Table Of Contents
• Introduction
• Problems and Potential
• The TOWN Story
• The Law and How We Use It
• Typical TOWN Targets
• TOWN Case Histories
• New Initiatives
• The Wave of the Future
• Recent TOWN Filings

Introduction

Something extraordinary has been happening in Waukegan, Illinois-a mobilization and coordination of volunteer citizen action to solve urban problems that could serve as a model for other communities. The story of the Taskforce On Waukegan Neighborhoods (TOWN) begins with a description of the city that this grassroots organization has been working relentlessly to rebuild by protecting neighborhoods and connecting neighbors.

Problems and Potential

Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, approximately midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, the City of Waukegan began in the 17th century as a French trading post known as "Little Fort." Waukegan grew to become the seat of Lake County government in 1841 and was incorporated as a city in 1859. Over the next 100 years, Waukegan expanded into a bustling port city and industrial manufacturing center due to its convenient location and natural harbor. By the 1950's, the population of Waukegan had grown to 40,000, with many of its residents working in the plants of the industrial belt that had spread along its lakefront

Between 1950 and 2000, the area between Chicago and Milwaukee experienced incredible growth, with the population of Lake County increasing more than three-fold. This influx fueled intense residential and commercial development that continues to this day, with Lake County now ranking among the most prosperous counties in the United States. But as Lake County thrived, its county seat declined. One by one, Waukegan manufacturing plants cut back or closed down, and precious jobs were lost. Middle-class flight set in, leading to the further loss of local commerce.

By the 1980's, Waukegan had become a depressed community, with high unemployment, fragile neighborhoods, boarded-up buildings, slipping schools and a panoply of social problems ranging from violent crime to prostitution, drug dealing, vagrancy and graffiti. Recent years brought more challenges, as absentee landlords exploited impoverished immigrants, many undocumented, who flowed into Waukegan by the thousands, increasing the city's population to 90,000. The 2004 "Report Card" for the Waukegan school system shows that nearly 60% of its student body-which as a whole is approximately 10% white, 20% black, and 70% Hispanic-comes from low-income families. The image of Waukegan has become a further problem, with many Lake County residents viewing the city-its major corridors filled with vacant storefronts, dollar stores, payday loan offices, used car lots, laundromats and day labor agencies-as a place to be avoided.

But lately there have been signs of hope for Waukegan, an undercurrent moving in a more positive direction. After a series of setbacks, a classic downtown movie house has been transformed into a Broadway-style theatre to serve as a catalyst for other commercial investment. On the city's far west side, a large shopping mall, idle for a decade, has been leveled to allow new construction. A lakefront redevelopment plan has begun to address industrial pollution impediments. And, most importantly, urban pioneers are purchasing, de-converting and rehabbing carved-up homes in the city's older neighborhoods, keeping median household income slightly above $42,000 and the average sales price of a home at slightly over $162,000. Like many rust-belt communities, Waukegan has had its share of problems, but potential for substantial improvement is here and building.

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