Fixing Eyesores
Daley made addressing eyesores a priority. Taking steps to convert "brownfields" address the problem of abandoned cars and buildings, and rid rid Chicago of graffitti made the city look nicer. Residents also believed those efforts were important to strengthen property values and fight crime.
Brownfields
Mayor Daley's administration took an active role in cleaning up "brownfields>" Brownfields were abandoned industrial properties in the Chicago that were not only unsightly, but also environmentally dangerous.
See scenes from a tour of a brownfields site the mayor made in 1996:
See scenes from a tour of a brownfields site the mayor made in 1996:
Abandoned cars and buildings
William Daley explains why abandoned cars were such a problem and how his brother, the mayor, addressed it:
Chicagoans saw abandoned buildings, like abandoned cars, as detrimental to property values and invitations to crime.
Gery Chico, Daley’s chief of staff (1992-1993), discusses the problem and how the city addressed it:
Graffiti blasters
In 1993, Daley implemented his Graffiti Blasters program. Its purpose was to clean new instances of graffiti as quickly as possible.
