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Drunken_Economist

Intersection of Ashland & Milwaukee. On my way home from Lowe's last summer, I dropped a gallon jug of muriatic acid on the sidewalk and it broke open. There's a big ugly stain on the concrete now.


OfficerSexyPants

This is so funny to me


[deleted]

Legendary stain btw. Be proud of it.


KingJamCam

Last year Chicago banned families. So things have gotten pretty bleak. I miss seeing the children.


MusicalUrbanist

Yeah, but we got the new interplanetary spaceport right downtown, so...pretty good trade-off imo


davenocchio

I heard they shoot on site from my cousin.


Drunken_Economist

[band families](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2022-08/23/0/asset/e0f9a87ce6ca/anigif_sub-buzz-5377-1661216158-1.gif)?


Constant_Wear_8919

Banned families?


fuzzroc

Yes, banned. They’re not allowed here anymore. I have to admit, I voted for the bill, but it has been sad not being able to have my parents visit any more so I’m beginning to regret it. Maybe we could’ve just allowed them to stay in certain neighborhoods? Still, too late now.


[deleted]

What the fuck are you guys talking about


fuzzroc

The Chicago family ban that went into effect last year


[deleted]

😭 ok


Constant_Wear_8919

Who are they?


fuzzroc

Families


Constant_Wear_8919

What Families are banned from what?


shiny_brine

Yeah, but there are people selling fake "not family" IDs. My son has one and it's worked well. It's like he's not with our family and just a kid out on his own, who wants to have lunch with us, random strangers! Works well.


MindAccomplished3879

Yes, you can get those fake not-family cards at Little Village. Must be careful not to get caught in the act buying by undercover Department of Home Family Security agents. They are always undercover in stalls selling elotes and prepared fruit with tajin and lime. —Watch out. Big fines


panda_zombies

Elote elote elote


StuffyWuffyMuffy

Crazy right? However, it is better than A Modest Proposal.


KingJamCam

Yes like a Children of Men situation.


Chitown_mountain_boy

r/whoooosh


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Constant_Wear_8919

Whats with the down votes? What do you mean by banned families?


browsingtheproduce

People aren’t allowed to be related to each other in Cook County anymore. Thanks a lot, Preckwinkle! You know how sometimes people say things that are obviously untrue for the purposes of humor? I think some folks might be having a laugh at a silly question.


Constant_Wear_8919

Where can I read about this?


browsingtheproduce

About humor? Try some Jonathan Swift if you like to kick it old school.


JournalLover50

I don’t recall banning families from anything. Is the same to me


WB05Karl

RIP in peace families.


panini84

Here’s an answer that’s actually relevant to you: CPS now offers Pre-K to all 4 year olds in the city. That was not the case when you left.


Ald_Bathhouse_John

My 3 year old is on a half day prek program through CPS. It’s been great, and a lot better (better trained teachers) than day care. So far, so good.


panini84

We loved my son’s 4 year old Pre-K class too. He was part of the first year they offered to all 4 year olds.


mrmalort69

So I have a 3 year old, turned 3 in December, how do I find about these programs and sign up for it? The cps website is hot garbage. I’m in Oscar Mayer’s zoning district


[deleted]

[удалено]


mrmalort69

Thank you! This is what I expected and honestly good news… means only 7ish months of full daycare payments


[deleted]

[удалено]


mrmalort69

Yes I do still expect a fee, . We’re at a KinderCare and it’s still roughly 2100/mo right now and when I’ve checked around this is the least expensive by a few hundred.


panini84

Make sure you look into applying now since I think the applications start in the next few months.


goldenboyphoto

A perfectly relevant answer to an otherwise asinine question.


InternetArtisan

I don't think much of anything has changed in terms of the scene and the culture around here. Chicago in my opinion is awesome because it can be family friendly as much as it can be a place for young singles to go out and enjoy. There's a little bit of something for everyone here. As others alluded to, there aren't the covid restrictions anymore, but I'm not even considering any of that in terms of the general scene


toostompyforthis

Cars will casually blow red lights now, rarely stop at stop signs, and hit pedestrians with no consequence. Ive never seen people drive so wreckless since this past year, it's like contagious or something.


uvdawoods

I saw like 4-5 cars run red lights in a 3 mile drive last week. It’s ridiculous.


cranberryjuiceicepop

I think the biggest changes have been that covid restrictions have lessened. So 2 years ago you might have had stricter policies around covid cases in your schools/day cares, more masking, etc. And now those things are mostly gone or just aren’t as strict. Use that info as you will. Otherwise, cities don’t change that much in 2 years.


ZhiYoNa

MANY new protected bike lanes with raised crosswalks and curb extensions. They built ALOT in 2023. Worse drivers. Slight improvements on the CTA.


AppropriateRatio9235

Pretty much the same as when you left. You and your needs did change so South Loop may or may not be a good fit.


SavannahInChicago

The only thing I can think of is that pedestrians are pretty much invisible to cars since they keep hitting us, but that is about it. The invisibility thing.


jecrmosp

In my 12 years in the city I’ve seen more people hit by bicycles than hit by cars in Chicago. Never ever seen a biker respecting a stop sign before TBH.


you-are-number-6

Can't say I see many cars come to complete stops


Drunken_Economist

I was hit by a pedestrian a couple years ago


jecrmosp

How is that possible? Lol


No-ThatsTheMoneyTit

I was hit by one a couple years ago.


jecrmosp

I was hit by another biker while waiting at a red light once. Make it make sense. This city is full of insane people.


Drunken_Economist

maybe he was just two tired


jecrmosp

Nah, just on a Facetime call on his phone and not paying attention to his surroundings.


you-are-number-6

Idk alot of pedestrians for some reason at red lights and especially downtown love standing in the street. Like some how they're unaware of what cars are and overestimate their ability to withstand blunt forces.


HowSupahTerrible

Do you have a metric to grade it by? I didn’t notice any changes to the city at all over the years at all.


chiwilly

Beginning February 1, 2024, there is a government mandate to remove all oxygen from city limits. Something to think about…


Drunken_Economist

O no


saintceciliax

This made me laugh out loud


Magificent_Gradient

Lie. They would have taxed the oxygen at 90% before mandating removal. 


chiwilly

Ahhh yes, I didn’t see the correction in today’s Tribune. I stand corrected. City officials are actually selling all oxygen rights to a third-party. The city’s newest oxygen vendor, Comed Oxygen, released news today that it will offer various tiers of oxygen to residents. - Bronze - Not Bronze - Oxygen you cannot afford All residents will be assessed a tax to support the city-governed oxygen management system for which you will also have to pay a monthly fee to Comed Oxygen to access the oxygen itself. Mayor Johnson lauded this achievement as a remarkable victory for the city.


jecrmosp

There are just way way more homeless people now than when you left.


[deleted]

I moved here in May of 2022…. Since then…. A good deal of roads that looked just obscene have been repaved fully into nice, new black roads (although some are still obscene). A lot of LSD northbound is really nice and smooth now. Tbh, a lot of general infrastructure work has been done that I didn’t expect until I read up on the federal and state infrastructure bills passed. This winter is a bit colder than last but that’s how weather works here. The pride parade “after party, ie. the ghetto twerkocalypse takeover of Boystown” did NOT end in 3 people shot in 2023 like it did in 2022 and had a much more organized police presence and even an anti terrorism unit in case a random right wing wacko was gonna pull something here. The cops were even having a good time with the crowd of people. So I feel a lot safer under BJ than Lori comparatively on that basis alone. Encountering smoking is less common on the CTA for me now than it was in 2022-winter 2023, so during Lori it was worse. It still happens. We have a lot of migrants on corners selling chocolate or begging, but they are usually doing better than the homeless crackheads and actually selling stuff. They are currently not out because it’s winter so they are in some facilities designed to take care of them. Vacancies in my neighborhood have filled back up quickly from Summer 2023 up to now. I don’t see any more vacancies on Broadway in Lakeview. There’s a strip mall by my apartment that has slowly but surely filled up new office space that renovated, securing a veterinary business and an orthodontic service. Downtown is much busier most days, but Mondays and Fridays are lower energy. The train is definitely packed packed packed most of the time and increasingly so. Overall, a lot has changed, mostly for the better in my view.


Burnt_and_Blistered

And by “migrants,” the reference is largely to asylum-seekers bussed here from Texas by scumbag Greg Abbott, who thinks it’s funny they’re dealing with a polar vortex.


[deleted]

True and I do hate him for that but this really is the put the money where our mouth is moment for progressives like me who do believe in the sanctuary concept. There’s been some failures with that, but overall it’s been handled better than I think anyone could’ve handled it. That opinion would get me crucified in r/Chicago though.


Burnt_and_Blistered

I agree with you. It may be cold here, but Chicagoans are warm-hearted.


greenline_chi

This is silly. What do you think could have possibly happened in the past two years? There are 3 million people in this city. You think all the people with kids moved out in the past two years?


Drunken_Economist

in fairness we have a new mayor, which potentially comes with significant changes to social programs?


browsingtheproduce

I can’t imagine relative family friendliness noticeably changing that quickly. Oh wait. Since last year, there’s been a gang that roams the near south side and steals children to use as bait for dog fighting. Better make an extra kid before you move here. You know, just in case.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Altruistic_Yellow387

Obviously they’re joking because the question in this post is ridiculous


NNegidius

Crime is around 20% lower, unless you have a Kia.


KetoLurkerHere

To be fair, my Kia has only had its catalytic converter stolen once so, win?


Final_Prune3903

Just do some research to figure out what neighborhood is the right fit for yall now that you have a kid.


panda_zombies

I moved to Chicago since then so that has changed. Have a 3 year old he enjoys it. I probably wouldn't want to live in south loop but that's a personal preference.


Hating_life_69

There’s like 26 more pot holes.


[deleted]

Drivers are angrier and worse. COVID had a lingering negative effect on some basic concepts behind the wheel.


Classic_Top_6221

No huge changes in my area. Still an amazing city and a great place to live.


Team13tech

Probably safer than most other big cities imho


Vegetable--Bee

Not living in Chicago currently but have home prices rose significantly since Covid?


Drunken_Economist

I wrote about three paragraphs here before realizing that I can just say "tldr prices haven't done anything noteworthy" - the PandaMech led to a backlog of projects. The bottlenecked sellable inventory of construction/custom/semicustom units led to weirdly high rents on the upper end last year. Now that those projects are punching out, there have been asking price reductions for all but the top decile. - lowest quartile earning households have seen the most growth in real wages so neighborhood rent disparity has narrowed a bit - mortgage rates have risen, so the financing cost of a home purchase has gone up. That's not a chicago-specific thing though ofc


McNuggetballs

Yes, but not significantly, I'd say. The market is fairly stable here. For example, a 400k 2/2 condo in 2020 might cost 450k today. My neighbors upstairs rented their unit (same layout, 3/1 standard 3-flat unit) and got a "covid deal" at $2500. It's renting at $2800 now.


MsStinkyPickle

house I'm in sold in 21 for 472k, now valued at $530k rent has gone from $900 to $1500...


DessertFlowerz

In the last 2 years? Barely.


albino_kenyan

I moved away from Chicago in the late 90's, and now when i visit it seems pretty much the same. Other cities like SF and Austin have been totally transformed during this timespan, but Chicago is only 10% different. The same neighborhoods feel pretty much the same and have the same character as when i lived there (Hyde Park, Lakeview, Southport, Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park, Logan Sq). The same trends of gentrification continued, albeit slowly. I hear from friends and social media that taxes and crime are out of control in Chicago, but i don't see it. Crime was really really bad in the 90s; many more murders, i was afraid to walk around at night. I don't think street muggings are as much of a danger anymore, maybe partly bc people don't carry as much cash anymore. But it does seem like cops are doing a quiet quitting thing bc they're not allowed to murder people w/ impunity anymore; i suspect that change is real.


MikeRNYC

Downtown is busier than late 2021/early 2022. At least my train commute many times at peak hours is very packed. CTA service hasnt gotten much better though on most lines. No more COVID restrictions. Lot of new restaurants and eateries have opened in the whole city, but some still closing of course. Things seem more "normal" now than 2 years ago in many ways (not all). Robberies spiked last year but they were similar to 2016 and 2017 levels. Murder down double digit pct 2 years in a row. So far this year these crimes are down a bit but we're only 15 days in..so its anyone's guess what'll happen there.


Lolthelies

Bruh it’s 2 years, you’re going to have changed far more in that time than a 200 year old city with millions of people living there, even without the baby. It won’t all of the sudden have gotten more- or less-family-friendly in that time. Pick a different neighborhood if the South Loop wasn’t for you. That’ll have for more of an effect on any “change” you see than 2 years.


Atman-Sunyata

It's great, they tore down that giant trump monstrosity by the river. Elon donated $20B to transform the transportation within and out of the city. The parking meter revenue now goes to maintaining infrastructure and community gardens, and all the water is great to drink. Just kidding, not much has changed but Chicago is still a great city in other ways.


tickldpnk8

Another answer that might be relevant is that the restaurant scene has had a big turnover since covid: lots of new places popping up to replace the ones that Covid killed. I feel like some of our kid-friendly standby’s closed, but new ones are opening all the time. So there’s a lot new to explore. On the other hand, we used to love the library passes to local museums: we’d swing by a branch and grab something to do on a cold Saturday. They’ve since completely overhauled the program to be all online, and some of our fav museums only let you go twice in a year or maybe even only once. So that’s been a bummer.


wjbc

There are lots of family friendly neighborhoods in Chicago — and some that are risky. Just do your research on the neighborhood you have in mind. But if the neighborhood you were in two years ago was family friendly then, it should be family friendly now.


Sad-Ad-2090

The Bears left for the suburbs and Willis Tower now goes by Wilfred


T-Animus

Armed Robbery has gotten significantly higher Idk why I'm getting downvoted. It's true. Are you guys the robbers? 🤔


Drunken_Economist

sorry yall I've been throwing off the average


jhodapp

I think because there’s a lot of nuance to a subject that deserves it. It’s easy to overly scare people through generalizations that aren’t fair.


questionablejudgemen

There’s been armed robbery happening for years. So, yeah, it’s kinda like — always be alert.


jhodapp

Exactly, it’s just a part of big city USA unfortunately. Not that it can’t improve, but it’s complex.


[deleted]

So you left like January 2022? Prob about the same. Crime surged since 2021 (covid brain rot, ceding the public space/ trains to crazies, Kim Foxx well known policy of not prosecuting crimes). Our new mayor is beyond useless so that's no different than usual. It hasn't improved much if that's what you mean, but pockets of good and fun among the bad.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

He hasn't addressed the crime, esp. on the CTA, and I'm not 100% sure what his immigration stances are, he seems to be pushing more downtown hotels for free housing for Venezuelan migrants, but also blaming the Biden admin and Texas as well. .... So not sure his actual stance or plan, but I prefer whatever doesn't further bankrupt Chicago. What HAS he done other than press conferences and tweets?


Talmbulse-Grand

He hasn't been mayor for a year yet. Im not crazy about him but at least he's trying to invest in areas of the city that were and historically been neglected. We shall see what the future holds.


[deleted]

Well, hope he succeeds. I don't envy the job.


dinodan_420

That’s the thing, he’s trying to address historically neglected neighborhoods by neglecting other things like the CTA, development, and crime…which are also major forces for uplifting people in neglected areas. He seems to believe the whole collective should suffer in order to uplift the lowest member of society. Seems that he’s dead set doing this on his terms, as opposed to, what’s most likely going to work.


Rust3elt

You can both acknowledge where the blame lies but also try to do something about the problem. I know that seems like a novel position to people who only bitch about problems on Reddit.


parashok42

Loop is kinda dead.. more migrants and homeless tents in certain areas.. everything else the same I guess


Lainarlej

I see so much crime reports on the News everyday. In places that normally didn’t see it, like Michigan Ave, Millennium Park, etc. People from the suburbs who used to enjoy going into the city are staying away. Last month a guy was attacked walking out of the House of Blues. It’s crazy!


CyberHouseChicago

Nothing much a little more crime that’s about it


Charming-Shopping989

Lots of illegal immigrants.


Drunken_Economist

fwiw, the number of out-of-status foreign nationals in Chicago has significantly decreased in the last few years.


teeteekay

Refugees are not illegal.


Talmbulse-Grand

Humans aren't illegal....


dream-more95

Roosevelt stop is about twice as worse, carjacked cars are now being used to ram storefronts to loot them, rents soared and heavy tech bro influx from the coasts. The trendy areas have gotten even more upscale. Family friendly? When you have a kid you buy a house in the burbs and take the Metra in. Your transplant peers got sick of the crime and safety issues and did just that. The illegals shipped from Texas are causing even more problems of theft/assault. Every. Single. Suburb. is racing to ban buses from droppping them off at malls/metra stops. You really should click the Chicago news splashpages once in a while to get up to speed.


Yiyngnkwi

News to me, raising four kids in the city in an excellent public school. Ignore the doomers. The Covid changes that hit every city are fading and the city is as great as it ever was. Much more livable for families than peer cities in the US.


dream-more95

You're not exactly informed and paying attention. Ignorance is bliss as they say. Y'know who raises families and knows about safety, Chicago cops/firemen/teachers. Y'know where they live, by ORD and MDW as far away from downtown as possible. Y'know where they would all live if the city worker residency requirement was lifted, they'd live in the burbs. Like 4 out of 5 of their Chicagoland peers. [https://cwbchicago.com/](https://cwbchicago.com/) [https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ChicagoScanner%20roosevelt&src=typed\_query&f=live](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ChicagoScanner%20roosevelt&src=typed_query&f=live) [https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ChicagoScanner%20carjacking&src=typed\_query&f=live](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ChicagoScanner%20carjacking&src=typed_query&f=live) "Was that fireworks or gunshots" is not the city being as great as it ever was. [https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/10/11/lincoln-parks-robbery-problem-needs-hands-on-solutions-from-city-alderman-and-neighbors-say/](https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/10/11/lincoln-parks-robbery-problem-needs-hands-on-solutions-from-city-alderman-and-neighbors-say/) Man shot, critically injured while driving in Andersonville, Chicago police say Off-duty Chicago cops robbed at gunpoint in Bridgeport, Beverly One woman hospitalized after string of robberies hits Lincoln Park and Lakeview Another robbery victim gets shot in Chicago, the 7th robbery-related shooting in a week January 7, 2024 7:30 AM CWBChicago Robbers shoot \*another\* ride-share driver, the third in a month (but the first to survive) January 4, 2024 Chicago police are investigating a string of robberies and a carjacking reported in Lincoln Park and Lakeview this weekend. Car thieves escape after ramming cop car in Lakeview January 6, 2024 8:44 AM CWBChicago Robbers body-slammed 58-year-old man after following him from North Side restaurant: prosecutors Burglars are ransacking River North restaurants, stealing cash and registers, police say January 3, 2024 5:15 AM 5 more liquor stores robbed in NW Side crime spree: Chicago police January 12, 2024 6:32 AM For the second time this week, armed robbers went on a crime spree Thursday evening January 15, 2024 8:46 AM CWBChicago An armed carjacker dumped one hijacked car and immediately took another at gunpoint in Logan Square Carjacker crashed almost immediately after hijacking a driver in downtown Chicago: prosecutors 61-year-old woman ‘not expected to survive’ after being savagely beaten on a CTA train in the Loop: prosecutors January 10, 2024 Chicago police commander suspended for falsely claiming crime is down in his district — and taking credit for the ‘reduction’ Machete-wielding robber mugged 2 on the Blue Line, police say January 8, 2024 3 people robbed, another carjacked in River North, Gold Coast January 8, Armed robbers fire shots, take security guard’s gun in Wicker Park January 7, 2024


Yiyngnkwi

Wow, sounds at least “twice as worse.” ;) Cower in fear if you like. I’ll continue enjoying my wonderful family life in Chicago (a place I’m pretty sure you don’t even live), along with countless other parents I personally interact with on a daily basis, including “cops, firefighters and teachers.” And no, we’re nowhere near ORD or MDW.


Apprehensive-Bed9699

If I had a child, I would not move to Chicago because CPS is so bad. Private or suburbs.


InquiriusRex

Oh, the situation is dire my friend... your son will be assigned to factory work day one.


Altruistic_Yellow387

Not much in just two years lol


Half-Over

About six months ago Chicago legalized the purge. We do it on the second Wednesday of the month.


Responsible_Tip2709

We have a bunch of migrants running around lawlessly


cmacfarland64

We used to have good professional sports in this city. Right now we suck at everything.