Back of the Yards Quality of Life Plan
In 2011, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Chicago selected the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council as lead agency for the New Communities Program (NCP). NCP is a long-term initiative to support comprehensive community development in 18 Chicago neighborhoods. LISC Chicago is a national organization with a community focus, organizing capital and other resources to support initiatives that will transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy, stable ones. All NCP’s undergo a structured community planning process that involves local residents and leaders in the creation of strategies to improve the community’s quality of life. The Back of the Yards Quality of Life Plan focuses on youth, education, economic development, housing, safety and civic engagement; we have four different committees: Education & Youth, Economic Development, Housing, and Civic Engagement.
This program will strengthen and rejuvenate the Back of the Yards neighborhood.
For more information when the next meeting will be or to get involved, contact Erin Waitz at ewaitz@bync.org or call (773) 523-4416 ext. 120.
CAPS Meetings
Community Alternative Policing Strategy
The Chicago Police Department and the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council are committed to reducing crime to create a more attractive neighborhood and create conditions conducive to investment in the community. The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council has been actively engaged in the Community Alternative Policing Strategy with the Chicago Police Department. Our staff frequently attends Beat Meetings, advertises the meetings in our newsletters, encourages the participation of our clients, and the BYNC is always present at anti-gang rallies.
Through the Community Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS), the community, police, and other City Departments work together to identify and solve the problems of crime and disorder to improve the quality of life for all of Chicago’s neighborhoods.
The Police Department has 8 or 9 officers assigned to the same area, called a “Beat”. Having consistent officers assigned to the same Beat ensures that the Beat Officers get to know you and your neighborhood, and you can get to know them.
The Beat team hosts monthly meetings, often called “CAPS Meetings”, where the community and the Beat team can get together to discuss crime and disorder in the area. The community is instrumental in deciding which problems the Beat team and community members will work on. Then, working as a team, the Beat Team and community members will analyze the problem and design strategies to solve the problem.
Click here to download CAPS Brochure
