st. to Clybourn. Unlike China Town, Greek Town and Little Italy neighborhoods. CG was established as 100% warehousing for low income people to live, the area wasn't supported by an on site business zones as the previous areas, there was no tax base for the immediate CG area. Any comparison of CG with these neighborhoods are mute

phill: 21st Jul 2006 - 23:16 GMT

does anyone here no if the white boy killer thing that was spray painted across the project been removed? or if cabrini green is currently safe for whites to walk or get pictures of ?

jesusfreak: 24th Jul 2006 - 03:05 GMT

I was just in chicago with my youth group on a mission trip and we had the privilege of seeing what was left of Cabrini Green. We were all shocked to hear about the thoughtlessness of those ripping it down and the tragedy of the many displaced tenants. It is quite disheartening to see the blatant ignorance of the greatest country in the world - we're leaving our poor on the streets. What does that look like to a foreigner?

amy: 27th Jul 2006 - 02:43 GMT

i've walked through it. 1 in the afternoon, with two skinny arab guys. no problems to speak of. seemed rather benign. that was about two years ago.

phill: 27th Jul 2006 - 20:42 GMT

To Amy
or anyone else whos walked through cabrini green
did you seen any gangs out?
Did you see the spray painted white boy killer?
Is Cabrini green curently safe for whites at night?
Could you go inside the project without any problems

City Official: 31st Jul 2006 - 03:01 GMT

The housing projects were originally established as waystations for people and families who fell upon hard times and needed temporary support while they got their acts together. These housing projects were never intended for people to move into and stay permanently. In the 1950's the occupants had that purpose in mind. As time passed the newer occupants viewed public housing as a permanent solution to their inabilities to bootstrap themselves back up. There are a myriad of reasons as to why the newer occupants couldn't get out of the housing projects during their generation. Before the social scientists could analyze the problem we had up to five generations living in housing projects.

shelia/neworleans : 2nd Aug 2006 - 19:55 GMT

Thank God Things Has Changed For My People. For
Now We Have Better And More Choices.
Love Ya Sista From New Orleans, La.

shelia/neworleans : 2nd Aug 2006 - 22:21 GMT

Education Is Key. Without It Oppression Will Progress For Generations. What Do You Have To Lose? Try It. It Works. I Grew Up In The Calliope Project In New Orleans (a.k.a 3rd ward) Attend Booker T. Washington High And Dropped Out. Pregnant At 16 Feeling Helpless, Hopeless, And Depressed. I Was Lost. Got My First Apartment In The Lafitte Housing Project At 18, Because I Had To. I Could Not Live Much Longer With My Mother For Many Reasons All Bad. After Working Dead-end Jobs And Kissing Ass. I Decided To Go Back To School And Get My G.E.D. Attended Delgado Community College. Received my L.P.N./L.V.N. In Nursing. New Doors Began To Open. Working, I Save Money While Still Living The Project. I Began Establishing Credit By Buying Only The Things Needed For My Apartment. Not Letting Anyone Know A Sista Was Moving Up.
Went Back to School And Received My Associate Degree In Nursing.
As I began to walk through the doors that was opening. The Lights Began To Come On. I Worked For 6 Months More In The Same Hospital Giving A Total Of 18 Month (showing stability). I Purchase My First Home At 210,000. 4bedroom, 2.5bath, 2car garage, etc. 2500sqft. I Went Back To School Received My B.S.N In Nursing And Now In Grad School. Pursuing My NP/CNS With My Certification In Midwifery And I Will Make It. My Goal Is Open My On Practice Working With AN OB/GYN, And To Teach Women And Children. I Am Engaged To Marry An Educated Well Diverse Brother. If I Choose Not To Work Another Day After I'm Married Trust Me He Can Handle It.
Not Bad For A Girl From The Projects.
You Are Only Bound By The Walls You Create For Yourself.
Having A Trade Or Some Education Is Better Than Having None At All
My Sistas And Brothers If I Did It You Can Too
Remember To Be Anything Other Than Kingdom Minded Is Beneath You.

phill: 5th Aug 2006 - 17:12 GMT

Is Cabrini Green Currently filled with gangs and safe?
Can a white person walk through with no troubles?
WHat about going in the housing project is that currently safe for whites?

shelia/neworleans : 8th Aug 2006 - 02:46 GMT

I am sure that if one of those buildings is still standing you will have some remnants of the life that once was. Evil spirits don’t leave gracefully. As long as there is a host you have that threat of what ever that spirit brings.
I don't think the question is "Is Cabrini Green safe for white people? "But is it safe for anyone? In my opinion the answer is No. And why would a white person want to walk through a place like that? Would it be for fun or curiosity? Is this like in the movies when a white person come home to find there door open furniture over turned and tossed about and blood on the wall with there roommate nowhere to be found. Off in a distant they here a noise. Instead of them running in the other direction they walk in to find the killer who then kill them. Don't be stupid. Whatever your reasons would be to want to walk through Cabrini Green, I can guarantee you it would not be worth it. Even if the gangs are not visible upon entry. Don’t let your curiosity temp you to walk in further.

shelia/neworleans : 10th Aug 2006 - 03:25 GMT

Yes I Have. I Have Family That
Live In The Area. A Aunt That Once Lived In Cabrini Green Who Now Live Nearby. Family That Move From New Orleans After Hurricane Katrina That Live Nearby.
As a Child I Visited More Frequent Staying With My Aunt that Lived In Cabrini Green.

phill: 10th Aug 2006 - 21:48 GMT

Is cabrini green really that dangerous? I mean it can't be like iraq where you walk in a literally a expolision happens. I think it's pretty much just exagerated. Chicago today is no where near as rough as it use to be. The only place that stays rough is Philadelphia, and Detroit. I think they should rebuild public housing in chicago. That way the homeless population goes away.

phill: 10th Aug 2006 - 21:48 GMT

shelia/neworleans : 11th Aug 2006 - 06:03 GMT

It seems to me you pretty much know what it is you want to do. So... don't ask questions that you already know the (your) answer.
No I don't think they should rebuild "public housing" (the projects) especially with the same game plan that laid to this Great American Travesty.
However, I do strongly agree that a short and long term plan should have been in place for the residents of Cabrini Green to prevent homelessness. A short-term plan for the people that will successfully make the transition to the new low-income housing. A long-term plan for the people that will not make the transition. You have to account for these people, because if you don't they will become your homeless or simply known as the people who fell though the cracks. When city official went to the table on demolishing these building they had to have consider the outcome of the people living there. What was the game plan? Did these city officials voted in by these people let them down again? Was this just some master plan to take over these properties (prime real estate) to build condo for the well to do because of its location? If so, let me see if I can guess this right. They couldn't just come in and takeover. So, they had to offer the people a piece of the pie, by giving them a percentage of what they had to offer. I bet the restrictions are so tight that if they sneeze to hard a warning will be placed on the door to be put out. Maybe they will lay low for a few years, and when old Cabrini Green is long gone the game plan will change, but before that they would have made the people of old Cabrini Green so misable that they will choose not to live there.
....Mission Accomplished....

There is something we can do. (long-term goal)
Start loving yourself
Take pride in yourself and culture
Take pride in how you raise your kids (education)
Know that you are raising future leaders
Leaders that will make decision that can change the world.
In teaching your kids their culture they will learn to have pride and love who they are.
With pride come confidence
Armed with confidence when sitting at the table of a meeting making a decision on weather or not some poor people will have a place to live in the future. He will do what is best for the people, and not sellout to the majority that sit among him.
Because sometimes a leader will be called to stand-alone.

phill: 11th Aug 2006 - 23:57 GMT

My bro was just in chicago last week, he said cabrini is still standing, most of the population is still there in fact. There have been recent cases in fact of cabrini residents robbing the new residents moving in where parts of cabrini once were.
An to shelia/neworleans they're clearly is a strong hate for whites "The man" in cabrini, notice the big spray paint tag reading "White Boy Killer" across the project in huge letters, its been up there for a while and the residents don't mind it. This week in fact where two cabrini residents tried to rob a white business man, he told the cops, the cops shot one of the boys. Now they residents are saying the cop shot the boy because he was a white cop, rather than a cop. Though Chicago will always remain full of racial tention certain things like this are stupid and just make it worse.

zagg: 12th Aug 2006 - 00:30 GMT

am i blind? where does it say 'white boy killer' ???? in this image????

phill: 12th Aug 2006 - 00:51 GMT

Look at the cabrini green green homes on north larrabee street, and the one on west division. WHens the last time you've been in cabrini? It right in the open. YOur probably blind, where you coming from to when you say in this image?

zagg: 12th Aug 2006 - 00:56 GMT

Phill, I'm talking about the image posted in this citynoise submission, originally photgraphed by corsakti. So if one of us is blind --- it is most likely you.

EvilGentleman: 12th Aug 2006 - 01:24 GMT

phill - enough already. We get it. You are white, and cannot understand why there is anti-white racism. Racism is wrong, we all understand that, but it is a reality in a land where the color of one's skin can make a huge difference in the real-life opportunities one has to live decently. Things are slowly healing, but it may still be generations before anything close to true equality may exist. And remember, just because the white population is starting to become more open-minded at a more rapid pace, this does not mean that the people who grew up oppressed and without a real hope for a good life will forget just as quickly. Until those wounds heal, there will still be people who paint things like "White Boy Killer". This is the legacy of a formerly segregated society, and the legacy will go on until the victims no longer feel pain, which will be about one generation after the last people born into inequality die of old age. And it is still not equal yet, so we are looking at least 100 years down the road before you will have a society where the majority is not disliked by many elements of the minorities. Keep an open mind, and peace in your heart. That is all you can do. Love is contagious. Try it.

Now - Do you have anything constructive to say, or are we finally done with this?

phill: 12th Aug 2006 - 22:41 GMT

There are white people in the neighborhood of cabrini green, and Cabrini Green is not all black either, and there are blacks in Cabrini green that are not racist, so why are the youth of cabrini green so against whites, yes there are certain whites, that do act up, and are corrupt, but that's for any race. It's not a white and black thing its a right and wrong thing.

shelia/neworleans : 12th Aug 2006 - 23:05 GMT

Thank you EvilGentleman

What is your or anyone opinion on what is taking place right now with Cabrini Green?
Is there anything that we can do or say to give these people hope.
I do realize the hell in living in a place like this it seems no one cares. I remember as a kid saying if something happen to my family no one will notice because no one cares, and telling my two older sisters if we die it would be like we never lived.
As I write this it bring tears to my eyes, because it wasn't that long ago.
Well, I lost my mother a few years back, and I just lost my oldest sister last month. A young woman, and as a witness to her life I first hand know her suffering and saw her pain. The doctors said Lupus was the culprit, but I say life.
....Thank God for Salvation....
Can you believe in the mist of all the hell Judy found Jesus or should I say he found her My Sweet Sister Judy

My life dream is to make a difference
If everyone help someone the world will be a better place

EvilGentleman: 13th Aug 2006 - 09:03 GMT

phill - There's graffiti here in Montreal that says KILL KOPS, but nobody takes it all that seriously. The best way to deal with those that hate is to ignore them, and to be a decent person. Decent people are harder to hate. If everyone was decent, hate would vanish.

sheila - Sorry to hear about your loss. I lost my son's mother to cancer, I know what loss is. The only way I know to help is to keep an open mind, and to care for your fellow human beings. That is all any of us can do. Make sure to stand up for equality by telling those who say racial things that you do not find that sort of thing to be acceptable, and maybe you can help to speed up the healing. As far as giving things to help goes, there is only one thing to give to those who have lost hope: RESPECT. It is the one thing that may restore their hope, a million times more than money ever could. Good luck.

shelia/neworleans : 13th Aug 2006 - 16:14 GMT

EvilGentleman

Thank You Your Words

Phill: 13th Aug 2006 - 21:10 GMT

no offense or anything but this is a cabrini green chat not a sad chat about peoples loses. Keep Cabrini Green Alive! Join The Coalition to stop to Demolition of Cabrini Green and Chicago's Public housing! Write letters to the mayor, letters to chicago's city hall, the chicago housing authority, read the newspaper the defender. If you not about keepin Cabrini up Leave The blog! Don't lecture on how you think you know everything in the world!
Peace

d_green: 13th Aug 2006 - 21:43 GMT

they should leave cabrini up i'm from 1150 the 19 story buildin

shelia/neworleans: 14th Aug 2006 - 16:49 GMT

Phill
No offense or anything but this site is about Cabrini Green and the people of Cabrini Green. The name of this site is Cabrini Green, what's left of it. Its not about leaving it up or tearing it down. What you choose to write about is up to you.
Seems like the only thing you choose to want to talk about is the writing on the wall. This is the first time you have actually wrote something that says why it is you log on. You never really have any thing of use to add to the blog.
As for as my lost is concerned, I only shared that so people like you can look through the eyes of a person that have lived the life you only read about. This is real. People are going through stuff as we speak.
What you should do is shut-up, sit back, take notes, and be educated on the subject. When you have something of use to add then you speak.
I never professed to knowing everything. All I have been trying to do is tell MY sisters and brothers to be encourage. However, its only natural for you to have this attitude. People are often afraid of things they don't understand, so they attack.

WHEN SLAVERY WAS ABOLISH MANY SLAVES CHOOSE TO STAY WITH THERE MASTERS OUT OF FEAR OF CHANGE.
CHANGE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY, BUT SOMETIMES IS NECESSERY

..........PEACE BE STILL..........

Tyson: 14th Aug 2006 - 22:50 GMT

shelia/neworleans: You Stupid That kid you lecturing to is helping preserve cabrini shut your mouth and let him do his thing!

Phill: 14th Aug 2006 - 22:53 GMT

Yes for once i agree with Tyson. You want to talk about grief go ahead nothing wrong with that leave the blog beacuse you have nothing important to say. I don't see you doing anything about cabrini all you do is talk talk and talk. You don't have things that bad do you? you got a computer. Write letters emails whatever keep up cabrini.

shelia/neworleans: 15th Aug 2006 - 05:52 GMT

Tyson
All this kid has been talking about is some writing on the wall saying "White Boy Killer" and is it safe for white people to walk through Cabrini Green. He is not interested in Cabrini staying up. Before you call me stupid why don't you read back in the blog history.

Well I have said all that is necessary for me to say. So, I will grant you your wish.
But before I go I would like a answer to:
Have The Good Out Weighed The Bad In Living In Cabrini Green?
How about this ask all the people who have lost family members to the volence (gangs,drugs,killings,jail) in Cabrini Green and get there opinion. If these people had a way out for a better living they will take it. Let this be that chance for that. They are offering them section 8, and other programs. Allowing people to have a choice in where they want to live, and not to mention the low income housing. Look I wish there was a easy solution for this, but there isn't. The point is they are going to tear them down any way, and thats a fact. So.. what are you going to do. The best thing to do is get a plan together on what you are going to do, and fast. If they are going to qualify you for one of these programs. TAKE IT. USE IT TO DO BETTER FOR YOURSELF. I know that you are afraid, and I know you don't trust them, but you got to start somewhere.
I Will Keep The People Of Cabrini Green In My Prayers
Love Your Sista In New Orleans...

Tyson: 15th Aug 2006 - 17:48 GMT

It seems as a viewer the kid just wants a question answered and non of you fools will answer it for him. Maybe he wants to help out in the neighborhood, so he asks if its safe for whites huh. I'm hispanic and black and i don't find that offensive. If i were to help out some whites in a tough neighborhood, i'd want to no if it was safe before i ventured out to help. Your not being open minded, your the reason why kids like this fool don't want to help out. He has heard things that know one will verify yet shut him down in his face, for asking such as question. You getting pissed at this Cabrini deal when even The City of Chicago's records show its very tough neighborhood. Look at "girl X." Or Dantrell Davis. Or The assults on police officers. Your new orleans way of life is a lot diffrent then life in Chicago here. Phill to answer your question its safe.

Phill: 15th Aug 2006 - 17:50 GMT

Alright finally i agree. I plan to do work in Cabrini for habitat for humanity, in order to work in Cabrini, you have to have it verified as a safe place to work. That's all i was checking out. Is cabrini safe? and my question was answered. So shelia or whatever your name is that kid said it the best.

shelia/neworleans: 15th Aug 2006 - 19:11 GMT

Tyson
This is not a fight, but before you address me in defence of Phill you need to go back and read his Jun.23, 2006 entry. He was not asking for the reason he is stating now.
He seem pretty confident in it being safe.
In Phill words "you can walk through the neighborhood without anything happening, the gangs are more laidback and such". Then he stated "demolition for the final building is scheduled for the fall 2006".
Don't sound to me like someone who plan to work in Cabrini for Habitat For Humanity not on buildings that is scheduled for demolition.
If you look at his next entry right under that he ask for
someone to get a picture of the writing white boy killer.
What would be his purpose for that.
Phill
What is it you are agreeing to. the fact that he bought your lye.

Tyson: 15th Aug 2006 - 23:57 GMT

Shelia whatever your making it a bigger deal then it is, maybe the boys into Cabrini Green. Doesn't hurt me i looked at the notes yeh its true there are still gangs they are still laid back and such. Shelia you don't live here you don't no. Phill at least lives around here or something so he probably knows better then you. Obviously he cares or he wouldn't be on this blog. Sounds like he is doing habitat. maybe gangs interest the kid, and the whole thing, grow up. You don't even live in Cabrini or Chicago. Its one thing even to know someone who lives there its another thing to be the person living there. Demolition is going down in the fall of 06, and they had a thing on the news last night that theres habitat for humanity building new homes next to Cabrini Green for the ones being demolished. Your immature, close-minded. I live in Cabrini's Reds. I told people about this argument here and they laughed at it. They said at least the white boy cares. Grow up. Your making it into a bigger deal then it is.

anon (cpe-70-114-192-6.houston.res.rr.com): 16th Aug 2006 - 21:06 GMT

Tyson
There is much I can say about what you have said, but I choose not to. What I will say is, well, at least people are talking. Maybe some of your co-workers will log-on and feel the need to say or do something toward the cause. If you look back in the history of this blog the conversations were stupid and had nothing to do with anything. Now there are people like you,City Official, Evilgentleman, Phill, and myself to say something. Like I told you, this is not a fight. However funny or immature you may find me, at least I caught your attention enough to bring it to work. Who knows who your co-worker may mention this blog to. Good or bad the conversations lately have been interesting.
You don't know me Tyson, but it has been established that I am a secure person.

So...as far as the name calling goes i'm going to let you figure out who it is that's immature and needs to grow up.

shelia/neworleans: 16th Aug 2006 - 21:09 GMT

Oh and by the way that is my entry if you didn't know.

PHILL: 27th Aug 2006 - 04:19 GMT

RECENTLY A 17 YEAR OLD WAS BEAT UP BY THE COPS FOR SPITTING ON THE COP. THE CHICAGO PD IS WAY TO CORRUPT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE CHICAGO PD IS NO LONGER ABUSIVE CORRUPT, AND SHOOTING KIDS THAT ARE FOURTEEN YEARS OLD BECAUSE THEY HOLD A BB GUN! WE NEED TO KEEP UP CABRINI GREEN UP. IF WE LET CABRINI GO DOWN THAT'LL SHOW WE HAVE LOST THE WAR, AND THEY CAN JUST SMASH DOWN PEOPLES HOMES WITHOUT PUTTING THEM IN NEW HOMES, AND PUT UP MILLION DOLLAR CONDOS IN THE SPOT OF THOSE WHO SUFFERING FROM HOMLESSNESS. SENSE CABRINI GREEN HAS BEGAN TO BE TORN DOWN THERE HAVE BEEN 20,000 MORE PEOPLE HOMELESS IN CHICAGO. CHICAGO IS WAY TO CORRUPT.
SHELIA KEEP TALKING. TELL EM TO KEPP UP CABRINI! IT SEEMS ME AND SHEILA ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CARE.

Phill: 29th Aug 2006 - 03:29 GMT

The Chicago POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FULL OF CORRUPT PIGS.

shelia/neworleans: 30th Aug 2006 - 20:25 GMT

OK
THE OLD WAY OF LIVING IS OVER. IT IS; SO... HATE ME IF YOU MUST.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE THEY BEEN TALKING ABOUT TEARING DOWN THE PROJECTS AND PUTTING UP CONDOS?
HOW LONG WAS THE IDEA OF THIS HENTTED BEFORE IT WAS OUT ON THE TABLE?
WHAT? THE PEOPLE OF CABRINI GREEN THOUGHT THESE PEOPLE WAS PLAYING. IT HAS BEEN ON THE TABLE FOR LONGER THEN 15 YEARS. IT WAS HENTTED FOR AT LEAST 10-15 YEARS BEFORE THAT.
AND NO ONE THOUGHT TO GET A PLAN TOGETHER ON HOW THEY WAS GOING TO LIVE IF THIS WAS TO GO DOWN LIKE HOW THESE PEOPLE(LOCAL GOV.) WAS PLANNING.

OK
HOW LONG DID THE PEOPLE OF CABRINI GREEN, AND SURROUNDING PROJECTS THOUGHT THE GOV. WAS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM?
OH.. DON'T SAY THAT THE GOV. IS NOT TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE PROJECTS BECAUSE THEY ARE. THAT IS IN PART WHY YOU WANT TO REMAIN LIVING THERE. (PAYING SOME RENT IF ANY, AND NO UTILITIES) WHERE ELSE CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THIS? NO WHERE.

OK.. NOW THAT WE GOT THAT OUT OF THE WAY.
YOU DON'T OWN THE PROJECTS
SAME GOES FOR THE GANGS
I DON'T CARE WHAT GANG MAY THINK THEY RUN SOMETHING THEY DON'T, AND NEVER DID.
THE ONLY REASON THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO EXSIST AS LONG AS THEY HAVE IS BECAUSE THE GOV. YES, I SAID THE GOV. ALLOWED THEM TOO.
WHO HAVE THE GANGS HURT THE MOST?
THERE OWN SO CALLED PEOPLE.
WE AS BLACK PEOPLE DO MORE DAMAGE TO ONE ANOTHER THEN THE GOV. HAVE DONE IN OVER 60 YEARS.

NOW THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE PROJECTS (YOUR GOV.)WANT THEM BACK, AND YOU CRYING.
WHY?
THIS WAS NEVER A PLACE INTENDED FOR YOU TO STAY YOUR LIFE TIME, BUT YOU PUT IT IN YOUR MIND THAT YOU COULD. THIS IS WHY WE SEE GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE LIVING HERE.
LIVING IN THESE PROJECTS HAVE MADE YOU LAZY. YES, I SAID LAZY.
HAVE I OFFENDED YOU, BECAUSE ITS TRUE.
ALRIGHT, SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
NOW YOU ARE FORCED TO SHIT OR GET OFF THE POT.
ARE YOU MAD? BECAUSE IT'S OK, BUT GET MAD AND DO SOMETHING. IN MY OPINION WHO YOU SHOULD BE MAD WITH IS YOURSELF.
WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN EDUCATING YOURSELF SO THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE BETTER FOR YOUR FAMILY. YOU RODE THE SYSTEM.
WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIGHTING TO EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN SO THAT THEY CAN SOMEDAY PROVIDE BETTER FOR THERE CHILDREN. YOU GOT COMFORTBLE.
NOW THE GOV. SAYS NO MORE, AND YOU CRYING.
WHY?
IF YOU TELL ME SHELIA, BUT I HAVE DONE ALL THOSE THINGS YOU HAVE SAID, AND I COULD NOT GET ON TOP.
I SAY YOUR LYING.
WHEN YOUR CHILDREN WAS IN SCHOOL WHERE WERE YOU?
SITTING AT HOME WAITING ON A WELFARE CHECK?
YOU COULD HAVE USED THAT TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE (GED,GETTING A TRADE).
IF YOU SAY SHELIA, I WAS WORKING.
MAYBE YOU AND SOME OTHER PERSON IN YOUR BUILDING COULD HAVE WORK TOGETHER WATCHING ONE ANOTHER CHILDREN WHILE THE OTHER ONE GO TO SCHOOL, IF YOU DID NOT HAVE FAMILY TO HELP.
THE PLAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO USE THE SYSTEM TO BECOME INDEPENDENT. SO, THAT WITH TIME YOU COULD MAYBE BUY A HOUSE TO PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN SAVING THEM FROM THE SCARS OF LIVING IN THE PROJECT.
(BREAKING THE SPIRIT OF OPPRESSION).
HERE IS THE THING, WE AS BLACK PEOPLE CAN FIND ALL KIND OF WAYS TO DO WHAT EVER WE WANT, BUT IN MANY CASES THE THINGS WE SHOULD DO TO BRING ABOUT A POSITIVE CHANGE WE DON'T.
WHY?
YOU MEAN IN ALL THE GENERATIONS OF FAMLIES THAT HAVE LIVED IN CABRINI GREEN AND OTHER PROJECTS, MANY (AT LEAST 75%)HAVE NOT FOUND THERE WAY OUT. HOW LONG DID YOU THINK THE GOV. WAS GOING TO LET YOU RIDE. THE FACT THAT KNOWING AT ANYTIME THEY HAVE THE POWER TO PULL THE CARPET FROM UNDER YOU,TO ME SHOULD HAVE BEEN MOTIVATION ENOUGH FOR YOU TO START MAKING SOME MOVES.
YEARS WASTED DOING NOTHING,
YEARS WASTED NOT MOVING FORWARD.
IF THERE WAS A LITTLE MOVEMENT MAYBE SO MANY WOULD NOT BE CRYING, WORRIED,AND FEELING DEGRATED.
THIS BOTHERS ME, BECAUSE YOU ARE MY PEOPLE AND THE THOUGHT OF MANY BEING HOMELESS IS SAD.
IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO RESPECT YOU THEN STOP LAYING ON YOUR ASS AND STAND-UP.
TAKE YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE AS A PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY.
HAVE SOME PRIDE, AND DO SOMETHING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR YOU, AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
WORKING TOGETHER YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

FORGET CABRINI GREEN, IT IS NOT YOURS TO BEGIN WITH.
BESIDES, WHILE YOU TRYING TO HOLD ON TO THE PROJECTS YOUR BLESSING COULD BE SOME WHERE ELSE, BUT YOU WILL NEVER GET IT IF YOU ARE HOLDING ON TO SOMETHING GOD IS TRYING TO BRING YOU UP FROM.

YOU ARE ONLY BOUND BY THE WALLS YOU CREATE FOR YOURSELF.
LIFE BEGINS TODAY...WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT
IT IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT!!!

lighten: 1st Sep 2006 - 17:21 GMT

1st of all if you did not live in cabrini you should not speak about it and our way of living. cabrini was a place where people had alot of unity, loyality,love respect for each other. the cabrini green people police themselves.and soulved more problems than the city with in the projects. what shelia says is almost correct but believe it or not people have tried education jobs and as soon as the wrong person finds out you are from cabrini you lose your job you are labeled a thug or a drug dealer.I have also seen alot of people make it too. alot of people from cabrini have backgrounds from crimes that they did not do and it enables them to get a job or a federal grant so now they are what we call stuck in a catch 22 no job no school no money what else can a person do but wait on welfare or get in where they fit in to survive.prime example jesse white has had a tumbling team for years recruiting good kids from cabrini green but all of them get older and can't even get a city or state job and have education no background. and the main reason is because they are from cabrini green. for me cabrini will never be forgotten because it taught me and others how to make a way out of no way. most of the people that are in prision was trying there best to feed there people so they did what ever it is they had to do to get it even if it means goig to jail. i don't know about you but i do not know too many people that scarfice thier freedom like the real hard working trying to make a way cabrini green resident. So i know it will never be forgotten not until about 150 years from now. you can take a person out cabrini but you can't take cabrini out the person. most of the people that hate on the greens are people that might of had the cosby show life. but we had a goodtimes life. and we are not complaining we are maintaining.also god helps everybody all you have to do is call his name. And for the real cabrini green people do not let nobody tell you forget cabrini tell them fuck where they from because they have no idea what alot of us had to do to make it with bogus cops and politions around. and when you got that around it turns a good enviroment into a war zone.these problems do not really start with cabrini these problems start with our goverment. now they moving residents all over chicago's west side and south side let's see what the crime rate will be . will it drop? will it rise? because these same people you move are still going to have the same problems just elsewhere

PHILL: 3rd Sep 2006 - 05:49 GMT

fuck the chicago police departments corrupt cops. that'll give you peoople something to talk about for the next month.

Justice Stamps: 10th Sep 2006 - 13:16 GMT

Just because I have some sense, I will not comment to what I have read on this site. Okay, a comment or two.

I AGREE WITH THE PERSON WHO SAID THAT IF YOU HAVE NEVER LIVED IN CABRINI, DO NOT SPEAK ON WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sheila from New Orleans, for as smart as you try to come off, you appear to be one of the most ignorant of all that have posted here. It is people like you my dear that continue to contribute to the degradation of our people. Here is what you do the next time you feel the need to enlighten people- GET OFF YOUR ASS, AND PUT IN EFFECT ALL OF THESE CHANGES THAT YOU CLAIM PEOPLE SHOULD DO.

I work in the Cabrini Green community everyday. I left New York to come back home to fulfil my committment to the youth of my community. Things have changed and it is not the community that I loved growing up, crime and all, but it is home. I'll be waiting for you my dear. Please come equipped with all of your educational supplies, and whatever else you suggested that would make us better and lets get to work.

For everyone else, say what you will about Cabrini, but unless you lived there you do not know the culture, you do not know the people and you will never understand that through it all, the main thing about Cabrini is "FAMILY".

And, Sheila, I think somewhere in your post you confused Cabrini with the people of New Orleans. Take what you will from that comment! And, Chicago still had their back. Even the residents of Cabrini because we sent food, clothes, money, etc. Were they good enough people then?

Phill: 12th Sep 2006 - 00:02 GMT

Well put justice stamps, I got a few questions, i've been sending complaints ect. into the chicago housing authority to tell them not to smash down the projects i've bought videos from voices of cabrini. I would really like to volunteer or do habitat for humanity in Cabrini Green what would you suguest?

Phill: 14th Sep 2006 - 04:21 GMT

Keep up Cabrini! Bring down mayor Dailey! Keep up cabrini resurect Chicago's Public housing communities!

WindyCity4life: 23rd Sep 2006 - 02:49 GMT

Their is no glory in public housing,especially in Chicago.Of course I think it's wrong that CHA is making those people live on the streets.For some reason public housing will always be a problem in cities across the usa and the world,thats the way it will be in a negative way.Maybe they should keep the remainig white high rises and the remaining red midrises along with the original row houses.It seems like cabrini is doing pretty well now and it would seem more mixed income like the chicago plan for transformation.The unorghanized CHA needto mantain better than before and not be so afraid of the ghetto.Keep up the good work with the letters to daily and cha.

WindyCity4life: 26th Sep 2006 - 02:35 GMT

I would ay Cabrini would be considered still dangerous.Last time i was their,their was a bunch of Gangster diciples walking around outside of the remaining high rises on west division street.My dad used to have to go up in high rise public housing in chicago such as Robert taylor homes and stateway gardens to collect ballots for elections in a suit and tie,no one bothered him.

Grant: 26th Sep 2006 - 05:52 GMT

I am sitting in an apartment in 1230 Burling (one of the buildings in Cabrini Green) as I type this. I have lived here since 2000 (and before that I lived in a house next to Cabrini that was destroyed in the Urban Cleansing of Cabrini and the surrounding, previously Black Owned private housing).

White people can, and do, walk through Cabrini all the time. It is not that big a deal. And I have never seen "Big Spray Painting" of "White Boy Killer" on any building here. There may be small spraypainting of that somewhere -- there is quite a bit of silly graffiti in the halls.

There are three buildings still occupied in the "Whites" (the high rises north of Division street). One other building is empty awaiting demolition and another is being demolished. Three have already been demolished (714, 630 and 1340).

The "Reds" (or Cabrini Extensions) have not "all been demolished" but they are mostly empty except for 412 (412 Chicago Avenue) which has mainly been turned in to a building for "Seniors" or older residents.

The Row Houses are still pretty much as they were except that the resident composition has changed. They have more younger and poorer tenants as the previous tenant population there -- more stable, working when jobs were available, older tenants -- have been replaced by tenants less eligible for the Section 8 trap.

Just tonight I got a flyer from the LAC (Local Area Council -- elected tenant leadership) telling people to "stay Put" as the Cabrini Tenant Lawsuit against the City has been ruled on favorably by the judge in the case.

As for GD's standing around -- are you talking about people standing around, and assuming that, since they are in Cabrini they are automatically GD's? I "stand around" outside on warm days chatting with people -- and I'm not a GD. But a lot of people are, by family connection or whatever, connected to the GD's. This neither makes them bad people nor neccesarily particularly dangerous.

By the way, Cabrini Tenants plan to have a contingent in the October 5th "Drive out the Bush Regime" protest in Chicago. There have been many "changes for the worse" in this country and the destruction of public housing is one of the atrocities.

I was talking to a homeless friend who hangs out in the halls here and she was talking about how many, many more homeless families there are in the streets since the demolition of Public Housing began. She was describing how families are now living in dumpsters over on Goose Island, with furniture, matresses, whole apartments set up in abandoned dumpsters.

Is THAT better than public housing?

Just thought I'd add a little reality to the discussion here.

Phill: 27th Sep 2006 - 03:53 GMT

Straight up they need to keep up public housing in Chicago. They're killing a community, and history. Questions too. Alright if i'm writting a highschool paper on the descruction of public housing in Chicago, and why its a negative thing, and i'd like to go to cabrini green being an eighteen year old white male, would i be safe to enter the actual project and interview residents? Another thing is does anyone know what building, and what floor did the 1992 dantrel davis sniper stay in, and the site where the girl x, crime was committed? So are they keeping up the red buildings for the senior citizens? last, will cabrini green high-rises or any of the mid-rises still be up by this upcoming summer? Cabrini green use to have 15,000 people now it only has 5,000 where have majority of the residents gone?
Thanks
Keep Up Cabrini Send letters, make phone calls.

Grant: 27th Sep 2006 - 05:10 GMT

You could come and you would, generally, be safe. But interviewing people is different than "walking through". If you actually wanted useful interviews it is sometimes helpful to have a contact or a guide. (1) Because the police are the most dangerous thing in Cabrini and they tend to assume that any white peron in Cabrini is buying drugs and will arrest them for "trespassing"(unless they know that person as one of the few white tenants there)

And (2)Because with such desperate poverty there are people who are hustling and will take advantage of someone they think doesn't know the territory. You can end up with all sorts of bullshit instead of real knowledge.

You could call Carole Steele, the President of the Row House Resident Council at 312/280-2298. Anyone in her office who answers the phone will be fine to talk to. Tell them Grant suggested you call them. And then just tell them what you want to do and they will arrange what you need for you. Carole is also the leader of the Coalition to Protect Public Housing.

Where have all the residents gone? A lot of them have gone into the ghetto of the south and west side. There is also a whole community from Cabrini Green up in Rogers Park.

Many have ended up homeless as their Section 8 vouchers led them into apartments that failed Section 8 inspection a few months into the leases.

Some from Cabrini, Robert Taylor Homes and other Public Housing developments have ended up dead when they were moved into neighborhoods MORE DANGEROUS than where they came from and where they didn't know the territory.

The building where Dantrell Davis lived (500/502 W. Oak) was torn down in 2000/2001 after a long battle to save it. The building where "Girl X" lived (1121 N. Larabee) was emptied and boarded up several years ago. It is still standing pending the settlement of the tenants' suit against the City.

We are hoping to have a Barbecue/Concert this coming Saturday or Sunday to raise money for busses to take tenants to the Oct. 5th "Drive out the Bush Regime" protest and if we do, that would be a good place to talk to and interview people. We will be inviting and encouraging people not from Cabrini to come and kick it with the tenants if we do manage to pull it off.

You can eMail me directly at Grant57_99@yahoo.com and I will send you my phone number or eMail you further answers to questions you have.

caringmom: 2nd Oct 2006 - 07:18 GMT

My son has made a movie about and for the people from Cabrini. It is their story. He has given hope where there was no hope. He is trying to change their lives by helping them live their dreams. You can email me at ganserkarin@yahoo.com.

WindyCity4life: 2nd Oct 2006 - 23:39 GMT

Are they really keeping up the red midrises for seniors?What about 1230 north burling?They should keep up the remains and not put poor families on the streets,forget Robert taylor and stateway,they only have 1 remaining building at their site,CAbarini still has achance to save alot of families from having to live in more poverty than they already were in.

WindyCity4life: 3rd Oct 2006 - 22:33 GMT

If they could knock down the remaining cabrini green and build enough for those to live in,they could save alot of lives and feelings for people.Good luck with the thing on 10/5.

chrissy: 17th Oct 2006 - 19:36 GMT

Anyone know anything about the shooting this past Saturday around 1300 N. Sedgwick?

chrissy: 17th Oct 2006 - 19:41 GMT

Also I live near Cabrini. It is safe as long as you keep to yourself. If you are looking for trouble, it is not hard to find. I also have never seen "white boy killer" spray painted anywhere. That is a myth.

mark: 23rd Oct 2006 - 16:28 GMT

cabrini greens was very very bad but it is getting better. But u can tell how bad cabrini used to be if u type up on the computer cabrini green videos. You will be suprised how bad it was....

DREW: 1st Nov 2006 - 22:39 GMT

hey guys, cabrini green is still pretty bad and violent, you just don't here about it as much because its smaller. If you don't believe you can check this website out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_7xzKVVrT8 go to that exact website, and it has a ton of cabrini green guys just stabbing guys, and beating guys down, and stuff. And why cabrini is getting better isn't because of the people becoming better people, its because a lot of the bad people are moving to Minneapolis. Unfortunatley Chicago is loosing its black population, and rapidly. Cabrini green was once a peak population of 15,700 people, today theres only like 2,500 people left. So as you can see the population is going way down. And many in african americans in poverty in chicago, are no longer in the city, and are in the south suburbs, even the southside, is no longer as black as it use to be, the last of the robert taylor homes, is being smashed down. So majority of the former ghetto neighborhoods, are now just desserted, Chicago is a dying city for African Amercians sadly, but a growing city for Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Mexicans.TO the rumor of a spray painted "white boy killer", i haven't seen it, but i've defintetly heard about it, and it wouldn't surprise me either, because of the stuff they show you in that video.

Phill: 9th Nov 2006 - 01:02 GMT

Hey interesting but this is more a general question about chicago, does anyone no of like a specific graffitti wall, or area that has a ton of grafitti art in chicago?, my second question is does anyone no of like any neighborhoods that are mainley punk, like punk record shops, people with mohawks, or anything like that?

boski: 9th Nov 2006 - 18:59 GMT

Well i heard a sayin, "you can take tha man out tha hood, but you can't take tha hood out tha man" me Growin up in a buildin called "220" 62nd Indiana made my who i am, when they tour that buildin down years ago, it hurt alot of people, then havin to move to 6217 s calumet, also hurt many people cause their in tha process of tearin tha down, i disagree with tha tearin down of all of chicago projects, for tha simple fact that thats all somepeople know, and cause thats alot of peoples life, but man joe, to all my chicagoans, keep shining, keep hustlin, and if you feel like it, keep shootin, cause we all gatta die someday..! and this from a real nigga straight out tha chi, now livin in tha MO AKA (missouri) and um still HOOD..! chi town stand up..!

Larry: 22nd Nov 2006 - 02:02 GMT

I came to Chicago last year and one of the first places I wanted to see was Cabrini Green. I am from South East DC and I know what the projects are like. I grew up in them. I felt a connection with the people that live there. I did not see the red buildings but I have seen the white ones. For those whose just say tear them down then you do not truely value life. There are people there that will not get the assistance that they need to survive. We complain about the problems that we have here at home. We say that we should not be helping other countries because we have enough problems of our own. Then we have people who can't wait until those building come down. There are flowers that brake through the concrete. It grows and it blossems to become a powerful statement to the people who notices it. It says to us that there is nothing that can stop us from growing. You can't stop the sun from shining. Cabrini Green is a part of Chicago. When it is gone it will be a part of Chicago's history.

Lucho: 28th Nov 2006 - 09:47 GMT

this post has been a tremendous help to me, thanks to everyone that has given their insight. i have been working on a research paper on the renovation of cabrini green, i am from chicago, not from CG, but I remember the whole process of "redevelopment" since it began, i am now a freshman in college far away from the chi, yet i am working on this paper, one interesting thing is this video of the Chicago Housing Authority on http://www.thecha.org/housingdev/cabrini_green_homes.html . first of all, i find the video very annoying, but I just want to know, if anyone has already been in the inside of these new homes, and if anyone knows of anyone living already in these mixed-income housing complexes. I am trying hard to prove the CHA's actions in CG is nothing more than a reaction to interest from private investors and not really an effort to help the community of the exprojects. Gentrification in the making, how do you guys see the neighborhood in the next ten years???

Colt.: 8th Dec 2006 - 01:26 GMT

I see the neighborhood gentrifying actually working, right now i was by there and they had a starbucks, blockbuster, and bestbuy. There are tons of nice new Huge High-Rises, Chicago, is becoming a lot nicer, mayor dailey is helping the city severly, if anyone remembers the days before mayor dailey Chicago, was crap. But in a way the sucks because a lot of the neighborhoods are losing there vibe and just becoming supper rich, places with no true spirit. The northside has always been generally nice, with the tearing down of cabrini the northside looks a lot better, and more nice. They tore down the projects on the southside, though and it still looks very crappy, they need someone to go into those neighborhoods, and invest lots of money to make them a lot nicer. Just tearing down the projects wont do anything there. Just look at comisky park, the projects are down and its still a crappy place to be. I like to see Chicago growing as a city and skyscrappers going up, but i think its horrible how they just tear down the projects on the northside, and make that area real safe, and nice, then tear the projects down on the southside, and keep it crappy, its like why did you even bother to tear them down then. There are only 60 high-rises on the southside compared to the total of 1,050 on the northside. That says it right it there. So answer to your question, i see cabrini greens former site, only getting nicer and nicer, but the southside, i see it staying the same. The police in Chicago are pathetic though to they can't even stop crime in the projects when they set up a department right in the projects. Take Something from New York City, because i live there now, high-rise projects arn't a problem, its the policing, and maintance, that is. Chicago will never be New York City, no doubt, we where rougher then you'll ever be, now we are nicer then you'll ever be.

Bedstuy Brooklyn: 4th Jan 2007 - 17:59 GMT

First of all I personally feel that it was the neglect from Chicago's Housing Authority that Cabrini-Green became what has become today...if the city of Chicago would have done their jobs and kept up their repsonsibilty to upkeep Cabrini-Green and every other city department including the Police department then maybe today there would be no destruction of the housing. Just a thought...of how it all began. They could have been more organized and further more the architecture was lousy. Its like they planned on building cabrini-green just as a urban town. As far as the demolition goes and the new plans for the neigborhood, I think it may work if everyone agrees...of course no one is agreeing due to the thousands of people being left homeless. Placing the residents of Cabrini-Green in new homes should have been their main priorty rather then the sales.

anon (localhost): 18th Jan 2007 - 21:23 GMT

i lived in cabrini for 13 yrs. 1230n.larrabee apt 902 and it hurts me to know people only think of us as "niggers"thats so racist! I've been through it all and I'm only 15. People don't know what it's like for us who came from Cabrini. I lost alot of loved ones. I didn't come here to curse anybody out about their opinions about us...hey call us what you like. sO ALL i GOT TO SAY IS
r.i.p
CABRINI GREEN!!!!

Cleveland: 20th Jan 2007 - 03:09 GMT

I just have to say there is no place like home when there wasnt another home to be found. I lived in Cabrini for 20 years and even though I've moved on with my life it still holds a special place in my heart. It taught me how to be a man and no matter how ugly things my seem sometimes, there is no situation you can be faced with where you cant manage to survive. Generations of my family have lived and continue to live in the neighborhood. We had no heat and no hot water but there was always a sense of family. Even from the people next door or the whole block for that case. Im not saying its the ideal way to grow up, but I wouldnt trade it in for the world. Yeah, a lot of family and close freinds were lost to drugs, jail and violence. But there are a lot that still managed to survive, and our bonds are that much stronger because not many people understand living that kind of lifestyle.I feel more comfortable there than almost any other place I can imagine.

Cleveland: 20th Jan 2007 - 04:00 GMT

It's safe to say that at the rate things have been changing for quite sometime now,we knew Cabrini would not last very much forever.Its kind of hard not having any resentment toward the city and developers after just shipping people out of the place they know as home and replacing them to accomadate people with more wealth just so they can walk or bike ride to their comfy downtown jobs. No one cared to help or come in the neighborhood then when the help was really needed. Section 8 vouchers wont last forever and its not the solution to the problem,just a band-aid until they figure out what to do with us next. There is not much more affordable housing left in Chicago.Even with a job, a minimal education with kids and a family to support,rent is so high (even in some bad areas) that its nearly impossible to save enough money to someday buy a house and actually gain some of the money back you are giving to the system. Because we are aggain starting from the bottom. Its like living in a third world country and then being thrown out into the real world with nothing to contribute. Just lost all over aggain.

Zachary: 6th Feb 2007 - 18:00 GMT

Bedstuy Brooklyn is on point. The neglect is what let Cabrini get to where it was. In the NY the projects are not the best place to be, but they don't have the issues that the Chicago Housign Authority has. In fact, I 've found that over 2/3rds of NYC public housing residents pay full market rent vs 98% living in poverty in the Chicago housing authority....

nothing changes: 26th Feb 2007 - 14:00 GMT

In time, the walls of Cabrini Green will go down but the violence and black on black crime will not. the world never changes and people don't either.

matty: 28th Feb 2007 - 09:50 GMT

my dad and grandfather grew up in the cabrini green area and he says there were shootings there all the time. but then again there are shootings in my neighborhood all the time. the crime isn't just black on black , i am sicilian and see and hear about my people killing each other all the time. the violence is in every race i guess it just depends on where you stay.

joey southside: 28th Feb 2007 - 21:45 GMT

1st I'd like to say I dig the site sort of a memorial for the falling buildings...But In the chicago project buildings, more people were killed and commited sucide ( due to their situation) then the twin towers masacar... but we got no press, so you wouldn't know how many would die per day, week, month ect.. they just strap a label on it and call it black on black crimes. see it's just a phrase to u upper class folks but we had to live it. it's not the best life when ur every moment outside is kill or be killed... it's a hard, rough and often sad life... but we got no effort, to make things better, to change the school programs or anything... we were a lost people, made to seem like our life didn't matter and after generations of beating that in our heads. our grandpearnts started to believe our pearnts believed and us were like fuck it...some believe it so full heartedly that if their neighbors thinks differently then i'll beat it in that niggas head to. harsh reailty...there were good people in the project but as u may know the weeds over takes the rose garden if u don't nip it in the bud. the systen is designed for us to fail.

James: 4th Mar 2007 - 05:22 GMT

This has been an interesting site and I have enjoyed reading the different perspectives from people, especially from the residents past or present of Cabrini Green.

I am from Michigan which is about a 2.5 hour drive and because it is so close I go to Chicago at least once a year usually passing through to go somewhere else. I remember in the mid 90s a friend telling me that the high rise buildings by the highway was Cabrini Green and it wasn't a safe area to be in. Since then, I have always thought that the buildings were very intriguing. I have always wondered what kinds of stories could be told from the residents who lived in those high rise buildings and what life must of been like for a resident. I have recently started doing some research to try to find out more.

In my opinion, from an "out-of-towner" perspective, I think that particular area appears unsafe and uninviting. I wouldn't even consider pulling of the highway in that part of town. Part of me agrees that the buildings should be tore down and rebuilt to help clean up the city's image. (I think a lot of Chicago needs to be tore down and rebuilt.)

But, after reading information from this site and other sites, it sounds like the city should of had more of a long term action plan to help assist the residents to transition to another community.

Fendie: 8th Mar 2007 - 07:08 GMT

I'm just curious to know what area was crime ridden. Cabrini Green or the Robert Taylor Homes? Is there anywhere i can get actaul statistics on the matter. i need it for a term paper i'm writing for uni.

Fendie: 8th Mar 2007 - 07:09 GMT

I know both areas where pretty hectic, but which was more?

Fendie: 8th Mar 2007 - 07:14 GMT

BTW if anyways interested heres a website with pics of how teh green used to look, before the demolision.
www.angelfire.com/nv/207/chaindex.html

JOY: 9th Mar 2007 - 14:40 GMT

I had the opportunity to visit Cabrini and the Schiller School. A group of young ladies from the school have taken pictures of the neighborhood, their homes, before they are gone. It's not about the buildings but the families and sense of community and history. It's called the Neighborhood Project if anyone wants to see a few of the pictures and how the children see it.
Some of my own best memories come from the a housing project called Piedmont Courts, that has been leveled for the prime property it sat on. We had family and community. I moved a long time ago and struggled to get myself an education while raising my children, but I still hear the kids playing and smell the laundry drying on the clothes lines. I felt safe knowing Auntie V lived on one end of the block and Auntie L lived at the other end. The family is still close although scattered all over the city now.
BTW section 8 vouchers will transfer to other cities and states. If you have to leave anyway try to move where the cost of living is lower. I know it ain't home but but it could be better. You don't have to accept housing just because it is offered. Don't allow yourself to be cornered you have choices even with Section 8.

joey southside: 20th Mar 2007 - 21:25 GMT

For the most part, all the projects in chicago were consider to be "bad" or "crime riddin"... they were ran by the gang that controlled the building... as for stats when u find them let me know. but the worst is inglewood there weren't any project buildings but more people get killed there then any where else in chicago.

Tim: 21st Mar 2007 - 05:54 GMT

New Orleans has always had the highest murder rate...and even now today after hurrican Katrina they have the highest murder rate in the nation.

t: 29th Mar 2007 - 16:33 GMT

Cabrini like my second home cause my cousins stay over there. i still dont knmo y they trynna tear it down cause the people aint goin no where. so quit trying. "CG" gone always be "CG" u cant take the people from it and u cant take it from the people

Chris: 5th Apr 2007 - 03:59 GMT

wow . . ive really wanted to know bout cabrini green live bout 25 miles away . . nd thanks to this forum i now know more thanks to you guys and i cant wait till all the renovations do happen becuase its gonna change chicago drastically . . thanks for all the info . . .Chris ^_^

Markeisha Rolan: 27th Apr 2007 - 13:57 GMT

Chicago is a great place thats where all my childhood memories are and i wouldn't give it up for nothing in the world, i know it have lots of bad things that be going on up there but what can i say, thats where i grew up, and it my hometown. give it up for the chi-town.

Cambel: 27th Apr 2007 - 17:52 GMT

Lucho:

If you were an honest researcher, you would investigate, and then use the information you find to form an opinion on what you see. Instead, you've already formed an opinion that the destruction of CB is"not really an effort to help the community of the exprojects" yeah, gee, why would tearing down buildings that had become nothing more than a lawless crime-ridden hellhole for the people living there be bad. Typical ivory tower college kid. Those things should have been torn down years ago. Read the story about "Girl X" before you try to say that getting rid of these buildings is good for the neighborhood.

tez: 7th May 2007 - 16:48 GMT

damn people do claim to live their for what tho i proud to be from their because it made me the person who i am now it took responsibility to live their you had to look out for eachother and everyone that u close to all about researching theres no need for research if your from their if you from the green you should kno bout it and yes people get fucked up because they wasnt from their and they brag about it and never seen it before come on man be serius about it

Heartbreaker: 20th May 2007 - 00:49 GMT

I'm glad i don't live on the east coast not to say the west coast is any better but, The housing issue here in california is slowly getting better. The cost of living is high here with land lords charging rediculious rents. But housing programs are getting better low income etc. I believe the housing or homeless situation is worse back east, Its colder on the east coast so if your homeless you basically freeze.

Detroit: 4th Jul 2007 - 03:25 GMT

I have visited cabrini green since I was a child. I was wondering if people still live there as of now? I am from Detroit and I LOVE Chicago. The crime rate here in Detroit is horrible. Whats the crime rate in Chicago now? It saddens me to see people so hateful at others hardships. I am a blonde hair white girl and I could say that I never felt unsafe in all black neighborhoods. I always grew up in areas where I was one of the only white people. The only thing Ive felt and seen was the neglect of the housing. Just cause some areas look bad doesnt mean all the people there are bad and that theyre preying upon a white person. Thats crazy. Ive always felt welcomed around black people. Black people arent as uptight and judgementle. I apologize for dumb close minded racist people. I have black, cambodian, cuban, mexian, arabic,etc friends. I pray for all the cabrini residents

China : 4th Jul 2007 - 10:27 GMT

I'm from Cabrini Green! I'll never forget where I've come from because it made me the person that I am today. I lived in 1119 N Cleveland (The Castle) red walls! My mother took me away from my friends so that we could have a better life. I'm looking for my old friends that I grew up with. I would love to see them again. I'm looking for Big Mary, her little sister Nikki aka(Jazzy J) and , Samantha. Yea Cabrini was a rough place but for some of us it was all that we had. It was home!

johnny barracuda: 12th Jul 2007 - 14:23 GMT

Being from Detroit it's nice to see a city with leaders who (even though it's probably taken longer than it shoud've) are doing something about blight. If only we had politicians in Detroit with enough sense (read: balls) to tear down and redevelop with the same sort of commitment as what's being shown in Chicago. Unfortunately that's not likely to happen anytime soon. Embracing the status quo in Detroit helps those in power remain in power.

Michelle: 17th Jul 2007 - 21:04 GMT

I use to live in Cabrini Greens in the 90's. And I miss it soooo much, even though I had a hard life I never forgot where I cam from because I know it made me who I am. I stayed on the fifteenth floor in the "RED" building. And yes life was rough. But my WHOLE ENTIRE family stayed in the greens and I knew almost everybody. All my friends that attended Ferguson Elementary I miss them dearly and I would love to see them. I do not agree with the idea of tearing them down. I might not come on this website in a while. But if you have any questions or concern or even curiousity then you can catch me on myspace.
www.myspace.com/x0xchellyx0x

Luis: 28th Aug 2007 - 18:22 GMT

Being from the Projects in NYC I have some idea what it's like but to be honest the projects I grew up in in no way are the hell that Cabrini Green was. I must say that in these types of situations everyone is at fault the CHA, residents, the Police and city Gov't. everyone played a role in the demise of the Greens.

Someone in Detroit metro: 31st Aug 2007 - 18:10 GMT

Wow.....some of the comments made here have been really ignorant, but then again everone is entitled to their own opinions right? Here's mine:
I have lived in Detroit metro area my whole life. I live about 35 minutes from the city of Detroit itself. Detroit is NOTHING compared to what I saw at Cabrini Green. I do ride alongs wit the detroit Police and have seen some horrible horrible living situations. I did NOT live in Cabrini Green but visited one time. Of course once is not a lifetime but its enough to get a general idea of the situation right? I guess I don't understand how someone could live there because I have not been put in the situation myself. Life throws us obstacles and we can choose to try and make it through them (sometimes we fail and sometimes we succeed) or let them get in our way. I have been thrown many obstacles (having a daughter at 14) but never let that stop me. i chose to jump the hurdles. Here is is 11 years later and I have a degree in Chemistry and will have a degree in Criminal justice in January of 08.

SHEILA/ you made some very good points but one thing that bothers me is the fact that you kept using the term "brotha" and "sistas" and "my and our people". This is typically language that refers to a specific race and can make the rest of your written words seem ignorant. All of your posts (minus the language stated above) we intelligent and made very good points and I commend you on doing well for yourself.....

Hope: 3rd Sep 2007 - 04:25 GMT

There are great young men and women who are rising out of Cabrini Green. You won't see it by the comfort of your Volvo's. You'll see it by actually getting involved in the lives of the kids. Don't judge a book by it's cover.

nuclearrabbit33: 15th Oct 2007 - 10:43 GMT

I used to work for a carriage company in Chicago. We had to pass through Cabrini Green every single day...both on the way to downtown and the way back to our barns at night. In fact, we often went through the parking lot of the high rise at Division and Halsted. Sure, there were a few problems...such as kids throwing rocks or bottles at the horses. But, never did I truly feel in danger. Although, I once had a couple of friends ride back to the barn with me (they were from mich) and they were terrified. Myself, I have enough confidence in human kind that I never truly felt scared. Call me naive...Also keep in mind that we often carried almost a thousand dollars in cash on us at the end of the night and I still don't know of any carriage drivers who have been robbed going through Cabrini. I DO realize why the city of Chicago wants to get rid of Cabrini. It is sitting on some of the most expensive real estate in the city. It's very close to downtown and there are beautiful views of the skyline. But the buildings I saw being built just before I left the city (which was almost two years ago) were just as bad as Cabrini. Everything looked the same. There was no style. No individuality. So, what is the current state? Are the Division street projects still there?? What about the low rise buildings along Chicago Avenue..What buildings are standing yet?

nuclearrabbit33: 15th Oct 2007 - 10:52 GMT

By the way, the Robert Taylor homes along south State St. have always been worse. There are the projects you can see from the Dan Ryan Expressway. I'd rather be lost in Cabrini any day.

nuclearrabbit33: 15th Oct 2007 - 11:00 GMT

Seems some people have the Robert Taylor homes and Cabrini mixed up. The Robert Taylor homes are the buildings which you see from 94. Cabrini would be hard to see from the expressway.

Windycity4life: 24th Oct 2007 - 21:21 GMT

The robert taylor homes dont' even stand anymore,but bronzeville and most of the southside is still really bad.

george: 4th Nov 2007 - 05:55 GMT

i heard they extended the CHA redevelopment plans to 2015 from end of 2009. Is that right? what is the extra time for exactly? any updates on the gentrification of the area? is the transitioning going smoothly or are people getting kicked to the curb still?

Rodent: 8th Nov 2007 - 01:39 GMT

I heard that they had very big rats in the projects, And when you throw food at them to get them to run away and leave you alone, They will grab the food that you throw at them and then run away chewing at the same time. I think if you eat something that a rat has been on it causes a person to act out violently, Rat germs, Rats slobber alot on food even if they dont eat it. And also rat urine & turds has a smell, I could only imagine the smell living in the projects. I recall a neighbor once that had roaches and rats bad and her home smelled like a baby diaper, And she would pretend not to smell it. Maybe she didn't smell it now that i think of it because your body will build up a tolerance to things once it has been so long with a particular odor. This concludes my rant.

Rodent: 30th Nov 2007 - 03:10 GMT

Oh yeah, and I see CG projects on that ghetto TV show GOOD TIMES.

J.J.H 543WDIVISION: 30th Nov 2007 - 23:47 GMT

I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF CABRINI GREEN SINCE FEBRUARY 1962 COME FROME A FAMILY OF TWELVE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS BLOG THAT KNOWS ABSOLUTLY NOTHING ABOUT CABRINI GREEN.

Rodent: 3rd Dec 2007 - 02:17 GMT

I hear ya JJ. In fact where's Thelma? Did ya bang her during the tapings??

Cabrini Mean: 3rd Dec 2007 - 06:53 GMT

We fed the rats apples so they could fart. Some days I took some to school or the crack house down my way. My guitar gently weeped as I shot up at Cabrini Green.

maddog: 3rd Dec 2007 - 09:38 GMT

its really unfotumate for the young and old in these hell holes.dont have kids if you cant afford to take yourself.thats just basic common sense.educate yourself.that way you dont have to live like that. if your able bodied get a job. i once watched the fire department arrive only to find out some scum was having a pigroast in the bathtub with the window open,holy smokes.

cg7: 4th Dec 2007 - 19:35 GMT

I was just wondering where those displaced from their homes are heading. I am interested in those that could not be a part of the new mixed development concepts... the reason i ask is i have heard of new developments in St. Louis and Bloomington/Normal. Is this at all true?

Gee: 17th Dec 2007 - 18:16 GMT

I was a resident from 1962 to 1969 1230 North Burling Apt#802 (White buildings) The Greens will make you or break you. I Thank god to have come this far with my life, and to be able to look back on Cabrini Green as a memory. A part of me will alway be with the Greens.
P.S Does anyone remember the water melon man, or the skating parties on the black top, Or the party store named Bee's, I think it was on Halsted?

bob: 23rd Dec 2007 - 06:39 GMT

hey, this might be ignorant but im not from chicago... was cabrini green really as bad as it is made out to be? did people die almost everyday?

Mr. Tibbs: 15th Jan 2008 - 02:52 GMT

you wonder why there is a disconnect between white America and Black America? Check out Cabrini Green

Skip: 15th Jan 2008 - 19:38 GMT

I remember being an idiot while in the Navy stationed in Chicago in 1995 and driving through Cabrini at 1A.M just because my friend had an obsession with "The Hood." He flashed some fake gang signs to some guys in front of the building at Division and Halstead. We got stopped at the red light to turn onto Halstead. I looked back and saw a guy running towards us and then saw nothing but muzzel flashes as we spead around the corner. I was scared out of my mind but my friend thought it was great. The next day we told some friends on base about it. One guy was a pretty tough native of Chicago and he was horrified by what we did. I was young and stupid but for some reason young white males seem to be intrigued by the lifestyle.

bl0gh8tr: 15th Jan 2008 - 19:45 GMT

Skip, That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard! Such an obvious lack of common sense is natural selection at it's best!

Skip: 15th Jan 2008 - 19:49 GMT

Well......I lived so I guess under the law of natural selection that makes me strong : ). Thanks for the compliment

Longwayaway: 18th Jan 2008 - 09:07 GMT

I wonder what it would have been like to walk from say one of the "reds" buildings in Cabrini-Green along those dark paths and open spaces between the high-rises and to another building within the Green--walking on these paths at 11 or 12 at night....It would scare the shit out of me.

westerlydem: 19th Jan 2008 - 10:44 GMT

I think it is absolutely unacceptable that the police and other law enforcement were "afraid" to go there to answer calls, and effectively let this gang warfare and mayham continue. THat anyone should be afraid to walk in their own neighborhood at night is a complete shame - we live in America, not Iraq. I also find it hard to believe that some legal aid agency did not file a lawsuit complaining about the lack of protection or law enforcement in the area, when the crime and gang activity was at its height.

Malou: 22nd Jan 2008 - 18:28 GMT

What I am wondering is where do the gangs go when these housing projects are torn down?

simon: 30th Jan 2008 - 21:44 GMT

i was in chicago lastyear - travelled from ireland on business but main purpose was to visit cabrini green as i didnt do it the first time i was there. i rented a bike and cycled through it reasonably early on a sunday morning. nobody much around so could take a good look at what is there. i was disappointed to go southside to see the robert taylor projects torn down. managed to get a home boy chase me up bronzeville for trying to take a pic of a bunch og homies outside a project. plight is great

daniel: 3rd Feb 2008 - 02:49 GMT

I saw cabrini green... from the top of Hancock through a telescope. That's as close as I ever wanted to get.

bill: 5th Feb 2008 - 12:40 GMT

i live 5 blocks east of Cabrini and i went to the culinary school in Cabrini. its just a neighborhood. at break we use to play basketball on the court with people from there and everything was good. however on my block witch is a very nice neighborhood on Clark people get mugged alot by drunks and crack heads. not that it matters but im white

anon (mn-71-55-143-56.dhcp.embarqhsd.net): 28th Feb 2008 - 04:50 GMT

i lived in the row houses on the west side of cabrini and that shit was the bomb the laws hit the buildins all the time!!!!R.I.P CABRINI....

jakeela: 14th Mar 2008 - 01:54 GMT

hi I used to live in this place.I actually grew up here. I would sit in my room waiting for all of that to go away.Im only 12 & I lived in a place like that.For All the people who like to talk about Cabrini dont do Cabrini!

katwoman: 17th Mar 2008 - 18:45 GMT

hey bill, sounds like you live not too far from where i used to 11 years ago (I was on LaSalle & Oak). I had no idea there was a culinary school in Cabrini....when was this? Also, I have seen the "red" with white striped buildings that aren't as tall as the off-white really tall ones (I think maybe there are 4 or so of them left?) I was just in the area visiting the other day. Now are these buildings ALL considered a part of Cabrini? I had walked by a red building on Chicago St. and I think the nearest cross-st I remember was Hudson. Is that still part of the neighborhood? I could not tell if anyone still lived in this building; it was pretty quiet.

my town: 22nd Mar 2008 - 10:48 GMT

fuck all u niggas talkin shit bou da east coast and west cost if yo bitch ass aint never been down dat road den bitch dont try to make a point to us about da greens cus we kno wat it like how bout u

my town: 22nd Mar 2008 - 10:48 GMT

fuck all u niggas talkin shit bou da east coast and west cost if yo bitch ass aint never been down dat road den bitch dont try to make a point to us about da greens cus we kno wat it like how bout u

NYwondering: 1st Apr 2008 - 04:11 GMT

I'm originally from Illinois and now i'm doing a research project on Cabrini Green and specifically the Candyman urban legend. I know the movie took place in the housing project but I was wondering if there was any truth to the myth...if there were actually any serial killings which took place at Cabrini Green which may spark the start of the urban legends?

ya boy $$moneymike$$74: 4th Apr 2008 - 02:34 GMT

Candyman was just a movie.They just wanted to make a good movie and what better way to do that then to make a flick in the largest project home in Chicago, better yet the country. Plenty of killings took place but not by Candyman but by our own people that lived there. I grew up in building 714 I'll tell you one thing that was one of the hardest things to do, but like anything else you get to whats in front of you.

ya boy $$moneymike$$74: 4th Apr 2008 - 02:45 GMT

If anyone who dont know the picture on the top of this page. Taken from the street first is the gate Im sure you can see the dude walking in the back, broken windows up top. Man I remember when there use to be someone in the walkway when you had to check in and out to get in with I.D. and everythang just to get to the flats.

Peter: 4th Apr 2008 - 03:56 GMT

i nominate "ya boy $$moneymike$$74" as best nick on this site.

chevy: 5th Apr 2008 - 20:11 GMT

i just want to know which bldg was built first for cabrini was it 412 w chicago ave?

bob: 11th Apr 2008 - 01:12 GMT

is there still a lot of violence there? or is it pretty much torn down?

ron: 8th May 2008 - 21:27 GMT

630 w evergreen dame i love it am going to miss it "blue city 30 block" r.i.p

jsmooth: 11th May 2008 - 23:30 GMT

this is just another example of tax dollars gone too waste...we try to do something night for the brothas and this is the thanks that we get, a bunch of drug selling, cop killin, gangbangin fools that have no education and no real reality about what life is about...how bout you drop the 40's and get a fuckin job

V from Bettendorf: 15th May 2008 - 20:07 GMT

I grew up in Cabrini @ 412 W. Chicago Ave & the circumstances of my surroundings did NOT dictate who I have become. Some people who grow up in Cabrini become productive members of society. I along with many others; graduated from high school, pursued college, & obtained (2) degrees, one being in law enforcement.

bill: 18th May 2008 - 03:30 GMT

Hey katwoman. C.H.I.C. is on orlands and chestnut right in front of the reds. I graduated last year. I still live in the area and it really sucks whats happening. I did get a homeless man a job for a catering company and learned alot form him. He is doing well, and is so proud to have a job. He has always showed up on time everyday. He did leave the job for a better one and is no longer homeless. When i decided to return to school for a different field of work, he enrolled with me. The point im trying to make is never judge anyone because of the situation there in. Shit happens. Because i took the time to listen i made a great friend.

Northwestern Student: 22nd May 2008 - 02:07 GMT

Hey, my name is Bradley Akubuiro - I'm a journalism student at Northwestern University and I'm working on a huge project about Cabrini-Green (from the former residents and where they ended up, to the current conditions of those still living there). I went to Cabrini yesterday and took a lot of pictures, but I was starting to get some looks, so I left since I was alone and not familiar with the area.

I could really use some help from someone who currently lives in Cabrini who might be able to guide me, give me some information, and possibly connect me with some people willing to talk who have relocated because of the demolition.

I currently live in Springfield, MA, which people do not realize is a pretty troubled place, and one of my good friends was just shot and killed in front of my house a couple nights ago. Having a guide would definitely make me and my family feel more comfortable than me diving straight into this, but I'm very passionate about the story and I'll do whatever's necessary to get it right.

IF ANYONE IS WILLING TO HELP ME OUT PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS YOU READ THIS. MY STORY IS DUE JUNE 2ND, SO I NEED TO START REPORTING RIGHT AWAY.

PLEASE EMAIL ME: b-akubuiro@northwestern.edu

Thank You in advance...

Sashay: 29th May 2008 - 22:47 GMT

Cabrini-Green started over 100 years ago as a place for people to live and have a community. Somewhere along the line it got derailed. Althought Chicago's plan is not going to be 100% fantastic, it is a start.

mixed opinion: 2nd Jun 2008 - 02:10 GMT

I have been to Cabrini-Green several times. I have a friend that used to live there, I'd go and visit her alot. It is a place that, that city needs. I think they should keep up the remaining buildings. Where will the people who live in those go? I am very curious on why the city doesnt have a real plan for these people to go. But on the other side i think they should be torn down, because of the violence and crime. When i was there for the first time, i was threatened many times, though no one attacked me. Though I saw several fight I walked threw the buildings safetly asked a few questions to the residents and most of them were fine with me being their. Also i found their grafitti (excuse my spelling) quite facinating. It is phenominal. I personally think they should make whats left into a historical monument.

NYwondering: Candyman only filled the outside of Cabrini-Green, no filming was done in the actual building.

Doug: 20th Jun 2008 - 16:20 GMT

Why is it the city's job to find places for these people to live? Let them find a home for themselves.

Open your eyes !!: 22nd Jun 2008 - 22:27 GMT

I have read mostly all of the comments on here and it makes me sad to see how ignorant some people really are.

What a lot of you need to do is to stop and think about the fact that no matter how safe or unsafe it is... it is still home to a lot of people. Whether they are happy with being there or want to move on, it is still there home.

And in response to some of the comments about what people that live there should or shouldnt do. You can not say what they should do because you are not in their situation. There are a lot of people who would love to work or move on to better things but the way that society is now makes it almost impossible. Not everyone is born into a situation where they have a lot of opportunity. And no matter what the situation is everyone has to survive.

If that means that someone has to break the law or do things that they know they shouldnt do to survive or make a way for their family to eat then that is what they are going to do. No one is going to sit around and die or watch their children starve because of what some people say is right or wrong. I am not saying that it is right but I am saying that people do what they have to do to survive.

You can not put someone in a situation where they have no choice but to break the law and do other things that they normally wouldnt do just to survive and then punish them for doing it. Everyone says that there is so much gang violence and so many crimes that take place in these type of places but you dont know the whole story around it so again, you are in no place to judge. Yeah, I am sure that some of the things happend because of pure ignorance, stupidity, and basically for no reason at all. But a lot of it probably happens for a reason unknown to us. And you can not honestly expect to put that many people in that small amount of space and expect everyone to get along. where there is more people there will be more problems.

I am sure that not everyone living here is "lazy", or "letting the government take care of them", or anything else that people have been saying. People do what they have to do to survive and it is not up to us to say they shouldnt do anything. If you are not in someones situation or have never been in a similar situation, you have no right to judge them.

I do believe that you can work to chance your life and make things better for yourself but you can only do so much. You can only do what you have the resources to do and what society will let you do. If no one will hire you, you can not get a job. If you can not get a job, you can not save money to move somewhere else or better yourself by going to college or something like that. If you have no one there to guide you and show you or teach you a way to make it better with limited resources you are not going to make it. And if you tear down someones home and all that they know, and dont help them to find somewhere else to live ( other than another bad situation just like the first one ) then they are going to become homeless. If you are homeless than how easy do you think it will be for you to get a job and take care of your family??

And in response to DOUG's comment above..... it SHOULD be the citys job to find a place for these people to live because the city is the one that is deciding to tear down there homes.

OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH AND THE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE AND YOU MIGHT NOT BE SO INGORANT TO THE SITUATION. THEN YOU CAN SAVE COMMENTS LIKE THAT. AND TO SOME OF THE OTHER THOUGHTLESS COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE ARE PUTTING ON HERE, PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SITUATION AND RE-THINK WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY BEFORE YOU SAY IT!!!

IN RESPONSE TO ALL OF THE RACIST COMMENTS ON HERE. YES, RACISM DOES STILL EXIST, BUT ONLY IN IGNORANT PEOPLE. WE ARE ALL THE SAME AND IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE SUPERIOR TO SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF SKIN THEY HAVE, IT JUST SHOW HOW IGNORANT YOU REALLY ARE, AND HOW UNSECURE YOU ARE WITH YOURSELF.

kms: 17th Jul 2008 - 21:41 GMT

My life got flipped turned upside down. I want to type this up and tell you all about how I came to the town called Bellaire.

In Cabrini Green, where I grew up and played on the streets there. All I have done there is relaxing and be chill. I was playing bball with some guys from my school up til one day a group of no gooders whiteys barged in and made trouble. I got in a little fight with them. my momma freaked out and told me i was going to Bellaire to live with my auntie and uncley.

I called for a cab. This freaky cab had a license plate said fresh with dice in the mirror. I must say this cab were rare but i thought, nah, forget it. "Yo homie! To Bellaire!" I shouted at the driver.

I came up to the house. I grabbed my stuff and shouted to the homie, "yo homie, smell ya later." Here was my kindgom. At the kindgom, i was finally able to sit on my throne as the Prince of Bellaire.

anon (dhcp35b.drake.brockport.edu): 17th Jul 2008 - 21:44 GMT

Some of the posters up there had a very good point about Cabrini Green. Although it was claimed that it was the most dangerous area ever that even the police is scared to go to that area...

Indeed, I didn't realize that this area was actually a home to some residents. That shows how ignorant I was!

Peter: 17th Jul 2008 - 23:49 GMT

This is a tale explaining the manner in which my way of life was rotated along a Y axis until it reached a position roughly 180 degrees from that which it started If I could have 60 seconds of your time, simply place your posterior in the selected location and I will relate to you the details of how I was made the male monarch of the district of the City of Los Angeles, California commonly referred to as Bel-Air (coordinates 34.08333 -118.44778)

In the western region of the “City of Brotherly Love” known as Philadelphia my mother expelled me from her womb and indeed that is also where I spent my childhood in my mother’s care. The majority of my time was spent in a recreational area containing such diversions as a jungle gym, swing set, sand box, etc. I was typically at the height of leisure while frequently at a temperature slightly below what might be considered standard room temperature. Outside of my educational institution I was engaging in a game of basketball with some of my friends when a couple of gentlemen who seemed to be of the disposition to cause a great deal of mischief began causing a great deal of chaos and disharmony in the area in which I lived. I was involved in one rather small bout of fisticuffs after which my mother became concerned for my general safety and well-being and she informed me that I would be moving in with her sister and her sister’s husband in the previously mentioned community of Bel-Air.

I puckered my lips and exhaled forcefully to produce a shrill note in order to gain the attention of a taxicab driver and as the driver approached I observed his California vanity plate which in place of the traditional jumble of alpha-numeric characters, used only the letters F, R, E, S, and H, spelling out the word “fresh” and from his rearview mirror dangled a pair of oversized, fur-covered cubes decorated to look like the six-sided dice commonly used in gambling and board games In such a situation I could have made a statement about the unusualness of this particular taxicab to the point of it being nearly unique Instead I cogitatively decided against it and instead informed the driver that he should deliver me to what was to become my new home in the community of Bel-Air.

We pulled up to a large domicile sometime between the hours of 7 and 8 o’clock And in a loud tone of voice I informed the cab driver that at some undetermined point in the future I would again detect his odor through my sense of olfaction I gazed about the region of land that I was destined to rule, reflecting on my arrival Where I would claim my rightful place upon the throne, from which I would govern the community of Bel-Air as monarch...

Skip: 26th Jul 2008 - 15:20 GMT

jsmooth: 28th Jul 2008 - 00:11 GMT

Reply to OPEN YOUR EYES...

I thought that your response made complete sense and that you are right in many aspects of your comments and if my response seemed to come off racial than I apollogize. But what I do not understand is why all the crime? Why are people walking around with loaded weapons and killing eachother within these projects for the mere sake of false judgement? We are all God's childeren and it is in our nature to compete for resources and territory, but we were not put here to kill innocent people for no apparent reason. These projects needed to come down because of the people who choose to abuse this governmental privelage that was given to them. It is not right for the police officers that are trying to make the grounds safe for the children to grow up and attempt to persue that life that he or she chases and be killed for it. If a black man enters into a 100% white community, not likely. If I were to walk into Cabrini Green or even the area, there is a good chance that someone would harass more and possible shoot at me. I have all respect for the families that were trying to better themselves and the family that they had, but it is hard to not pass judgement on a community that walks around with loaded weapons and taunts people to come on their land when it's their land to begin with. I was born and raised in West Chicago and thankfully I wasnt exposed to such a life as Cabrini Green, but I definately had to be aware of my surroundings and be cautious of who I was with and where I was going. I wish the best of luck to the families that had been dispersed from the Cabrini community, but for those gang-bangin thugz that think it is right to kill innocent people and including children, there is no place for you people in the kingdom of God.


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browse by city New York, NY (778) Brooklyn, NY (777) Toronto, ON (745) Montreal, QC (396) London, UK (296) complete city list popular articles Source of Beer from: Peter Patterns from: groovehouse Catch Me if You Can from: Bumface The Tower from: jack One Year Ago Today from: Tyfoid Kid what's hot this month? recent articles Exotic Slurpee Plant? from: zagg Private Parts ! from: Maz Just a Few More from: chiamattt SF Heist from: eyeofodin Traces of Melbourne from: kayla22 Banksy from: Beardo Untitled from: zagg Waterfall, Oregon from: joey Best Costco Moment of 2008 from: EvilGentleman The Olympic Rings and Flame from: EvilGentleman read all today's articles browse by author Peter (797) joey (278) EvilGentleman (268) hool (247) jack (233) complete author list hot topics graffiti Justo Gallego JA One graf trux sane smith wheat paste nyc sixy harlem banksy Top 10 largest cities in canada new york سكس brooklyn CFM	Cabrini Green [whats Left of It] Chicago, IL - corsakti - Thursday, April 25th, 2002 : goo [previous] :: [next] Cabrini Green [whats left of it] This article has been viewed 36025 times in the last 6 years karma: 26th Apr 2002 - 16:06 GMT is this some sort of montage or photoshop job? the photo(s?) are great, but its freaking me out trying to figure out exactly how tyhe composition is laid out, there, :-] karma: 26th Apr 2002 - 16:07 GMT oh, and i forgot to mention that your photos are really good, too. they make me want to visit the places you show. corsakti: 28th Apr 2002 - 19:19 GMT hi! ya a collage of two photos, this. and thank you, I am glad that maybe a little bit of how much I love chicago and enjoyed the other cities I have visited comes out in some of my photos. krazy: what is this site about? krazy: its rating photos riht :> Peter: nope, check out the bettyjean: 17th Mar 2005 - 22:46 GMT Re: Cabrini Green [whats left of it] ...JESUS IS ALIVE AND WELL "" AMEN...REPENT!!... YAHWEH.... 666..AMEN...ON!! YAHWEH Chino: 14th Sep 2005 - 02:04 GMT I remember good times, sweet happy friendly. That's nothing on how the greens were. Candy man that's the greens but it's all slowly fading in with time. Chicago is growing and growing fast. Twon: 22nd Nov 2005 - 00:48 GMT If u ain't from da building then u don't know what shit really like so stop tryin to claim the building fo a lit bit of rep dollpoi: 25th Dec 2005 - 04:29 GMT tear them all down! get these niggers out of chicago! maurice: 16th Jan 2006 - 22:18 GMT fuck u dollpoi how would u fell if someone took away your child hood memories Hope: 8th Feb 2006 - 23:25 GMT Unless your from there dont try to show what you know nothing about. EvilGentleman: 15th Feb 2006 - 02:37 GMT I remember being shot at when I was stopped at a red light in Cabrini Green back in 1990. Thankfully, they missed. Actually, I have no idea if I was the actual target or not, and I was not about to investigate to find out. Since the streets were deserted, I ran that light and the next 12 red lights in a row, and was doing over 100 MPH when I felt safe enough to slow dowm and drive normally again. I guess tourists are not welcome in Cabrini Green at 1:30 in the morning... K-Money: 21st Feb 2006 - 18:45 GMT Nobody is jus ridin around n Cabrini @ 1:30 in the mornin. U had 2 b doin something u had no business doin for sum1 2 shoot @ u. I dont live in Cabrini but i have ben growin up there for 17 years in 412 W. Chicago Ave. so i know dat u was doin sumthin u shouldnt've ben doin whatitis: 1st Mar 2006 - 01:07 GMT i think that everything is what you make it. the greens are the greens because everyone who lived there made it that way. and whoeva moves to the greens must want to be a part of the greens or they woulda tried to get tha hell outta there. E: 1st Mar 2006 - 04:48 GMT Yeah....whatever..rep this, rep that....you don't own shit. Meep: 2nd Mar 2006 - 14:04 GMT Well, I usually place just a dash of cillantro in my noodle soup to give it a slight kick. It is great for the holidays! Even better than clam chowder! EvilGentleman: 2nd Mar 2006 - 17:06 GMT K-Money: You wonder why I was in Cabrini Green at 1:30 AM? I was passing through, of course. Being hungry and needing a break after spending all day on the road, I went to the McDonald's at Ontario and La Salle (or also Ohio and Clark. That is one big-ass place, man. A whole block in downtown) When I left, I looked at my trusty Rand McNally road map and decided to go N on La Salle, turn W on Division, and then turn NW on Clybourn, then W on North Ave to reach the onramp for I-90 W so I could continue on my way to Rockford, where my then-fiancee was waiting for me. Keep in mind I am not from Chicago, but from Canada where bad crime means a few hookers and dealers on the corners, and maybe a few bikers hanging around keeping an eye on things. Add onto that the fact that this was in 1990, 2 years before the release of Candyman, so I had never heard of Cabrini Green, and it was not marked on the map as such, anyways. To top it all off, Cabrini Green has some pretty nice areas of Chicago close at hand, so I felt safe when I left McDonald's, since the map does not have any symbols for "bad-ass neighborhood" on it. So I went on my merry little way and almost got my ass shot for my ignorance somewhere on Clybourn. I should mention that I love Chicago and usually feel quite safe there, and even today, I would not hesitate to bring my kids there to visit. But not into Cabrini Green or the side streets of the south side late at night. Live and learn. anon (c-69-249-55-135.hsd1.nj.comcast.net): 2nd Mar 2006 - 17:26 GMT what is with the bad language and offensive spelling. are there some people trying to show us how bad they are by using a rough english to show they are from the 'hood'. i'm from the 'hood' or rather neighborhood and i knew rough guys, black and white and olive and pale and any other color you care to call yourself. they were just rough ordinary guys and they had honor and self respect. they did not try to impress people about how bad they were, rather they wanted to remain in the bachground where they were less conspicuous and do what they wanted. they did not destroy their neighborhoods and respected the elderly. yes, they were bad, they never ratted, and they went out like men. they kept their neighborhood going and never let it decay. thats why you can still walk around hells kitchen where i went to school and little italy where i played and brooklyn where i grew up. khalid: 20th Mar 2006 - 03:14 GMT well im the spokes man for the swords of justice organization and my chairman was born in the greens and she was mickey cobra and he as a man has risen up from what chicago and the main 21 has shown brothers and sistas the wrong they was living and brotha jeff fort or (ford) as some brothas call him can't say what these WORDS THAT MY BROTHA SEIFULLAH CAN CAUSE HE'S INCARATED drej: 22nd Mar 2006 - 01:48 GMT Anon - You grew up in hell's kitchen/little italy and brooklyn??? Tell me more about your childhood.......I'm all ears Peter: 22nd Mar 2006 - 02:10 GMT ive lived in hells kitchen and brooklyn, both extensively and both to a fault. i feel it... click the tags and see some photos. Lucky: 22nd Apr 2006 - 05:09 GMT I was recently in Chicago with my 17 year old daughter so she could visit a few colleges there. I had never been to Chicago nor had I ever heard of Cabrini Green. We stayed in a nice hotel on Delaware Place in the midst of fine dining and shopping. Since the weather was nice, we thought we would walk to the Lincoln Park area to visit DePaul University. We followed the streets according to the map we got at the hotel and walked ourselves right into Cabrini Green. Fortunately for us a resident found it in his heart to rescue us and walk us to the "safe zone". He was surprised to hear we had no idea where we were and informed us they don't see many "white ladies" in that area. He told us how he overheard "the brothers" talking when they saw us and he felt he had to help us. He shared with us a few stories about the gangs, drugs, shootings etc. but it wasn't until later that evening when the magnitude of the whole situation really hit me. I am eternally grateful to that gentleman who probably risked his own safety to keep us from harm. I will continue to pray for him and all the residents of Cabrini Green that they can find peace in their lives and break the cycle of violence because noone deserves to live in those conditions. Navell Burnett: 8th May 2006 - 19:12 GMT i lived in cabrini every since i was born and i feel like they should keep it up 4ever french 93 aulnay-sous-bois: 7th Jun 2006 - 14:42 GMT "candyman" very good movie and chicago and cabrini green very dangerous come see my housing projet http://auln4y93.skyblog.com french 93 aulnay-sous-bois: 7th Jun 2006 - 14:47 GMT they have pics of chicago in http://auln4y93.skyblog.com Nate: 7th Jun 2006 - 16:28 GMT Can anyone give an update on what's going on with Cabrini and the so-called "transformation plan" in Chicago public housing? I used to know two people who worked as community organizers, doing work trying to stop or at least slow the city government's rush to chuck people into the street. Last I knew the plan called for a loss of 10,000 apartments, which means a lot of people displaced. I don't live in Chicago anymore and have lost touch with those guys. I remember driving once and looking out the window watching bulldozers on top of one of the building, being used to knock down walls and stuff. It was unreal. Would have been really pretty in a movie, but messed up in real life knowing what it means. Phill : 23rd Jun 2006 - 18:53 GMT To give you an update cabrini green is still currently alive. There are five buildings still standing that people live in that arn't under demolition, however there are six that have been demolished. The cabrini green extension homes or red buildings, are no longer there they have been demolished, only though three of the green homes have been demolished though, The one that stood out most to me when i drove by was the one that was Spray Painted across The Top "White Boy Killer". The gangs are still present, though new housing and whites do occupy the area. There hasn't been any major crimes recently accept for a stabbing in january. You can walk through the neighborhood without anything happening, the gangs are more laidback and such. Theres a starbucks, right next to cabrini and a BESTBUY, Plus a New huge 80 story condominium being built literally on the site of the old cabrini green. Demolition for the final buildings is scheduled for the fall of 06. Phill : 23rd Jun 2006 - 18:54 GMT Can someone get a photo of the spray painted white boy killer at the top? Jimmy: 23rd Jun 2006 - 20:01 GMT No love for the southside? Sure Englewood and Cabrini Greens is rough, but good folks still live in Mt. Greenwood and Beverly! Also, what neighborhood is Cabrini technically in? Phill: 24th Jun 2006 - 03:47 GMT Cabrini is technically in the river north neighborhood, or around the gold coast the exact streets are Evergreen Avenue, Sedgwick Street, Chicago Avenue, and Larrabee Street. What do you mean also when you say no love for the southside? Englewood is on the southside. Yes also cabrini green is no longer a tough neighborhood what so ever, cabrini green is very calm, and just has poor people a tough neighborhood technically would Washington Park,Englewood, or southshore, but to be honest Chicago today is nothing at all compared to what is was heres a stat for you in 93 there were 986 murders today this past year there were around 483 so Chicago isn't bad at all non of the housing projects are it will never again be what it was. willynelly: 16th Jul 2006 - 13:02 GMT Old neighborhoods that at one time were nice for people to live and work in.It has happened from one end of this country to the other,when blacks move in and take over a neighborhood.Go to Chinatown,Greektown,little Italy or any ethnic area and these people generally take pride in their neighborhood.Show me a black area anywhere in this country that is safe to walk through or shop.Neighborhoods that were once nice are now ghettos,you made them that way,now you can live in them.Anywhere you live you have to care for it,if you want it to remain decent.All the while we listen to how whitey makes them live in the ghettos.Deal with it,it has become exactly what you made it. ebola12: 17th Jul 2006 - 14:27 GMT Cabrini-Green exsisted way before there was a "River's North". Actually it was just considered as the Near North side of Chicago. Cabrini-Green consisted of 3 distinct sections: (1) The low rise (roll houses)from Chicago Ave. to Oak St. Cambridge to Cleveland St. (2) Cabrini ext. from Chicago to Division St., Larrabee to Sedgiwick St. (3) Green Homes, Goeth ST. to Halsted ST Division st. to Clybourn. Unlike China Town, Greek Town and Little Italy neighborhoods. CG was established as 100% warehousing for low income people to live, the area wasn't supported by an on site business zones as the previous areas, there was no tax base for the immediate CG area. Any comparison of CG with these neighborhoods are mute phill: 21st Jul 2006 - 23:16 GMT does anyone here no if the white boy killer thing that was spray painted across the project been removed? or if cabrini green is currently safe for whites to walk or get pictures of ? jesusfreak: 24th Jul 2006 - 03:05 GMT I was just in chicago with my youth group on a mission trip and we had the privilege of seeing what was left of Cabrini Green. We were all shocked to hear about the thoughtlessness of those ripping it down and the tragedy of the many displaced tenants. It is quite disheartening to see the blatant ignorance of the greatest country in the world - we're leaving our poor on the streets. What does that look like to a foreigner? amy: 27th Jul 2006 - 02:43 GMT i've walked through it. 1 in the afternoon, with two skinny arab guys. no problems to speak of. seemed rather benign. that was about two years ago. amy: oh, and i'm white and female. phill: 27th Jul 2006 - 20:42 GMT To Amy or anyone else whos walked through cabrini green did you seen any gangs out? Did you see the spray painted white boy killer? Is Cabrini green curently safe for whites at night? Could you go inside the project without any problems City Official: 31st Jul 2006 - 03:01 GMT The housing projects were originally established as waystations for people and families who fell upon hard times and needed temporary support while they got their acts together. These housing projects were never intended for people to move into and stay permanently. In the 1950's the occupants had that purpose in mind. As time passed the newer occupants viewed public housing as a permanent solution to their inabilities to bootstrap themselves back up. There are a myriad of reasons as to why the newer occupants couldn't get out of the housing projects during their generation. Before the social scientists could analyze the problem we had up to five generations living in housing projects. shelia/neworleans : 2nd Aug 2006 - 19:55 GMT Thank God Things Has Changed For My People. For Now We Have Better And More Choices. Love Ya Sista From New Orleans, La. shelia/neworleans : 2nd Aug 2006 - 22:21 GMT Education Is Key. Without It Oppression Will Progress For Generations. What Do You Have To Lose? Try It. It Works. I Grew Up In The Calliope Project In New Orleans (a.k.a 3rd ward) Attend Booker T. Washington High And Dropped Out. Pregnant At 16 Feeling Helpless, Hopeless, And Depressed. I Was Lost. Got My First Apartment In The Lafitte Housing Project At 18, Because I Had To. I Could Not Live Much Longer With My Mother For Many Reasons All Bad. After Working Dead-end Jobs And Kissing Ass. I Decided To Go Back To School And Get My G.E.D. Attended Delgado Community College. Received my L.P.N./L.V.N. In Nursing. New Doors Began To Open. Working, I Save Money While Still Living The Project. I Began Establishing Credit By Buying Only The Things Needed For My Apartment. Not Letting Anyone Know A Sista Was Moving Up. Went Back to School And Received My Associate Degree In Nursing. As I began to walk through the doors that was opening. The Lights Began To Come On. I Worked For 6 Months More In The Same Hospital Giving A Total Of 18 Month (showing stability). I Purchase My First Home At 210,000. 4bedroom, 2.5bath, 2car garage, etc. 2500sqft. I Went Back To School Received My B.S.N In Nursing And Now In Grad School. Pursuing My NP/CNS With My Certification In Midwifery And I Will Make It. My Goal Is Open My On Practice Working With AN OB/GYN, And To Teach Women And Children. I Am Engaged To Marry An Educated Well Diverse Brother. If I Choose Not To Work Another Day After I'm Married Trust Me He Can Handle It. Not Bad For A Girl From The Projects. You Are Only Bound By The Walls You Create For Yourself. Having A Trade Or Some Education Is Better Than Having None At All My Sistas And Brothers If I Did It You Can Too Remember To Be Anything Other Than Kingdom Minded Is Beneath You. phill: 5th Aug 2006 - 17:12 GMT Is Cabrini Green Currently filled with gangs and safe? Can a white person walk through with no troubles? WHat about going in the housing project is that currently safe for whites? shelia/neworleans : 8th Aug 2006 - 02:46 GMT I am sure that if one of those buildings is still standing you will have some remnants of the life that once was. Evil spirits don’t leave gracefully. As long as there is a host you have that threat of what ever that spirit brings. I don't think the question is "Is Cabrini Green safe for white people? "But is it safe for anyone? In my opinion the answer is No. And why would a white person want to walk through a place like that? Would it be for fun or curiosity? Is this like in the movies when a white person come home to find there door open furniture over turned and tossed about and blood on the wall with there roommate nowhere to be found. Off in a distant they here a noise. Instead of them running in the other direction they walk in to find the killer who then kill them. Don't be stupid. Whatever your reasons would be to want to walk through Cabrini Green, I can guarantee you it would not be worth it. Even if the gangs are not visible upon entry. Don’t let your curiosity temp you to walk in further. phill: Have you been to cabrini green phill: Have you been to cabrini green shelia/neworleans : 10th Aug 2006 - 03:25 GMT Yes I Have. I Have Family That Live In The Area. A Aunt That Once Lived In Cabrini Green Who Now Live Nearby. Family That Move From New Orleans After Hurricane Katrina That Live Nearby. As a Child I Visited More Frequent Staying With My Aunt that Lived In Cabrini Green. phill: 10th Aug 2006 - 21:48 GMT Is cabrini green really that dangerous? I mean it can't be like iraq where you walk in a literally a expolision happens. I think it's pretty much just exagerated. Chicago today is no where near as rough as it use to be. The only place that stays rough is Philadelphia, and Detroit. I think they should rebuild public housing in chicago. That way the homeless population goes away. phill: 10th Aug 2006 - 21:48 GMT Is cabrini green really that dangerous? I mean it can't be like iraq where you walk in a literally a expolision happens. I think it's pretty much just exagerated. Chicago today is no where near as rough as it use to be. The only place that stays rough is Philadelphia, and Detroit. I think they should rebuild public housing in chicago. That way the homeless population goes away. shelia/neworleans : 11th Aug 2006 - 06:03 GMT It seems to me you pretty much know what it is you want to do. So... don't ask questions that you already know the (your) answer. No I don't think they should rebuild "public housing" (the projects) especially with the same game plan that laid to this Great American Travesty. However, I do strongly agree that a short and long term plan should have been in place for the residents of Cabrini Green to prevent homelessness. A short-term plan for the people that will successfully make the transition to the new low-income housing. A long-term plan for the people that will not make the transition. You have to account for these people, because if you don't they will become your homeless or simply known as the people who fell though the cracks. When city official went to the table on demolishing these building they had to have consider the outcome of the people living there. What was the game plan? Did these city officials voted in by these people let them down again? Was this just some master plan to take over these properties (prime real estate) to build condo for the well to do because of its location? If so, let me see if I can guess this right. They couldn't just come in and takeover. So, they had to offer the people a piece of the pie, by giving them a percentage of what they had to offer. I bet the restrictions are so tight that if they sneeze to hard a warning will be placed on the door to be put out. Maybe they will lay low for a few years, and when old Cabrini Green is long gone the game plan will change, but before that they would have made the people of old Cabrini Green so misable that they will choose not to live there. ....Mission Accomplished.... There is something we can do. (long-term goal) Start loving yourself Take pride in yourself and culture Take pride in how you raise your kids (education) Know that you are raising future leaders Leaders that will make decision that can change the world. In teaching your kids their culture they will learn to have pride and love who they are. With pride come confidence Armed with confidence when sitting at the table of a meeting making a decision on weather or not some poor people will have a place to live in the future. He will do what is best for the people, and not sellout to the majority that sit among him. Because sometimes a leader will be called to stand-alone. phill: 11th Aug 2006 - 23:57 GMT My bro was just in chicago last week, he said cabrini is still standing, most of the population is still there in fact. There have been recent cases in fact of cabrini residents robbing the new residents moving in where parts of cabrini once were. An to shelia/neworleans they're clearly is a strong hate for whites "The man" in cabrini, notice the big spray paint tag reading "White Boy Killer" across the project in huge letters, its been up there for a while and the residents don't mind it. This week in fact where two cabrini residents tried to rob a white business man, he told the cops, the cops shot one of the boys. Now they residents are saying the cop shot the boy because he was a white cop, rather than a cop. Though Chicago will always remain full of racial tention certain things like this are stupid and just make it worse. zagg: 12th Aug 2006 - 00:30 GMT am i blind? where does it say 'white boy killer' ???? in this image???? phill: 12th Aug 2006 - 00:51 GMT Look at the cabrini green green homes on north larrabee street, and the one on west division. WHens the last time you've been in cabrini? It right in the open. YOur probably blind, where you coming from to when you say in this image? zagg: 12th Aug 2006 - 00:56 GMT Phill, I'm talking about the image posted in this citynoise submission, originally photgraphed by corsakti. So if one of us is blind --- it is most likely you. EvilGentleman: 12th Aug 2006 - 01:24 GMT phill - enough already. We get it. You are white, and cannot understand why there is anti-white racism. Racism is wrong, we all understand that, but it is a reality in a land where the color of one's skin can make a huge difference in the real-life opportunities one has to live decently. Things are slowly healing, but it may still be generations before anything close to true equality may exist. And remember, just because the white population is starting to become more open-minded at a more rapid pace, this does not mean that the people who grew up oppressed and without a real hope for a good life will forget just as quickly. Until those wounds heal, there will still be people who paint things like "White Boy Killer". This is the legacy of a formerly segregated society, and the legacy will go on until the victims no longer feel pain, which will be about one generation after the last people born into inequality die of old age. And it is still not equal yet, so we are looking at least 100 years down the road before you will have a society where the majority is not disliked by many elements of the minorities. Keep an open mind, and peace in your heart. That is all you can do. Love is contagious. Try it. Now - Do you have anything constructive to say, or are we finally done with this? phill: 12th Aug 2006 - 22:41 GMT There are white people in the neighborhood of cabrini green, and Cabrini Green is not all black either, and there are blacks in Cabrini green that are not racist, so why are the youth of cabrini green so against whites, yes there are certain whites, that do act up, and are corrupt, but that's for any race. It's not a white and black thing its a right and wrong thing. shelia/neworleans : 12th Aug 2006 - 23:05 GMT Thank you EvilGentleman What is your or anyone opinion on what is taking place right now with Cabrini Green? Is there anything that we can do or say to give these people hope. I do realize the hell in living in a place like this it seems no one cares. I remember as a kid saying if something happen to my family no one will notice because no one cares, and telling my two older sisters if we die it would be like we never lived. As I write this it bring tears to my eyes, because it wasn't that long ago. Well, I lost my mother a few years back, and I just lost my oldest sister last month. A young woman, and as a witness to her life I first hand know her suffering and saw her pain. The doctors said Lupus was the culprit, but I say life. ....Thank God for Salvation.... Can you believe in the mist of all the hell Judy found Jesus or should I say he found her My Sweet Sister Judy My life dream is to make a difference If everyone help someone the world will be a better place EvilGentleman: 13th Aug 2006 - 09:03 GMT phill - There's graffiti here in Montreal that says KILL KOPS, but nobody takes it all that seriously. The best way to deal with those that hate is to ignore them, and to be a decent person. Decent people are harder to hate. If everyone was decent, hate would vanish. sheila - Sorry to hear about your loss. I lost my son's mother to cancer, I know what loss is. The only way I know to help is to keep an open mind, and to care for your fellow human beings. That is all any of us can do. Make sure to stand up for equality by telling those who say racial things that you do not find that sort of thing to be acceptable, and maybe you can help to speed up the healing. As far as giving things to help goes, there is only one thing to give to those who have lost hope: RESPECT. It is the one thing that may restore their hope, a million times more than money ever could. Good luck. shelia/neworleans : 13th Aug 2006 - 16:14 GMT EvilGentleman Thank You Your Words Phill: 13th Aug 2006 - 21:10 GMT no offense or anything but this is a cabrini green chat not a sad chat about peoples loses. Keep Cabrini Green Alive! Join The Coalition to stop to Demolition of Cabrini Green and Chicago's Public housing! Write letters to the mayor, letters to chicago's city hall, the chicago housing authority, read the newspaper the defender. If you not about keepin Cabrini up Leave The blog! Don't lecture on how you think you know everything in the world! Peace d_green: 13th Aug 2006 - 21:43 GMT they should leave cabrini up i'm from 1150 the 19 story buildin shelia/neworleans: 14th Aug 2006 - 16:49 GMT Phill No offense or anything but this site is about Cabrini Green and the people of Cabrini Green. The name of this site is Cabrini Green, what's left of it. Its not about leaving it up or tearing it down. What you choose to write about is up to you. Seems like the only thing you choose to want to talk about is the writing on the wall. This is the first time you have actually wrote something that says why it is you log on. You never really have any thing of use to add to the blog. As for as my lost is concerned, I only shared that so people like you can look through the eyes of a person that have lived the life you only read about. This is real. People are going through stuff as we speak. What you should do is shut-up, sit back, take notes, and be educated on the subject. When you have something of use to add then you speak. I never professed to knowing everything. All I have been trying to do is tell MY sisters and brothers to be encourage. However, its only natural for you to have this attitude. People are often afraid of things they don't understand, so they attack. WHEN SLAVERY WAS ABOLISH MANY SLAVES CHOOSE TO STAY WITH THERE MASTERS OUT OF FEAR OF CHANGE. CHANGE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY, BUT SOMETIMES IS NECESSERY ..........PEACE BE STILL.......... Tyson: 14th Aug 2006 - 22:50 GMT shelia/neworleans: You Stupid That kid you lecturing to is helping preserve cabrini shut your mouth and let him do his thing! Phill: 14th Aug 2006 - 22:53 GMT Yes for once i agree with Tyson. You want to talk about grief go ahead nothing wrong with that leave the blog beacuse you have nothing important to say. I don't see you doing anything about cabrini all you do is talk talk and talk. You don't have things that bad do you? you got a computer. Write letters emails whatever keep up cabrini. shelia/neworleans: 15th Aug 2006 - 05:52 GMT Tyson All this kid has been talking about is some writing on the wall saying "White Boy Killer" and is it safe for white people to walk through Cabrini Green. He is not interested in Cabrini staying up. Before you call me stupid why don't you read back in the blog history. Well I have said all that is necessary for me to say. So, I will grant you your wish. But before I go I would like a answer to: Have The Good Out Weighed The Bad In Living In Cabrini Green? How about this ask all the people who have lost family members to the volence (gangs,drugs,killings,jail) in Cabrini Green and get there opinion. If these people had a way out for a better living they will take it. Let this be that chance for that. They are offering them section 8, and other programs. Allowing people to have a choice in where they want to live, and not to mention the low income housing. Look I wish there was a easy solution for this, but there isn't. The point is they are going to tear them down any way, and thats a fact. So.. what are you going to do. The best thing to do is get a plan together on what you are going to do, and fast. If they are going to qualify you for one of these programs. TAKE IT. USE IT TO DO BETTER FOR YOURSELF. I know that you are afraid, and I know you don't trust them, but you got to start somewhere. I Will Keep The People Of Cabrini Green In My Prayers Love Your Sista In New Orleans... Tyson: 15th Aug 2006 - 17:48 GMT It seems as a viewer the kid just wants a question answered and non of you fools will answer it for him. Maybe he wants to help out in the neighborhood, so he asks if its safe for whites huh. I'm hispanic and black and i don't find that offensive. If i were to help out some whites in a tough neighborhood, i'd want to no if it was safe before i ventured out to help. Your not being open minded, your the reason why kids like this fool don't want to help out. He has heard things that know one will verify yet shut him down in his face, for asking such as question. You getting pissed at this Cabrini deal when even The City of Chicago's records show its very tough neighborhood. Look at "girl X." Or Dantrell Davis. Or The assults on police officers. Your new orleans way of life is a lot diffrent then life in Chicago here. Phill to answer your question its safe. Phill: 15th Aug 2006 - 17:50 GMT Alright finally i agree. I plan to do work in Cabrini for habitat for humanity, in order to work in Cabrini, you have to have it verified as a safe place to work. That's all i was checking out. Is cabrini safe? and my question was answered. So shelia or whatever your name is that kid said it the best. shelia/neworleans: 15th Aug 2006 - 19:11 GMT Tyson This is not a fight, but before you address me in defence of Phill you need to go back and read his Jun.23, 2006 entry. He was not asking for the reason he is stating now. He seem pretty confident in it being safe. In Phill words "you can walk through the neighborhood without anything happening, the gangs are more laidback and such". Then he stated "demolition for the final building is scheduled for the fall 2006". Don't sound to me like someone who plan to work in Cabrini for Habitat For Humanity not on buildings that is scheduled for demolition. If you look at his next entry right under that he ask for someone to get a picture of the writing white boy killer. What would be his purpose for that. Phill What is it you are agreeing to. the fact that he bought your lye. shelia/neworleans: lie Tyson: 15th Aug 2006 - 23:57 GMT Shelia whatever your making it a bigger deal then it is, maybe the boys into Cabrini Green. Doesn't hurt me i looked at the notes yeh its true there are still gangs they are still laid back and such. Shelia you don't live here you don't no. Phill at least lives around here or something so he probably knows better then you. Obviously he cares or he wouldn't be on this blog. Sounds like he is doing habitat. maybe gangs interest the kid, and the whole thing, grow up. You don't even live in Cabrini or Chicago. Its one thing even to know someone who lives there its another thing to be the person living there. Demolition is going down in the fall of 06, and they had a thing on the news last night that theres habitat for humanity building new homes next to Cabrini Green for the ones being demolished. Your immature, close-minded. I live in Cabrini's Reds. I told people about this argument here and they laughed at it. They said at least the white boy cares. Grow up. Your making it into a bigger deal then it is. anon (cpe-70-114-192-6.houston.res.rr.com): 16th Aug 2006 - 21:06 GMT Tyson There is much I can say about what you have said, but I choose not to. What I will say is, well, at least people are talking. Maybe some of your co-workers will log-on and feel the need to say or do something toward the cause. If you look back in the history of this blog the conversations were stupid and had nothing to do with anything. Now there are people like you,City Official, Evilgentleman, Phill, and myself to say something. Like I told you, this is not a fight. However funny or immature you may find me, at least I caught your attention enough to bring it to work. Who knows who your co-worker may mention this blog to. Good or bad the conversations lately have been interesting. You don't know me Tyson, but it has been established that I am a secure person. So...as far as the name calling goes i'm going to let you figure out who it is that's immature and needs to grow up. shelia/neworleans: 16th Aug 2006 - 21:09 GMT Oh and by the way that is my entry if you didn't know. phill: shelia we cool? shelia/neworleans : Phill We are sweetheart. phill: keep up cabrini! PHILL: 27th Aug 2006 - 04:19 GMT RECENTLY A 17 YEAR OLD WAS BEAT UP BY THE COPS FOR SPITTING ON THE COP. THE CHICAGO PD IS WAY TO CORRUPT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE CHICAGO PD IS NO LONGER ABUSIVE CORRUPT, AND SHOOTING KIDS THAT ARE FOURTEEN YEARS OLD BECAUSE THEY HOLD A BB GUN! WE NEED TO KEEP UP CABRINI GREEN UP. IF WE LET CABRINI GO DOWN THAT'LL SHOW WE HAVE LOST THE WAR, AND THEY CAN JUST SMASH DOWN PEOPLES HOMES WITHOUT PUTTING THEM IN NEW HOMES, AND PUT UP MILLION DOLLAR CONDOS IN THE SPOT OF THOSE WHO SUFFERING FROM HOMLESSNESS. SENSE CABRINI GREEN HAS BEGAN TO BE TORN DOWN THERE HAVE BEEN 20,000 MORE PEOPLE HOMELESS IN CHICAGO. CHICAGO IS WAY TO CORRUPT. SHELIA KEEP TALKING. TELL EM TO KEPP UP CABRINI! IT SEEMS ME AND SHEILA ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CARE. Phill: 29th Aug 2006 - 03:29 GMT The Chicago POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FULL OF CORRUPT PIGS. shelia/neworleans: 30th Aug 2006 - 20:25 GMT OK THE OLD WAY OF LIVING IS OVER. IT IS; SO... HATE ME IF YOU MUST. HOW MANY YEARS HAVE THEY BEEN TALKING ABOUT TEARING DOWN THE PROJECTS AND PUTTING UP CONDOS? HOW LONG WAS THE IDEA OF THIS HENTTED BEFORE IT WAS OUT ON THE TABLE? WHAT? THE PEOPLE OF CABRINI GREEN THOUGHT THESE PEOPLE WAS PLAYING. IT HAS BEEN ON THE TABLE FOR LONGER THEN 15 YEARS. IT WAS HENTTED FOR AT LEAST 10-15 YEARS BEFORE THAT. AND NO ONE THOUGHT TO GET A PLAN TOGETHER ON HOW THEY WAS GOING TO LIVE IF THIS WAS TO GO DOWN LIKE HOW THESE PEOPLE(LOCAL GOV.) WAS PLANNING. OK HOW LONG DID THE PEOPLE OF CABRINI GREEN, AND SURROUNDING PROJECTS THOUGHT THE GOV. WAS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM? OH.. DON'T SAY THAT THE GOV. IS NOT TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE PROJECTS BECAUSE THEY ARE. THAT IS IN PART WHY YOU WANT TO REMAIN LIVING THERE. (PAYING SOME RENT IF ANY, AND NO UTILITIES) WHERE ELSE CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THIS? NO WHERE. OK.. NOW THAT WE GOT THAT OUT OF THE WAY. YOU DON'T OWN THE PROJECTS SAME GOES FOR THE GANGS I DON'T CARE WHAT GANG MAY THINK THEY RUN SOMETHING THEY DON'T, AND NEVER DID. THE ONLY REASON THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO EXSIST AS LONG AS THEY HAVE IS BECAUSE THE GOV. YES, I SAID THE GOV. ALLOWED THEM TOO. WHO HAVE THE GANGS HURT THE MOST? THERE OWN SO CALLED PEOPLE. WE AS BLACK PEOPLE DO MORE DAMAGE TO ONE ANOTHER THEN THE GOV. HAVE DONE IN OVER 60 YEARS. NOW THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE PROJECTS (YOUR GOV.)WANT THEM BACK, AND YOU CRYING. WHY? THIS WAS NEVER A PLACE INTENDED FOR YOU TO STAY YOUR LIFE TIME, BUT YOU PUT IT IN YOUR MIND THAT YOU COULD. THIS IS WHY WE SEE GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE LIVING HERE. LIVING IN THESE PROJECTS HAVE MADE YOU LAZY. YES, I SAID LAZY. HAVE I OFFENDED YOU, BECAUSE ITS TRUE. ALRIGHT, SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? NOW YOU ARE FORCED TO SHIT OR GET OFF THE POT. ARE YOU MAD? BECAUSE IT'S OK, BUT GET MAD AND DO SOMETHING. IN MY OPINION WHO YOU SHOULD BE MAD WITH IS YOURSELF. WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN EDUCATING YOURSELF SO THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE BETTER FOR YOUR FAMILY. YOU RODE THE SYSTEM. WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIGHTING TO EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN SO THAT THEY CAN SOMEDAY PROVIDE BETTER FOR THERE CHILDREN. YOU GOT COMFORTBLE. NOW THE GOV. SAYS NO MORE, AND YOU CRYING. WHY? IF YOU TELL ME SHELIA, BUT I HAVE DONE ALL THOSE THINGS YOU HAVE SAID, AND I COULD NOT GET ON TOP. I SAY YOUR LYING. WHEN YOUR CHILDREN WAS IN SCHOOL WHERE WERE YOU? SITTING AT HOME WAITING ON A WELFARE CHECK? YOU COULD HAVE USED THAT TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE (GED,GETTING A TRADE). IF YOU SAY SHELIA, I WAS WORKING. MAYBE YOU AND SOME OTHER PERSON IN YOUR BUILDING COULD HAVE WORK TOGETHER WATCHING ONE ANOTHER CHILDREN WHILE THE OTHER ONE GO TO SCHOOL, IF YOU DID NOT HAVE FAMILY TO HELP. THE PLAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO USE THE SYSTEM TO BECOME INDEPENDENT. SO, THAT WITH TIME YOU COULD MAYBE BUY A HOUSE TO PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN SAVING THEM FROM THE SCARS OF LIVING IN THE PROJECT. (BREAKING THE SPIRIT OF OPPRESSION). HERE IS THE THING, WE AS BLACK PEOPLE CAN FIND ALL KIND OF WAYS TO DO WHAT EVER WE WANT, BUT IN MANY CASES THE THINGS WE SHOULD DO TO BRING ABOUT A POSITIVE CHANGE WE DON'T. WHY? YOU MEAN IN ALL THE GENERATIONS OF FAMLIES THAT HAVE LIVED IN CABRINI GREEN AND OTHER PROJECTS, MANY (AT LEAST 75%)HAVE NOT FOUND THERE WAY OUT. HOW LONG DID YOU THINK THE GOV. WAS GOING TO LET YOU RIDE. THE FACT THAT KNOWING AT ANYTIME THEY HAVE THE POWER TO PULL THE CARPET FROM UNDER YOU,TO ME SHOULD HAVE BEEN MOTIVATION ENOUGH FOR YOU TO START MAKING SOME MOVES. YEARS WASTED DOING NOTHING, YEARS WASTED NOT MOVING FORWARD. IF THERE WAS A LITTLE MOVEMENT MAYBE SO MANY WOULD NOT BE CRYING, WORRIED,AND FEELING DEGRATED. THIS BOTHERS ME, BECAUSE YOU ARE MY PEOPLE AND THE THOUGHT OF MANY BEING HOMELESS IS SAD. IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO RESPECT YOU THEN STOP LAYING ON YOUR ASS AND STAND-UP. TAKE YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE AS A PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY. HAVE SOME PRIDE, AND DO SOMETHING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR YOU, AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU. WORKING TOGETHER YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FORGET CABRINI GREEN, IT IS NOT YOURS TO BEGIN WITH. BESIDES, WHILE YOU TRYING TO HOLD ON TO THE PROJECTS YOUR BLESSING COULD BE SOME WHERE ELSE, BUT YOU WILL NEVER GET IT IF YOU ARE HOLDING ON TO SOMETHING GOD IS TRYING TO BRING YOU UP FROM. YOU ARE ONLY BOUND BY THE WALLS YOU CREATE FOR YOURSELF. LIFE BEGINS TODAY...WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT!!! lighten: 1st Sep 2006 - 17:21 GMT 1st of all if you did not live in cabrini you should not speak about it and our way of living. cabrini was a place where people had alot of unity, loyality,love respect for each other. the cabrini green people police themselves.and soulved more problems than the city with in the projects. what shelia says is almost correct but believe it or not people have tried education jobs and as soon as the wrong person finds out you are from cabrini you lose your job you are labeled a thug or a drug dealer.I have also seen alot of people make it too. alot of people from cabrini have backgrounds from crimes that they did not do and it enables them to get a job or a federal grant so now they are what we call stuck in a catch 22 no job no school no money what else can a person do but wait on welfare or get in where they fit in to survive.prime example jesse white has had a tumbling team for years recruiting good kids from cabrini green but all of them get older and can't even get a city or state job and have education no background. and the main reason is because they are from cabrini green. for me cabrini will never be forgotten because it taught me and others how to make a way out of no way. most of the people that are in prision was trying there best to feed there people so they did what ever it is they had to do to get it even if it means goig to jail. i don't know about you but i do not know too many people that scarfice thier freedom like the real hard working trying to make a way cabrini green resident. So i know it will never be forgotten not until about 150 years from now. you can take a person out cabrini but you can't take cabrini out the person. most of the people that hate on the greens are people that might of had the cosby show life. but we had a goodtimes life. and we are not complaining we are maintaining.also god helps everybody all you have to do is call his name. And for the real cabrini green people do not let nobody tell you forget cabrini tell them fuck where they from because they have no idea what alot of us had to do to make it with bogus cops and politions around. and when you got that around it turns a good enviroment into a war zone.these problems do not really start with cabrini these problems start with our goverment. now they moving residents all over chicago's west side and south side let's see what the crime rate will be . will it drop? will it rise? because these same people you move are still going to have the same problems just elsewhere PHILL: 3rd Sep 2006 - 05:49 GMT fuck the chicago police departments corrupt cops. that'll give you peoople something to talk about for the next month. Justice Stamps: 10th Sep 2006 - 13:16 GMT Just because I have some sense, I will not comment to what I have read on this site. Okay, a comment or two. I AGREE WITH THE PERSON WHO SAID THAT IF YOU HAVE NEVER LIVED IN CABRINI, DO NOT SPEAK ON WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sheila from New Orleans, for as smart as you try to come off, you appear to be one of the most ignorant of all that have posted here. It is people like you my dear that continue to contribute to the degradation of our people. Here is what you do the next time you feel the need to enlighten people- GET OFF YOUR ASS, AND PUT IN EFFECT ALL OF THESE CHANGES THAT YOU CLAIM PEOPLE SHOULD DO. I work in the Cabrini Green community everyday. I left New York to come back home to fulfil my committment to the youth of my community. Things have changed and it is not the community that I loved growing up, crime and all, but it is home. I'll be waiting for you my dear. Please come equipped with all of your educational supplies, and whatever else you suggested that would make us better and lets get to work. For everyone else, say what you will about Cabrini, but unless you lived there you do not know the culture, you do not know the people and you will never understand that through it all, the main thing about Cabrini is "FAMILY". And, Sheila, I think somewhere in your post you confused Cabrini with the people of New Orleans. Take what you will from that comment! And, Chicago still had their back. Even the residents of Cabrini because we sent food, clothes, money, etc. Were they good enough people then? Phill: 12th Sep 2006 - 00:02 GMT Well put justice stamps, I got a few questions, i've been sending complaints ect. into the chicago housing authority to tell them not to smash down the projects i've bought videos from voices of cabrini. I would really like to volunteer or do habitat for humanity in Cabrini Green what would you suguest? Phill: 14th Sep 2006 - 04:21 GMT Keep up Cabrini! Bring down mayor Dailey! Keep up cabrini resurect Chicago's Public housing communities! WindyCity4life: 23rd Sep 2006 - 02:49 GMT Their is no glory in public housing,especially in Chicago.Of course I think it's wrong that CHA is making those people live on the streets.For some reason public housing will always be a problem in cities across the usa and the world,thats the way it will be in a negative way.Maybe they should keep the remainig white high rises and the remaining red midrises along with the original row houses.It seems like cabrini is doing pretty well now and it would seem more mixed income like the chicago plan for transformation.The unorghanized CHA needto mantain better than before and not be so afraid of the ghetto.Keep up the good work with the letters to daily and cha. WindyCity4life: 26th Sep 2006 - 02:35 GMT I would ay Cabrini would be considered still dangerous.Last time i was their,their was a bunch of Gangster diciples walking around outside of the remaining high rises on west division street.My dad used to have to go up in high rise public housing in chicago such as Robert taylor homes and stateway gardens to collect ballots for elections in a suit and tie,no one bothered him. Grant: 26th Sep 2006 - 05:52 GMT I am sitting in an apartment in 1230 Burling (one of the buildings in Cabrini Green) as I type this. I have lived here since 2000 (and before that I lived in a house next to Cabrini that was destroyed in the Urban Cleansing of Cabrini and the surrounding, previously Black Owned private housing). White people can, and do, walk through Cabrini all the time. It is not that big a deal. And I have never seen "Big Spray Painting" of "White Boy Killer" on any building here. There may be small spraypainting of that somewhere -- there is quite a bit of silly graffiti in the halls. There are three buildings still occupied in the "Whites" (the high rises north of Division street). One other building is empty awaiting demolition and another is being demolished. Three have already been demolished (714, 630 and 1340). The "Reds" (or Cabrini Extensions) have not "all been demolished" but they are mostly empty except for 412 (412 Chicago Avenue) which has mainly been turned in to a building for "Seniors" or older residents. The Row Houses are still pretty much as they were except that the resident composition has changed. They have more younger and poorer tenants as the previous tenant population there -- more stable, working when jobs were available, older tenants -- have been replaced by tenants less eligible for the Section 8 trap. Just tonight I got a flyer from the LAC (Local Area Council -- elected tenant leadership) telling people to "stay Put" as the Cabrini Tenant Lawsuit against the City has been ruled on favorably by the judge in the case. As for GD's standing around -- are you talking about people standing around, and assuming that, since they are in Cabrini they are automatically GD's? I "stand around" outside on warm days chatting with people -- and I'm not a GD. But a lot of people are, by family connection or whatever, connected to the GD's. This neither makes them bad people nor neccesarily particularly dangerous. By the way, Cabrini Tenants plan to have a contingent in the October 5th "Drive out the Bush Regime" protest in Chicago. There have been many "changes for the worse" in this country and the destruction of public housing is one of the atrocities. I was talking to a homeless friend who hangs out in the halls here and she was talking about how many, many more homeless families there are in the streets since the demolition of Public Housing began. She was describing how families are now living in dumpsters over on Goose Island, with furniture, matresses, whole apartments set up in abandoned dumpsters. Is THAT better than public housing? Just thought I'd add a little reality to the discussion here. Phill: 27th Sep 2006 - 03:53 GMT Straight up they need to keep up public housing in Chicago. They're killing a community, and history. Questions too. Alright if i'm writting a highschool paper on the descruction of public housing in Chicago, and why its a negative thing, and i'd like to go to cabrini green being an eighteen year old white male, would i be safe to enter the actual project and interview residents? Another thing is does anyone know what building, and what floor did the 1992 dantrel davis sniper stay in, and the site where the girl x, crime was committed? So are they keeping up the red buildings for the senior citizens? last, will cabrini green high-rises or any of the mid-rises still be up by this upcoming summer? Cabrini green use to have 15,000 people now it only has 5,000 where have majority of the residents gone? Thanks Keep Up Cabrini Send letters, make phone calls. Grant: 27th Sep 2006 - 05:10 GMT You could come and you would, generally, be safe. But interviewing people is different than "walking through". If you actually wanted useful interviews it is sometimes helpful to have a contact or a guide. (1) Because the police are the most dangerous thing in Cabrini and they tend to assume that any white peron in Cabrini is buying drugs and will arrest them for "trespassing"(unless they know that person as one of the few white tenants there) And (2)Because with such desperate poverty there are people who are hustling and will take advantage of someone they think doesn't know the territory. You can end up with all sorts of bullshit instead of real knowledge. You could call Carole Steele, the President of the Row House Resident Council at 312/280-2298. Anyone in her office who answers the phone will be fine to talk to. Tell them Grant suggested you call them. And then just tell them what you want to do and they will arrange what you need for you. Carole is also the leader of the Coalition to Protect Public Housing. Where have all the residents gone? A lot of them have gone into the ghetto of the south and west side. There is also a whole community from Cabrini Green up in Rogers Park. Many have ended up homeless as their Section 8 vouchers led them into apartments that failed Section 8 inspection a few months into the leases. Some from Cabrini, Robert Taylor Homes and other Public Housing developments have ended up dead when they were moved into neighborhoods MORE DANGEROUS than where they came from and where they didn't know the territory. The building where Dantrell Davis lived (500/502 W. Oak) was torn down in 2000/2001 after a long battle to save it. The building where "Girl X" lived (1121 N. Larabee) was emptied and boarded up several years ago. It is still standing pending the settlement of the tenants' suit against the City. We are hoping to have a Barbecue/Concert this coming Saturday or Sunday to raise money for busses to take tenants to the Oct. 5th "Drive out the Bush Regime" protest and if we do, that would be a good place to talk to and interview people. We will be inviting and encouraging people not from Cabrini to come and kick it with the tenants if we do manage to pull it off. You can eMail me directly at Grant57_99@yahoo.com and I will send you my phone number or eMail you further answers to questions you have. Phill: Keep Up Cabrini Green! Keep Up Cabrini! caringmom: 2nd Oct 2006 - 07:18 GMT My son has made a movie about and for the people from Cabrini. It is their story. He has given hope where there was no hope. He is trying to change their lives by helping them live their dreams. You can email me at ganserkarin@yahoo.com. WindyCity4life: 2nd Oct 2006 - 23:39 GMT Are they really keeping up the red midrises for seniors?What about 1230 north burling?They should keep up the remains and not put poor families on the streets,forget Robert taylor and stateway,they only have 1 remaining building at their site,CAbarini still has achance to save alot of families from having to live in more poverty than they already were in. WindyCity4life: 3rd Oct 2006 - 22:33 GMT If they could knock down the remaining cabrini green and build enough for those to live in,they could save alot of lives and feelings for people.Good luck with the thing on 10/5. chrissy: 17th Oct 2006 - 19:36 GMT Anyone know anything about the shooting this past Saturday around 1300 N. Sedgwick? chrissy: 17th Oct 2006 - 19:41 GMT Also I live near Cabrini. It is safe as long as you keep to yourself. If you are looking for trouble, it is not hard to find. I also have never seen "white boy killer" spray painted anywhere. That is a myth. WindyCity4life: What happened at 1300 north sedgwick? mark: 23rd Oct 2006 - 16:28 GMT cabrini greens was very very bad but it is getting better. But u can tell how bad cabrini used to be if u type up on the computer cabrini green videos. You will be suprised how bad it was.... DREW: 1st Nov 2006 - 22:39 GMT hey guys, cabrini green is still pretty bad and violent, you just don't here about it as much because its smaller. If you don't believe you can check this website out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_7xzKVVrT8 go to that exact website, and it has a ton of cabrini green guys just stabbing guys, and beating guys down, and stuff. And why cabrini is getting better isn't because of the people becoming better people, its because a lot of the bad people are moving to Minneapolis. Unfortunatley Chicago is loosing its black population, and rapidly. Cabrini green was once a peak population of 15,700 people, today theres only like 2,500 people left. So as you can see the population is going way down. And many in african americans in poverty in chicago, are no longer in the city, and are in the south suburbs, even the southside, is no longer as black as it use to be, the last of the robert taylor homes, is being smashed down. So majority of the former ghetto neighborhoods, are now just desserted, Chicago is a dying city for African Amercians sadly, but a growing city for Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Mexicans.TO the rumor of a spray painted "white boy killer", i haven't seen it, but i've defintetly heard about it, and it wouldn't surprise me either, because of the stuff they show you in that video. Phill: 9th Nov 2006 - 01:02 GMT Hey interesting but this is more a general question about chicago, does anyone no of like a specific graffitti wall, or area that has a ton of grafitti art in chicago?, my second question is does anyone no of like any neighborhoods that are mainley punk, like punk record shops, people with mohawks, or anything like that? boski: 9th Nov 2006 - 18:59 GMT Well i heard a sayin, "you can take tha man out tha hood, but you can't take tha hood out tha man" me Growin up in a buildin called "220" 62nd Indiana made my who i am, when they tour that buildin down years ago, it hurt alot of people, then havin to move to 6217 s calumet, also hurt many people cause their in tha process of tearin tha down, i disagree with tha tearin down of all of chicago projects, for tha simple fact that thats all somepeople know, and cause thats alot of peoples life, but man joe, to all my chicagoans, keep shining, keep hustlin, and if you feel like it, keep shootin, cause we all gatta die someday..! and this from a real nigga straight out tha chi, now livin in tha MO AKA (missouri) and um still HOOD..! chi town stand up..! Larry: 22nd Nov 2006 - 02:02 GMT I came to Chicago last year and one of the first places I wanted to see was Cabrini Green. I am from South East DC and I know what the projects are like. I grew up in them. I felt a connection with the people that live there. I did not see the red buildings but I have seen the white ones. For those whose just say tear them down then you do not truely value life. There are people there that will not get the assistance that they need to survive. We complain about the problems that we have here at home. We say that we should not be helping other countries because we have enough problems of our own. Then we have people who can't wait until those building come down. There are flowers that brake through the concrete. It grows and it blossems to become a powerful statement to the people who notices it. It says to us that there is nothing that can stop us from growing. You can't stop the sun from shining. Cabrini Green is a part of Chicago. When it is gone it will be a part of Chicago's history. Lucho: 28th Nov 2006 - 09:47 GMT this post has been a tremendous help to me, thanks to everyone that has given their insight. i have been working on a research paper on the renovation of cabrini green, i am from chicago, not from CG, but I remember the whole process of "redevelopment" since it began, i am now a freshman in college far away from the chi, yet i am working on this paper, one interesting thing is this video of the Chicago Housing Authority on http://www.thecha.org/housingdev/cabrini_green_homes.html . first of all, i find the video very annoying, but I just want to know, if anyone has already been in the inside of these new homes, and if anyone knows of anyone living already in these mixed-income housing complexes. I am trying hard to prove the CHA's actions in CG is nothing more than a reaction to interest from private investors and not really an effort to help the community of the exprojects. Gentrification in the making, how do you guys see the neighborhood in the next ten years??? Colt.: 8th Dec 2006 - 01:26 GMT I see the neighborhood gentrifying actually working, right now i was by there and they had a starbucks, blockbuster, and bestbuy. There are tons of nice new Huge High-Rises, Chicago, is becoming a lot nicer, mayor dailey is helping the city severly, if anyone remembers the days before mayor dailey Chicago, was crap. But in a way the sucks because a lot of the neighborhoods are losing there vibe and just becoming supper rich, places with no true spirit. The northside has always been generally nice, with the tearing down of cabrini the northside looks a lot better, and more nice. They tore down the projects on the southside, though and it still looks very crappy, they need someone to go into those neighborhoods, and invest lots of money to make them a lot nicer. Just tearing down the projects wont do anything there. Just look at comisky park, the projects are down and its still a crappy place to be. I like to see Chicago growing as a city and skyscrappers going up, but i think its horrible how they just tear down the projects on the northside, and make that area real safe, and nice, then tear the projects down on the southside, and keep it crappy, its like why did you even bother to tear them down then. There are only 60 high-rises on the southside compared to the total of 1,050 on the northside. That says it right it there. So answer to your question, i see cabrini greens former site, only getting nicer and nicer, but the southside, i see it staying the same. The police in Chicago are pathetic though to they can't even stop crime in the projects when they set up a department right in the projects. Take Something from New York City, because i live there now, high-rise projects arn't a problem, its the policing, and maintance, that is. Chicago will never be New York City, no doubt, we where rougher then you'll ever be, now we are nicer then you'll ever be. Bedstuy Brooklyn: 4th Jan 2007 - 17:59 GMT First of all I personally feel that it was the neglect from Chicago's Housing Authority that Cabrini-Green became what has become today...if the city of Chicago would have done their jobs and kept up their repsonsibilty to upkeep Cabrini-Green and every other city department including the Police department then maybe today there would be no destruction of the housing. Just a thought...of how it all began. They could have been more organized and further more the architecture was lousy. Its like they planned on building cabrini-green just as a urban town. As far as the demolition goes and the new plans for the neigborhood, I think it may work if everyone agrees...of course no one is agreeing due to the thousands of people being left homeless. Placing the residents of Cabrini-Green in new homes should have been their main priorty rather then the sales. anon (localhost): 18th Jan 2007 - 21:23 GMT i lived in cabrini for 13 yrs. 1230n.larrabee apt 902 and it hurts me to know people only think of us as "niggers"thats so racist! I've been through it all and I'm only 15. People don't know what it's like for us who came from Cabrini. I lost alot of loved ones. I didn't come here to curse anybody out about their opinions about us...hey call us what you like. sO ALL i GOT TO SAY IS r.i.p CABRINI GREEN!!!! Cleveland: 20th Jan 2007 - 03:09 GMT I just have to say there is no place like home when there wasnt another home to be found. I lived in Cabrini for 20 years and even though I've moved on with my life it still holds a special place in my heart. It taught me how to be a man and no matter how ugly things my seem sometimes, there is no situation you can be faced with where you cant manage to survive. Generations of my family have lived and continue to live in the neighborhood. We had no heat and no hot water but there was always a sense of family. Even from the people next door or the whole block for that case. Im not saying its the ideal way to grow up, but I wouldnt trade it in for the world. Yeah, a lot of family and close freinds were lost to drugs, jail and violence. But there are a lot that still managed to survive, and our bonds are that much stronger because not many people understand living that kind of lifestyle.I feel more comfortable there than almost any other place I can imagine. Cleveland: 20th Jan 2007 - 04:00 GMT It's safe to say that at the rate things have been changing for quite sometime now,we knew Cabrini would not last very much forever.Its kind of hard not having any resentment toward the city and developers after just shipping people out of the place they know as home and replacing them to accomadate people with more wealth just so they can walk or bike ride to their comfy downtown jobs. No one cared to help or come in the neighborhood then when the help was really needed. Section 8 vouchers wont last forever and its not the solution to the problem,just a band-aid until they figure out what to do with us next. There is not much more affordable housing left in Chicago.Even with a job, a minimal education with kids and a family to support,rent is so high (even in some bad areas) that its nearly impossible to save enough money to someday buy a house and actually gain some of the money back you are giving to the system. Because we are aggain starting from the bottom. Its like living in a third world country and then being thrown out into the real world with nothing to contribute. Just lost all over aggain. Zachary: 6th Feb 2007 - 18:00 GMT Bedstuy Brooklyn is on point. The neglect is what let Cabrini get to where it was. In the NY the projects are not the best place to be, but they don't have the issues that the Chicago Housign Authority has. In fact, I 've found that over 2/3rds of NYC public housing residents pay full market rent vs 98% living in poverty in the Chicago housing authority.... nothing changes: 26th Feb 2007 - 14:00 GMT In time, the walls of Cabrini Green will go down but the violence and black on black crime will not. the world never changes and people don't either. matty: 28th Feb 2007 - 09:50 GMT my dad and grandfather grew up in the cabrini green area and he says there were shootings there all the time. but then again there are shootings in my neighborhood all the time. the crime isn't just black on black , i am sicilian and see and hear about my people killing each other all the time. the violence is in every race i guess it just depends on where you stay. joey southside: 28th Feb 2007 - 21:45 GMT 1st I'd like to say I dig the site sort of a memorial for the falling buildings...But In the chicago project buildings, more people were killed and commited sucide ( due to their situation) then the twin towers masacar... but we got no press, so you wouldn't know how many would die per day, week, month ect.. they just strap a label on it and call it black on black crimes. see it's just a phrase to u upper class folks but we had to live it. it's not the best life when ur every moment outside is kill or be killed... it's a hard, rough and often sad life... but we got no effort, to make things better, to change the school programs or anything... we were a lost people, made to seem like our life didn't matter and after generations of beating that in our heads. our grandpearnts started to believe our pearnts believed and us were like fuck it...some believe it so full heartedly that if their neighbors thinks differently then i'll beat it in that niggas head to. harsh reailty...there were good people in the project but as u may know the weeds over takes the rose garden if u don't nip it in the bud. the systen is designed for us to fail. James: 4th Mar 2007 - 05:22 GMT This has been an interesting site and I have enjoyed reading the different perspectives from people, especially from the residents past or present of Cabrini Green. I am from Michigan which is about a 2.5 hour drive and because it is so close I go to Chicago at least once a year usually passing through to go somewhere else. I remember in the mid 90s a friend telling me that the high rise buildings by the highway was Cabrini Green and it wasn't a safe area to be in. Since then, I have always thought that the buildings were very intriguing. I have always wondered what kinds of stories could be told from the residents who lived in those high rise buildings and what life must of been like for a resident. I have recently started doing some research to try to find out more. In my opinion, from an "out-of-towner" perspective, I think that particular area appears unsafe and uninviting. I wouldn't even consider pulling of the highway in that part of town. Part of me agrees that the buildings should be tore down and rebuilt to help clean up the city's image. (I think a lot of Chicago needs to be tore down and rebuilt.) But, after reading information from this site and other sites, it sounds like the city should of had more of a long term action plan to help assist the residents to transition to another community. Fendie: 8th Mar 2007 - 07:08 GMT I'm just curious to know what area was crime ridden. Cabrini Green or the Robert Taylor Homes? Is there anywhere i can get actaul statistics on the matter. i need it for a term paper i'm writing for uni. Fendie: 8th Mar 2007 - 07:09 GMT I know both areas where pretty hectic, but which was more? Fendie: 8th Mar 2007 - 07:14 GMT BTW if anyways interested heres a website with pics of how teh green used to look, before the demolision. www.angelfire.com/nv/207/chaindex.html JOY: 9th Mar 2007 - 14:40 GMT I had the opportunity to visit Cabrini and the Schiller School. A group of young ladies from the school have taken pictures of the neighborhood, their homes, before they are gone. It's not about the buildings but the families and sense of community and history. It's called the Neighborhood Project if anyone wants to see a few of the pictures and how the children see it. Some of my own best memories come from the a housing project called Piedmont Courts, that has been leveled for the prime property it sat on. We had family and community. I moved a long time ago and struggled to get myself an education while raising my children, but I still hear the kids playing and smell the laundry drying on the clothes lines. I felt safe knowing Auntie V lived on one end of the block and Auntie L lived at the other end. The family is still close although scattered all over the city now. BTW section 8 vouchers will transfer to other cities and states. If you have to leave anyway try to move where the cost of living is lower. I know it ain't home but but it could be better. You don't have to accept housing just because it is offered. Don't allow yourself to be cornered you have choices even with Section 8. joey southside: 20th Mar 2007 - 21:25 GMT For the most part, all the projects in chicago were consider to be "bad" or "crime riddin"... they were ran by the gang that controlled the building... as for stats when u find them let me know. but the worst is inglewood there weren't any project buildings but more people get killed there then any where else in chicago. Tim: 21st Mar 2007 - 05:54 GMT New Orleans has always had the highest murder rate...and even now today after hurrican Katrina they have the highest murder rate in the nation. t: 29th Mar 2007 - 16:33 GMT Cabrini like my second home cause my cousins stay over there. i still dont knmo y they trynna tear it down cause the people aint goin no where. so quit trying. "CG" gone always be "CG" u cant take the people from it and u cant take it from the people Chris: 5th Apr 2007 - 03:59 GMT wow . . ive really wanted to know bout cabrini green live bout 25 miles away . . nd thanks to this forum i now know more thanks to you guys and i cant wait till all the renovations do happen becuase its gonna change chicago drastically . . thanks for all the info . . .Chris ^_^ Markeisha Rolan: 27th Apr 2007 - 13:57 GMT Chicago is a great place thats where all my childhood memories are and i wouldn't give it up for nothing in the world, i know it have lots of bad things that be going on up there but what can i say, thats where i grew up, and it my hometown. give it up for the chi-town. Cambel: 27th Apr 2007 - 17:52 GMT Lucho: If you were an honest researcher, you would investigate, and then use the information you find to form an opinion on what you see. Instead, you've already formed an opinion that the destruction of CB is"not really an effort to help the community of the exprojects" yeah, gee, why would tearing down buildings that had become nothing more than a lawless crime-ridden hellhole for the people living there be bad. Typical ivory tower college kid. Those things should have been torn down years ago. Read the story about "Girl X" before you try to say that getting rid of these buildings is good for the neighborhood. tez: 7th May 2007 - 16:48 GMT damn people do claim to live their for what tho i proud to be from their because it made me the person who i am now it took responsibility to live their you had to look out for eachother and everyone that u close to all about researching theres no need for research if your from their if you from the green you should kno bout it and yes people get fucked up because they wasnt from their and they brag about it and never seen it before come on man be serius about it Heartbreaker: 20th May 2007 - 00:49 GMT I'm glad i don't live on the east coast not to say the west coast is any better but, The housing issue here in california is slowly getting better. The cost of living is high here with land lords charging rediculious rents. But housing programs are getting better low income etc. I believe the housing or homeless situation is worse back east, Its colder on the east coast so if your homeless you basically freeze. Detroit: 4th Jul 2007 - 03:25 GMT I have visited cabrini green since I was a child. I was wondering if people still live there as of now? I am from Detroit and I LOVE Chicago. The crime rate here in Detroit is horrible. Whats the crime rate in Chicago now? It saddens me to see people so hateful at others hardships. I am a blonde hair white girl and I could say that I never felt unsafe in all black neighborhoods. I always grew up in areas where I was one of the only white people. The only thing Ive felt and seen was the neglect of the housing. Just cause some areas look bad doesnt mean all the people there are bad and that theyre preying upon a white person. Thats crazy. Ive always felt welcomed around black people. Black people arent as uptight and judgementle. I apologize for dumb close minded racist people. I have black, cambodian, cuban, mexian, arabic,etc friends. I pray for all the cabrini residents China : 4th Jul 2007 - 10:27 GMT I'm from Cabrini Green! I'll never forget where I've come from because it made me the person that I am today. I lived in 1119 N Cleveland (The Castle) red walls! My mother took me away from my friends so that we could have a better life. I'm looking for my old friends that I grew up with. I would love to see them again. I'm looking for Big Mary, her little sister Nikki aka(Jazzy J) and , Samantha. Yea Cabrini was a rough place but for some of us it was all that we had. It was home! johnny barracuda: 12th Jul 2007 - 14:23 GMT Being from Detroit it's nice to see a city with leaders who (even though it's probably taken longer than it shoud've) are doing something about blight. If only we had politicians in Detroit with enough sense (read: balls) to tear down and redevelop with the same sort of commitment as what's being shown in Chicago. Unfortunately that's not likely to happen anytime soon. Embracing the status quo in Detroit helps those in power remain in power. Michelle: 17th Jul 2007 - 21:04 GMT I use to live in Cabrini Greens in the 90's. And I miss it soooo much, even though I had a hard life I never forgot where I cam from because I know it made me who I am. I stayed on the fifteenth floor in the "RED" building. And yes life was rough. But my WHOLE ENTIRE family stayed in the greens and I knew almost everybody. All my friends that attended Ferguson Elementary I miss them dearly and I would love to see them. I do not agree with the idea of tearing them down. I might not come on this website in a while. But if you have any questions or concern or even curiousity then you can catch me on myspace. www.myspace.com/x0xchellyx0x Luis: 28th Aug 2007 - 18:22 GMT Being from the Projects in NYC I have some idea what it's like but to be honest the projects I grew up in in no way are the hell that Cabrini Green was. I must say that in these types of situations everyone is at fault the CHA, residents, the Police and city Gov't. everyone played a role in the demise of the Greens. Someone in Detroit metro: 31st Aug 2007 - 18:10 GMT Wow.....some of the comments made here have been really ignorant, but then again everone is entitled to their own opinions right? Here's mine: I have lived in Detroit metro area my whole life. I live about 35 minutes from the city of Detroit itself. Detroit is NOTHING compared to what I saw at Cabrini Green. I do ride alongs wit the detroit Police and have seen some horrible horrible living situations. I did NOT live in Cabrini Green but visited one time. Of course once is not a lifetime but its enough to get a general idea of the situation right? I guess I don't understand how someone could live there because I have not been put in the situation myself. Life throws us obstacles and we can choose to try and make it through them (sometimes we fail and sometimes we succeed) or let them get in our way. I have been thrown many obstacles (having a daughter at 14) but never let that stop me. i chose to jump the hurdles. Here is is 11 years later and I have a degree in Chemistry and will have a degree in Criminal justice in January of 08. SHEILA/ you made some very good points but one thing that bothers me is the fact that you kept using the term "brotha" and "sistas" and "my and our people". This is typically language that refers to a specific race and can make the rest of your written words seem ignorant. All of your posts (minus the language stated above) we intelligent and made very good points and I commend you on doing well for yourself..... Hope: 3rd Sep 2007 - 04:25 GMT There are great young men and women who are rising out of Cabrini Green. You won't see it by the comfort of your Volvo's. You'll see it by actually getting involved in the lives of the kids. Don't judge a book by it's cover. nuclearrabbit33: 15th Oct 2007 - 10:43 GMT I used to work for a carriage company in Chicago. We had to pass through Cabrini Green every single day...both on the way to downtown and the way back to our barns at night. In fact, we often went through the parking lot of the high rise at Division and Halsted. Sure, there were a few problems...such as kids throwing rocks or bottles at the horses. But, never did I truly feel in danger. Although, I once had a couple of friends ride back to the barn with me (they were from mich) and they were terrified. Myself, I have enough confidence in human kind that I never truly felt scared. Call me naive...Also keep in mind that we often carried almost a thousand dollars in cash on us at the end of the night and I still don't know of any carriage drivers who have been robbed going through Cabrini. I DO realize why the city of Chicago wants to get rid of Cabrini. It is sitting on some of the most expensive real estate in the city. It's very close to downtown and there are beautiful views of the skyline. But the buildings I saw being built just before I left the city (which was almost two years ago) were just as bad as Cabrini. Everything looked the same. There was no style. No individuality. So, what is the current state? Are the Division street projects still there?? What about the low rise buildings along Chicago Avenue..What buildings are standing yet? nuclearrabbit33: 15th Oct 2007 - 10:52 GMT By the way, the Robert Taylor homes along south State St. have always been worse. There are the projects you can see from the Dan Ryan Expressway. I'd rather be lost in Cabrini any day. nuclearrabbit33: 15th Oct 2007 - 11:00 GMT Seems some people have the Robert Taylor homes and Cabrini mixed up. The Robert Taylor homes are the buildings which you see from 94. Cabrini would be hard to see from the expressway. Windycity4life: 24th Oct 2007 - 21:21 GMT The robert taylor homes dont' even stand anymore,but bronzeville and most of the southside is still really bad. george: 4th Nov 2007 - 05:55 GMT i heard they extended the CHA redevelopment plans to 2015 from end of 2009. Is that right? what is the extra time for exactly? any updates on the gentrification of the area? is the transitioning going smoothly or are people getting kicked to the curb still? Rodent: 8th Nov 2007 - 01:39 GMT I heard that they had very big rats in the projects, And when you throw food at them to get them to run away and leave you alone, They will grab the food that you throw at them and then run away chewing at the same time. I think if you eat something that a rat has been on it causes a person to act out violently, Rat germs, Rats slobber alot on food even if they dont eat it. And also rat urine & turds has a smell, I could only imagine the smell living in the projects. I recall a neighbor once that had roaches and rats bad and her home smelled like a baby diaper, And she would pretend not to smell it. Maybe she didn't smell it now that i think of it because your body will build up a tolerance to things once it has been so long with a particular odor. This concludes my rant. Rodent: 30th Nov 2007 - 03:10 GMT Oh yeah, and I see CG projects on that ghetto TV show GOOD TIMES. J.J.H 543WDIVISION: 30th Nov 2007 - 23:47 GMT I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF CABRINI GREEN SINCE FEBRUARY 1962 COME FROME A FAMILY OF TWELVE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS BLOG THAT KNOWS ABSOLUTLY NOTHING ABOUT CABRINI GREEN. Rodent: 3rd Dec 2007 - 02:17 GMT I hear ya JJ. In fact where's Thelma? Did ya bang her during the tapings?? Cabrini Mean: 3rd Dec 2007 - 06:53 GMT We fed the rats apples so they could fart. Some days I took some to school or the crack house down my way. My guitar gently weeped as I shot up at Cabrini Green. maddog: 3rd Dec 2007 - 09:38 GMT its really unfotumate for the young and old in these hell holes.dont have kids if you cant afford to take yourself.thats just basic common sense.educate yourself.that way you dont have to live like that. if your able bodied get a job. i once watched the fire department arrive only to find out some scum was having a pigroast in the bathtub with the window open,holy smokes. cg7: 4th Dec 2007 - 19:35 GMT I was just wondering where those displaced from their homes are heading. I am interested in those that could not be a part of the new mixed development concepts... the reason i ask is i have heard of new developments in St. Louis and Bloomington/Normal. Is this at all true? Gee: 17th Dec 2007 - 18:16 GMT I was a resident from 1962 to 1969 1230 North Burling Apt#802 (White buildings) The Greens will make you or break you. I Thank god to have come this far with my life, and to be able to look back on Cabrini Green as a memory. A part of me will alway be with the Greens. P.S Does anyone remember the water melon man, or the skating parties on the black top, Or the party store named Bee's, I think it was on Halsted? bob: 23rd Dec 2007 - 06:39 GMT hey, this might be ignorant but im not from chicago... was cabrini green really as bad as it is made out to be? did people die almost everyday? wence: I miss the hood Mr. Tibbs: 15th Jan 2008 - 02:52 GMT you wonder why there is a disconnect between white America and Black America? Check out Cabrini Green Skip: 15th Jan 2008 - 19:38 GMT I remember being an idiot while in the Navy stationed in Chicago in 1995 and driving through Cabrini at 1A.M just because my friend had an obsession with "The Hood." He flashed some fake gang signs to some guys in front of the building at Division and Halstead. We got stopped at the red light to turn onto Halstead. I looked back and saw a guy running towards us and then saw nothing but muzzel flashes as we spead around the corner. I was scared out of my mind but my friend thought it was great. The next day we told some friends on base about it. One guy was a pretty tough native of Chicago and he was horrified by what we did. I was young and stupid but for some reason young white males seem to be intrigued by the lifestyle. bl0gh8tr: 15th Jan 2008 - 19:45 GMT Skip, That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard! Such an obvious lack of common sense is natural selection at it's best! Skip: 15th Jan 2008 - 19:49 GMT Well......I lived so I guess under the law of natural selection that makes me strong : ). Thanks for the compliment Longwayaway: 18th Jan 2008 - 09:07 GMT I wonder what it would have been like to walk from say one of the "reds" buildings in Cabrini-Green along those dark paths and open spaces between the high-rises and to another building within the Green--walking on these paths at 11 or 12 at night....It would scare the shit out of me. westerlydem: 19th Jan 2008 - 10:44 GMT I think it is absolutely unacceptable that the police and other law enforcement were "afraid" to go there to answer calls, and effectively let this gang warfare and mayham continue. THat anyone should be afraid to walk in their own neighborhood at night is a complete shame - we live in America, not Iraq. I also find it hard to believe that some legal aid agency did not file a lawsuit complaining about the lack of protection or law enforcement in the area, when the crime and gang activity was at its height. Malou: 22nd Jan 2008 - 18:28 GMT What I am wondering is where do the gangs go when these housing projects are torn down? simon: 30th Jan 2008 - 21:44 GMT i was in chicago lastyear - travelled from ireland on business but main purpose was to visit cabrini green as i didnt do it the first time i was there. i rented a bike and cycled through it reasonably early on a sunday morning. nobody much around so could take a good look at what is there. i was disappointed to go southside to see the robert taylor projects torn down. managed to get a home boy chase me up bronzeville for trying to take a pic of a bunch og homies outside a project. plight is great daniel: 3rd Feb 2008 - 02:49 GMT I saw cabrini green... from the top of Hancock through a telescope. That's as close as I ever wanted to get. bill: 5th Feb 2008 - 12:40 GMT i live 5 blocks east of Cabrini and i went to the culinary school in Cabrini. its just a neighborhood. at break we use to play basketball on the court with people from there and everything was good. however on my block witch is a very nice neighborhood on Clark people get mugged alot by drunks and crack heads. not that it matters but im white anon (mn-71-55-143-56.dhcp.embarqhsd.net): 28th Feb 2008 - 04:50 GMT i lived in the row houses on the west side of cabrini and that shit was the bomb the laws hit the buildins all the time!!!!R.I.P CABRINI.... jakeela: 14th Mar 2008 - 01:54 GMT hi I used to live in this place.I actually grew up here. I would sit in my room waiting for all of that to go away.Im only 12 & I lived in a place like that.For All the people who like to talk about Cabrini dont do Cabrini! katwoman: 17th Mar 2008 - 18:45 GMT hey bill, sounds like you live not too far from where i used to 11 years ago (I was on LaSalle & Oak). I had no idea there was a culinary school in Cabrini....when was this? Also, I have seen the "red" with white striped buildings that aren't as tall as the off-white really tall ones (I think maybe there are 4 or so of them left?) I was just in the area visiting the other day. Now are these buildings ALL considered a part of Cabrini? I had walked by a red building on Chicago St. and I think the nearest cross-st I remember was Hudson. Is that still part of the neighborhood? I could not tell if anyone still lived in this building; it was pretty quiet. my town: 22nd Mar 2008 - 10:48 GMT fuck all u niggas talkin shit bou da east coast and west cost if yo bitch ass aint never been down dat road den bitch dont try to make a point to us about da greens cus we kno wat it like how bout u my town: 22nd Mar 2008 - 10:48 GMT fuck all u niggas talkin shit bou da east coast and west cost if yo bitch ass aint never been down dat road den bitch dont try to make a point to us about da greens cus we kno wat it like how bout u NYwondering: 1st Apr 2008 - 04:11 GMT I'm originally from Illinois and now i'm doing a research project on Cabrini Green and specifically the Candyman urban legend. I know the movie took place in the housing project but I was wondering if there was any truth to the myth...if there were actually any serial killings which took place at Cabrini Green which may spark the start of the urban legends? ya boy $$moneymike$$74: 4th Apr 2008 - 02:34 GMT Candyman was just a movie.They just wanted to make a good movie and what better way to do that then to make a flick in the largest project home in Chicago, better yet the country. Plenty of killings took place but not by Candyman but by our own people that lived there. I grew up in building 714 I'll tell you one thing that was one of the hardest things to do, but like anything else you get to whats in front of you. ya boy $$moneymike$$74: 4th Apr 2008 - 02:45 GMT If anyone who dont know the picture on the top of this page. Taken from the street first is the gate Im sure you can see the dude walking in the back, broken windows up top. Man I remember when there use to be someone in the walkway when you had to check in and out to get in with I.D. and everythang just to get to the flats. Peter: 4th Apr 2008 - 03:56 GMT i nominate "ya boy $$moneymike$$74" as best nick on this site. chevy: 5th Apr 2008 - 20:11 GMT i just want to know which bldg was built first for cabrini was it 412 w chicago ave? bob: 11th Apr 2008 - 01:12 GMT is there still a lot of violence there? or is it pretty much torn down? ron: 8th May 2008 - 21:27 GMT 630 w evergreen dame i love it am going to miss it "blue city 30 block" r.i.p jsmooth: 11th May 2008 - 23:30 GMT this is just another example of tax dollars gone too waste...we try to do something night for the brothas and this is the thanks that we get, a bunch of drug selling, cop killin, gangbangin fools that have no education and no real reality about what life is about...how bout you drop the 40's and get a fuckin job V from Bettendorf: 15th May 2008 - 20:07 GMT I grew up in Cabrini @ 412 W. Chicago Ave & the circumstances of my surroundings did NOT dictate who I have become. Some people who grow up in Cabrini become productive members of society. I along with many others; graduated from high school, pursued college, & obtained (2) degrees, one being in law enforcement. bill: 18th May 2008 - 03:30 GMT Hey katwoman. C.H.I.C. is on orlands and chestnut right in front of the reds. I graduated last year. I still live in the area and it really sucks whats happening. I did get a homeless man a job for a catering company and learned alot form him. He is doing well, and is so proud to have a job. He has always showed up on time everyday. He did leave the job for a better one and is no longer homeless. When i decided to return to school for a different field of work, he enrolled with me. The point im trying to make is never judge anyone because of the situation there in. Shit happens. Because i took the time to listen i made a great friend. Northwestern Student: 22nd May 2008 - 02:07 GMT Hey, my name is Bradley Akubuiro - I'm a journalism student at Northwestern University and I'm working on a huge project about Cabrini-Green (from the former residents and where they ended up, to the current conditions of those still living there). I went to Cabrini yesterday and took a lot of pictures, but I was starting to get some looks, so I left since I was alone and not familiar with the area. I could really use some help from someone who currently lives in Cabrini who might be able to guide me, give me some information, and possibly connect me with some people willing to talk who have relocated because of the demolition. I currently live in Springfield, MA, which people do not realize is a pretty troubled place, and one of my good friends was just shot and killed in front of my house a couple nights ago. Having a guide would definitely make me and my family feel more comfortable than me diving straight into this, but I'm very passionate about the story and I'll do whatever's necessary to get it right. IF ANYONE IS WILLING TO HELP ME OUT PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS YOU READ THIS. MY STORY IS DUE JUNE 2ND, SO I NEED TO START REPORTING RIGHT AWAY. PLEASE EMAIL ME: b-akubuiro@northwestern.edu Thank You in advance... Sashay: 29th May 2008 - 22:47 GMT Cabrini-Green started over 100 years ago as a place for people to live and have a community. Somewhere along the line it got derailed. Althought Chicago's plan is not going to be 100% fantastic, it is a start. mixed opinion: 2nd Jun 2008 - 02:10 GMT I have been to Cabrini-Green several times. I have a friend that used to live there, I'd go and visit her alot. It is a place that, that city needs. I think they should keep up the remaining buildings. Where will the people who live in those go? I am very curious on why the city doesnt have a real plan for these people to go. But on the other side i think they should be torn down, because of the violence and crime. When i was there for the first time, i was threatened many times, though no one attacked me. Though I saw several fight I walked threw the buildings safetly asked a few questions to the residents and most of them were fine with me being their. Also i found their grafitti (excuse my spelling) quite facinating. It is phenominal. I personally think they should make whats left into a historical monument. NYwondering: Candyman only filled the outside of Cabrini-Green, no filming was done in the actual building. Doug: 20th Jun 2008 - 16:20 GMT Why is it the city's job to find places for these people to live? Let them find a home for themselves. Open your eyes !!: 22nd Jun 2008 - 22:27 GMT I have read mostly all of the comments on here and it makes me sad to see how ignorant some people really are. What a lot of you need to do is to stop and think about the fact that no matter how safe or unsafe it is... it is still home to a lot of people. Whether they are happy with being there or want to move on, it is still there home. And in response to some of the comments about what people that live there should or shouldnt do. You can not say what they should do because you are not in their situation. There are a lot of people who would love to work or move on to better things but the way that society is now makes it almost impossible. Not everyone is born into a situation where they have a lot of opportunity. And no matter what the situation is everyone has to survive. If that means that someone has to break the law or do things that they know they shouldnt do to survive or make a way for their family to eat then that is what they are going to do. No one is going to sit around and die or watch their children starve because of what some people say is right or wrong. I am not saying that it is right but I am saying that people do what they have to do to survive. You can not put someone in a situation where they have no choice but to break the law and do other things that they normally wouldnt do just to survive and then punish them for doing it. Everyone says that there is so much gang violence and so many crimes that take place in these type of places but you dont know the whole story around it so again, you are in no place to judge. Yeah, I am sure that some of the things happend because of pure ignorance, stupidity, and basically for no reason at all. But a lot of it probably happens for a reason unknown to us. And you can not honestly expect to put that many people in that small amount of space and expect everyone to get along. where there is more people there will be more problems. I am sure that not everyone living here is "lazy", or "letting the government take care of them", or anything else that people have been saying. People do what they have to do to survive and it is not up to us to say they shouldnt do anything. If you are not in someones situation or have never been in a similar situation, you have no right to judge them. I do believe that you can work to chance your life and make things better for yourself but you can only do so much. You can only do what you have the resources to do and what society will let you do. If no one will hire you, you can not get a job. If you can not get a job, you can not save money to move somewhere else or better yourself by going to college or something like that. If you have no one there to guide you and show you or teach you a way to make it better with limited resources you are not going to make it. And if you tear down someones home and all that they know, and dont help them to find somewhere else to live ( other than another bad situation just like the first one ) then they are going to become homeless. If you are homeless than how easy do you think it will be for you to get a job and take care of your family?? And in response to DOUG's comment above..... it SHOULD be the citys job to find a place for these people to live because the city is the one that is deciding to tear down there homes. OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH AND THE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE AND YOU MIGHT NOT BE SO INGORANT TO THE SITUATION. THEN YOU CAN SAVE COMMENTS LIKE THAT. AND TO SOME OF THE OTHER THOUGHTLESS COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE ARE PUTTING ON HERE, PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SITUATION AND RE-THINK WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY BEFORE YOU SAY IT!!! IN RESPONSE TO ALL OF THE RACIST COMMENTS ON HERE. YES, RACISM DOES STILL EXIST, BUT ONLY IN IGNORANT PEOPLE. WE ARE ALL THE SAME AND IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE SUPERIOR TO SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF SKIN THEY HAVE, IT JUST SHOW HOW IGNORANT YOU REALLY ARE, AND HOW UNSECURE YOU ARE WITH YOURSELF. kms: 17th Jul 2008 - 21:41 GMT My life got flipped turned upside down. I want to type this up and tell you all about how I came to the town called Bellaire. In Cabrini Green, where I grew up and played on the streets there. All I have done there is relaxing and be chill. I was playing bball with some guys from my school up til one day a group of no gooders whiteys barged in and made trouble. I got in a little fight with them. my momma freaked out and told me i was going to Bellaire to live with my auntie and uncley. I called for a cab. This freaky cab had a license plate said fresh with dice in the mirror. I must say this cab were rare but i thought, nah, forget it. "Yo homie! To Bellaire!" I shouted at the driver. I came up to the house. I grabbed my stuff and shouted to the homie, "yo homie, smell ya later." Here was my kindgom. At the kindgom, i was finally able to sit on my throne as the Prince of Bellaire. anon (dhcp35b.drake.brockport.edu): 17th Jul 2008 - 21:44 GMT Some of the posters up there had a very good point about Cabrini Green. Although it was claimed that it was the most dangerous area ever that even the police is scared to go to that area... Indeed, I didn't realize that this area was actually a home to some residents. That shows how ignorant I was! Peter: 17th Jul 2008 - 23:49 GMT This is a tale explaining the manner in which my way of life was rotated along a Y axis until it reached a position roughly 180 degrees from that which it started If I could have 60 seconds of your time, simply place your posterior in the selected location and I will relate to you the details of how I was made the male monarch of the district of the City of Los Angeles, California commonly referred to as Bel-Air (coordinates 34.08333 -118.44778) In the western region of the “City of Brotherly Love” known as Philadelphia my mother expelled me from her womb and indeed that is also where I spent my childhood in my mother’s care. The majority of my time was spent in a recreational area containing such diversions as a jungle gym, swing set, sand box, etc. I was typically at the height of leisure while frequently at a temperature slightly below what might be considered standard room temperature. Outside of my educational institution I was engaging in a game of basketball with some of my friends when a couple of gentlemen who seemed to be of the disposition to cause a great deal of mischief began causing a great deal of chaos and disharmony in the area in which I lived. I was involved in one rather small bout of fisticuffs after which my mother became concerned for my general safety and well-being and she informed me that I would be moving in with her sister and her sister’s husband in the previously mentioned community of Bel-Air. I puckered my lips and exhaled forcefully to produce a shrill note in order to gain the attention of a taxicab driver and as the driver approached I observed his California vanity plate which in place of the traditional jumble of alpha-numeric characters, used only the letters F, R, E, S, and H, spelling out the word “fresh” and from his rearview mirror dangled a pair of oversized, fur-covered cubes decorated to look like the six-sided dice commonly used in gambling and board games In such a situation I could have made a statement about the unusualness of this particular taxicab to the point of it being nearly unique Instead I cogitatively decided against it and instead informed the driver that he should deliver me to what was to become my new home in the community of Bel-Air. We pulled up to a large domicile sometime between the hours of 7 and 8 o’clock And in a loud tone of voice I informed the cab driver that at some undetermined point in the future I would again detect his odor through my sense of olfaction I gazed about the region of land that I was destined to rule, reflecting on my arrival Where I would claim my rightful place upon the throne, from which I would govern the community of Bel-Air as monarch... Jamie: lol Skip: 26th Jul 2008 - 15:20 GMT I remember being an idiot while in the Navy stationed in Chicago in 1995 and driving through Cabrini at 1A.M just because my friend had an obsession with "The Hood." He flashed some fake gang signs to some guys in front of the building at Division and Halstead. We got stopped at the red light to turn onto Halstead. I looked back and saw a guy running towards us and then saw nothing but muzzel flashes as we spead around the corner. I was scared out of my mind but my friend thought it was great. The next day we told some friends on base about it. One guy was a pretty tough native of Chicago and he was horrified by what we did. I was young and stupid but for some reason young white males seem to be intrigued by the lifestyle. jsmooth: 28th Jul 2008 - 00:11 GMT Reply to OPEN YOUR EYES... I thought that your response made complete sense and that you are right in many aspects of your comments and if my response seemed to come off racial than I apollogize. But what I do not understand is why all the crime? Why are people walking around with loaded weapons and killing eachother within these projects for the mere sake of false judgement? We are all God's childeren and it is in our nature to compete for resources and territory, but we were not put here to kill innocent people for no apparent reason. These projects needed to come down because of the people who choose to abuse this governmental privelage that was given to them. It is not right for the police officers that are trying to make the grounds safe for the children to grow up and attempt to persue that life that he or she chases and be killed for it. If a black man enters into a 100% white community, not likely. If I were to walk into Cabrini Green or even the area, there is a good chance that someone would harass more and possible shoot at me. I have all respect for the families that were trying to better themselves and the family that they had, but it is hard to not pass judgement on a community that walks around with loaded weapons and taunts people to come on their land when it's their land to begin with. I was born and raised in West Chicago and thankfully I wasnt exposed to such a life as Cabrini Green, but I definately had to be aware of my surroundings and be cautious of who I was with and where I was going. I wish the best of luck to the families that had been dispersed from the Cabrini community, but for those gang-bangin thugz that think it is right to kill innocent people and including children, there is no place for you people in the kingdom of God. M. Collins: 14th Aug 2008 - 21:04 GMT Glad to hear that Mayor Daley finally won over city approval to have the last of the Cabrini Greene structures razed and cleared for new development. Although once a decent complex in the earlier half of last century when it was once occupied by decent working class Whites..it eventually became a haven for poor blacks who, as usual, destroyed the neighborhood. With crime rampant throughout these apartments, and their danger to nearby communities, i believe the city made the right choice. Cheers to Mayor Daley and the city counsel! Comment on this article.. Name: Type your comment here: Upload photos (opens in popup window) [previous] :: [next]	search citynoise.org cabrini, dallas graffiti bust, gangsta crips, pukka, corona queens ny, recent discussions Columnar Sight Seeing from: joey Feeling Sixy? from: Peter SF Heist from: eyeofodin Clap Hands from: elaine Plum Beach from: kc Sane Smith: Puttin' the Green in Greenpoint from: Peter The Benny Farm Condemned Housing Projects from: EvilGentleman Brain Damage Redux from: Peter Pet Bird Paste-ups from: Peter Acorn Community High School from: Peter from the archives Video Stills of the Pre-9/11 New York The following images are stills captured from a video my wife and I shot on August 11, 1999. Little did I know that these buildings had exactly 25 months to live.

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