New Initiatives

When TOWN closes the cases in its latest round of litigation, the majority of blighted and nuisance properties in Waukegan will have been addressed. While TOWN will continue to monitor the neighborhoods and take further legal action when propert

The carving-up of single-family homes into multiple units by absentee landlords has led to the loss of traditional backyards in older Waukegan neighborhoods. Many of these yards have been covered with pavement or gravel to create unsightly parking lots that facilitate overcrowding, despite zoning provisions that prohibit or limit such backyard destruction. The consequence is that those who are now purchasing and de-converting homes in these neighborhoods may find themselves living near or next to an illegal backyard parking lot instead of a lawn.

When cars and vans are crammed into backyards, the character and charm of these older neighborhoods are jeopardized, creating a disincentive for urban pioneers to pour resources into purchasing and renovating neighboring houses. TOWN has thus begun to identify illegal backyard parking lots as targets for legal action and will be seeking court orders that require the removal or reduction of these parking lots. TOWN will also continue to monitor Waukegan's beautiful but neglected ravine system, while exploring the possibility of an urban gardening program to improve the appearance of vacant lots, produce healthy food for the community, and bring people together in a common task.

The Wave of the Future

As Waukegan's neighborhoods are being improved, TOWN will turn its focus to the promotion of commercial and residential development. In a city of 90,000, there remains a dearth of even moderately-upscale amenities: no movie theaters, no bookstores, no downtown hotels, only a couple of places to buy dress clothes, only a few restaurants that offer more than grills or fast food, only a handful of new car dealerships. The percentage of residential rental property approaches the percentage of owner-occupied. To invigorate and elevate Waukegan's redevelopment efforts, TOWN intends to pursue a multi-pronged strategy to foster economic growth throughout the city, a project more fully explained in the accompanying business plan and budget.

Nonprofit corporate partners, working hand-in-hand with the public sector and the business community, have helped to re-vitalize cities throughout the country. The time has come to "sell" a new and better Waukegan to entrepreneurs as a promising place to plant businesses, to provide support and publicity to retain quality businesses, and to increase substantially the flow of urban pioneers to reclaim and restore our older neighborhoods. The largest city in Lake County is now in a position to catch the wave of prosperity that has lifted so many other Lake County communities. TOWN is committed to helping Waukegan reach that crest and move with increasing speed into a brighter, more prosperous future.

Recent Town Filings

The list of TOWN filings is a living document. This website maintains an up-to-date index of the filings, both those still in progress and those that have been resolved. Our Litigation Section includes useful information for each case, including the status, case number, address (with a map to the location), and relevent dates.

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