Introduction

[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley cuts ribbon for a new housing development, November 29, 2000. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, EXH_RMD16_07_0199_0012_001_017.]

Mayor Richard M. Daley sought to make Chicago a well-functioning, “livable” city that met its residents’ needs, remained affordable, looked good, and attracted businesses and newcomers. He took measures to improve housing, infrastructure, and city services. He promoted reforms in public schools and the city parks. He embarked on programs to beautify the city and create cultural attractions.

Forrest Claypool, Mayor Daley’s chief of staff (1989-1991 and 1998-1999), explains why making Chicago “livable” was important:

[clip: RMDOH_01_claypool_forrest_20170922_004238_004416_LivableCity]

Fixing Eyesores

Daley made addressing community eyesores a priority. Taking steps to rid Chicago of graffitti, abandoned cars, and abandoned buildings not only made the city look nicer. Residents also believed those efforts were important to strengthen property values and fight crime.

William Daley explains why abandoned cars were such a problem and how his brother, the mayor, addressed it:

[clip: RMDOH_01_daley_william_20180221_002331_002419_AbandonedCars]

In [note: 1993?], Daley implemented his Graffiti Blasters program. Its purpose was to clean new instances of graffiti as quickly as possible.

[note: needs quote] “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.”

--Mayor Richard M. Daley, date, cite. [note: fix] 

[quote: need to get statement from RMD about graffiti blasters, probably series 3]

[img: Photos of RMD overseeing graffiti removal [note: RMD16_07_0072_0005_001_002/025] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

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:

[clip: RMDOH_01_chico_gery_20171101_000757_000851_AbandonedBuildings]

[img: A memo from the Chicago mayor's press office discusses abandoned buildings, July 19, 2000. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. RMD16_03_0359_0009_001]

[img: Internal memo discusses an abandoned building and what the city did to address it, October 22, 2001. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. RMD16_03_0300_0001_017][note: Possibly not include because of reference to owner’s potential mental health problems. The owner’s name isn’t mentioned, but their property address is.]

During the housing crisis of the late 2000s, the problem of abandoned buildings assumed new importance as foreclosures overwhelmed the banks and other financial institutions that owned the properties. Ray Orozco, Daley’s chief of staff (2010-2011), explains the mayor’s efforts to keep the banks accountable:

[clip: RMDOH_01_orozco_ray_20170922_003310_003518_AbandonedBuildings]

Managing emergencies

Like most mayors, Daley faced a number of unexpected challenges that required swift assessment and action. 

Loop Flood

In 1992, water from the Chicago River gushed into an underground  tunnel system few Chicagoans knew existed. That tunnel system ran beneath Chicago’s Loop district, and the 250 million gallons of water soon flooded the basements of the city’s downtown office buildings, including City Hall. 

David Mosena, Daley’s chief of staff (1991-1992), remembers flood and the mayor’s decision to swiftly create a temporary headquarters in Chicago’s “near north” area:

[clip: RMDOH_01_mosena_david_20171027_002220_002448_LoopFlood]

[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley assesses the repair of the tunnel that caused the Chicago Loop Flood, April 20, 1992. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. RMD16_07_0091_0007_001]

Heat Wave

Terry Teele, deputy chief of staff to Mayor Daley, remembers the 1995 heat wave, in which about 700 Chicagoans perished, and the lessons the city learned:

[clip: RMDOH_01_teele_terry_20171207_003604_004138_HeatWave]

[img: tbd RMD16_01_0103_0005_tbd (First page of Extreme Weather--Mayor's Commission on Extreme Weather Conditions--Final Report, 1995)] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

Helen Shiller, 45th ward alderman (1987-2011), discusses the 1995 heat wave [note: need to decide if we want to keep]:

[clip: RMDOH_01_shiller_helen_20190424_002952_003316_HeatWave]

September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks

On September 11, 2001, terrorists commandeered four airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center buildings in New York City and the United States Pentagon building outside of Washington, D.C.

Sheila O’Grady, Daley’s chief of staff (2000-2005), remembers how the mayor responded the morning of and weeks after the attacks:

[clip: RMDOH_01_ogrady_sheila_20171027_002915_003136_Sept11][note: Late addition: Dan still needs to send clilp request to Ian]

Ray Orozco, Chicago fire commissioner (2005-2008) and Daley’s chief of staff (2010-2011), explains the lessons the city learned from the attacks:

[clip: RMDOH_01_orozco_ray_20170922__001812_002151_sept11]

[img: Photos of 9/11 Memorial events from 2004 [7-290-7] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

[img: Press conference photos for 9/11 photo project[7-239-9]  [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

Housing

[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley and Alderman Helen Shiller hold a press conference with Alderman Helen Shiller about the new Parke Sheridan condominium building, April 2, 2001. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. EXH_RMD16_07_0203_0013_001_026]

Daley implemented programs to encourage developers, assist homeowners and renters, promote affordable housing, and fix problems in public housing.

Affordable housing

[img: affordable housing expo images: esp. 7-215-30 or 7-216-2] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]  

[img: documents from renter assistance programs] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]  

[img: documents on efforts to fight predatory lending, e.g., HB 4050: 1-287, folders 2 through 7; or 1-303-6] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]  

The Plan for Transformation

[img: Public housing image, perhaps from RMD’s tour of Cabrini Green in 1992: 7-97-42/44….may also be a daily schedule for the tour] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

Valerie Jarrett, Chicago Planning Commissioner (1991-1995), explains that highrise projects had failed to help poorer Chicagoans attain decent living conditions:

[clip: RMDOH_01_jarrett_valerie_20181218_000913_001301_highrises]

To address those problems, Mayor Daley worked with the federal government on what came to be called the Plan for Transformation. Under this plan, highrise complexes gave way to mixed-income developments.

Elzie Higginbott0m, Chicago real estate developer, explains:

[clip: RMDOH_01_higginbottom_elzie_20180521_001056_001401_PlanForTransformation]

Terry Peterson, CEO of the Chicago Housing Authority (2000-2006), explains how Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush helped the city implement the Plan for Transformation:

[clip: RMDOH_01_peterson_terry_20171201_002656_002812_bushandhousing]

Marilyn Katz explains the importance of mixed-income develops:

[clip: RMDOH_01_katz_marilyn_20180709_002746_002959_MixedIncomeHousing] 

Schools

[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley visits a classroom at the Noble School, 1999. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, EXH_RMD16_07_0146_0001_002]

Daley took on public school reform. In 1995, he won the authority from the Illinois General Assembly to appoint the Chicago Public Schools board, effectively making him responsible for the schools’ performance.

Forrest Claypool, the mayor’s chief of staff (1989-1991 and 1998-1999), explains that one reason Daley took on school reform was to make the city more attractive to middle-class residents:

[clip: RMDOH_01_claypool_forrest_20170922_002802_002920_schools]

Paul Vallas, discusses some of the reforms he pursued after the mayor appointed him CEO of the Chicago Public Schools (1995-2001):

[clip: RMDOH_01_vallas_paul_20180420_002938_003109_school]

[img: A letter signed by Mayor Richard M. Daley urges businesses to give time off to parents who wish to take their children to school on the first day of classes, August 4, 2000. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. RMD16_03_0359_0001_017]

Arne Duncan, CEO of Chicago Public Schools (2001-2008), recalls the mayor’s admonition to “do the right thing by kids” regardless of how controversial:

[clip: RMDOH_01_duncan_arne_20180123_001841_002019_schools]

Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments in Chicago, reflects on Daley’s efforts to reform the schools:

[clip: RMDOH_01_hobson_mellody_20180522_002254_002609_Schools]

Green Chicago

Beautification and environment

Daley endorsed programs aimed at making Chicago more environmentally friendly and a more pleasant place to live.

Planting trees, and encouraging rooftop gardens, and cleaning up “brown fields” (industrial waste sites) were among the many initiatives he supported.

[img: Photos of RMD planting trees with students [RMD16_07_0072_0004_001_010/015] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

[img: image of or document about Brownfields] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

[img: Document discussing the promotion of green roofs and flower boxes [3-304-1] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]

Lori Healy, Daley’s chief of staff (2007-2009), remembers that the mayor drew inspiraton from other cities’ efforts to beautify their landscape:

[clip: RMDOH_01_healey_lori_20171027_000710_000934_Develop]

Parks

[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley with children at Chicago's museum campuse, June 4, 1998. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. EXH_RMD16_07_0162_0011_007a-Edit]

Under Daley’s stewardship, the Chicago Park District reformed its personnel policies, added hundreds of acres of park land [note: verify this claim and try to get an exact number], and redirected its focus to entice Chicagoans to city parks.

Forrest Claypool details the changes he made after Daley appointed him Superintendent of the Chicago Park District (1993-1998):

[clip: RMDOH_01_claypool_forrest_20170922_001542_001928_parkdistrict]

[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley with members of the O'Halleran Park Advisory Council, July 26, 2008. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. RMD16_07_0473_0007_001]

Gery Chico remembers doing “something about fun” every day when he ran the Chicago Park District (2007-2010):

[clip: RMDOH_01_chico_gery_20171101_003229_003404_parkdistrict]

[img: Fishing Derby photos available] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

A new park: Northerly Island and Meigs Field

[img: image about Meigs Field: but a “vivid” document is acceptable if necessary.] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020] 

Expanding parkland sometimes involved difficult decisions. One example was Daley’s advocacy for a new park at Northerly Island near downtown. This land, near Chicago’s museum campus, was the site of Meigs Field, a small airport.

[quote: RMD speech about Northerly Island, pre-plowing] [note: Dan needs to research and find good quotation] 

Others, however, disagreed with Daley:

Quote: [note: counterpoint to RMD] [note: Dan needs to research and find good quotation]

On [note: date needed], Daley secretly ordered the landing strip at Meigs Field plowed with large X’s. That decision effectively destroyed the airport and enabled the city to create a new open space.

Sheila O’Grady, Daley’s chief of staff (2000-2005), recalls the mayor feared Meigs Field posed a security threat in light of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks less than two years prior:

[clip: RMDOH_01_ogrady_sheila_20171027_003413_003506_MeigsField] 

Some disagreed with the mayor’s decision:

John McCarron, columnist and urban planning expert:

[clip: RMDOH_01_mccarron_john_20190418_005813_005915_MeigsField] 

Lester Crown, Chicago business person:

[clip: RMDOH_01_crown_lester_20180420_002917_003029_MeigsField] 

Jackie Heard, the mayor’s press secretary (1997-2011), recalls tough questions from reporters, but also remembers the appeal of Daley’s decision:

[clip: RMDOH_01_heard_jackie_20190501_003047_003439_MeigsField]

Cultural and entertainment venues

Mayor Daley committed himself to strengthening many of Chicago’s cultural and entertainment venues. While one reason for this commitment was to attract tourists, another reason was to enhance the lives of Chicagoans.

[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley poses with a visitor to Buckingham Fountain at the 75th anniversary of the fountain, April 13, 2002. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. EXH_RMD16_07_0229_0015_001]

The mayor had Lake Shore Drive rerouted so as to Chicago’s museum campus--the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium--more tightly together. 

David Mosena, the transformation of lake shore drive and the museum campus.

[clip: RMDOH_01_mosena_david_20171027_001617_001807_museums]

[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley tours Chicago's museum campus, November 18, 1996. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. EXH_RMD16_07_0144_0012_002_012-Edit.]

Another major attraction was Navy Pier. John W. Rogers, CEO of Ariel Investments,  discusses its transformation under Mayor Daley’s stewardship:

[clip: RMDOH_01_rogers_john_20180522_000600_000706_navypier]

[img: RMD at Navy pier] [note: Dan needs to send to Ian]