A short documentary about Organization of the Northeast (O.N.E.), a community group fighting Chicago's housing court to keep affordable housing in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, which was facing rapid gentrification. The piece is followed by raw footage of Mayor Michael Bilandic addressing a group of senior citizens about the energy concerns of the city of Chicago.
00:00Copy video clip URL This tape begins with static.
00:16Copy video clip URL Cut to a shot of Channel 2 News Reporter Walter Jacobson. This is followed by a commercial for then Chicago Mayor Michael Bilandic. The commercial is cut off. It is followed by color bars.
01:09Copy video clip URL The title appears on screen. Tom Crofton addresses the press about the Chicago Housing Court, alleging the institution is completely ineffective. “We see buildings burning, people dying, slum lords getting wealthier, and our neighborhood approaching a critical phase of urban removal.”
01:53Copy video clip URL Mike Radzilowsky talks about the violations at the Ellis Hotel building, which burned down on January 19, 1979, killing two people. The narrator states, “This fire was the tragic result of almost nine years of continuations. Despite the efforts of housing court prosecutors and inspectors, housing court remained typically ineffective.”
02:56Copy video clip URL Cut to a Channel 2 News segment. Steve Shepard reports on the the long string of fires that had been taking place in the Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood. Sgt. James Sandoz of the Chicago Police Department comments on the pattern among many of the fires. Shepard states that many of the fires were believed to have been deliberately set by landlords. Channel 2 News found patterns in housing court records and public documents. Shepard presents the data.
05:38Copy video clip URL Tom Crofton talks about the court proceedings on the Ellis Hotel. Building owner Phillip Liss, Assistant Corp. Counsel Gerald Orbach, and Alderman Ralph Axelrod of the 46th Ward are pictured. The camera operator speaks with Orbach about the building.
07:01Copy video clip URL Former manager of the Ellis Hotel states that the tragedy could have been avoided. O.N.E. confronts Judge Richard Jorzak of the Housing Court. Crofton talks about Jorzak’s refusal to comply with the requests of O.N.E. and the residents of Uptown/Edgewater. Crofton talks about meeting with Judge Comerford. This is followed by the credits.
10:03Copy video clip URL Former Mayor Michael Bilandic addresses a crowd of senior citizens on the positive steps the city has taken towards energy efficiency. Bilandic speaks slowly and calmly about relevant energy issues in Chicago and what his administration has done to combat environmental problems. This lasts for a large portion of the tape.
24:02Copy video clip URL After thanking Mayor Bilandic for his appearance, another man talks about the energy concerns of the city. His name is announced but is unintelligible. He talks about the increasing costs of energy and how it will affect life in the city. This lasts for the remainder of the tape.
33:29Copy video clip URL Tape ends.
1 Comment
Thanks.