MORGAN PARK — An empty house used by panhandlers at 11160 S. Ashland Ave. in Morgan Park has been torn down.
The troubled house was demolished about two weeks ago, according to Charles Johnson, who lives immediately south of the newly vacant lot.
Chicago Police in the Morgan Park District received multiple complaints about the vacant house and worked with the city's Troubled Building Initiative to fast track the demolition, Sgt. Mike Egan said.
"It was just full of needles and stuff and people were complaining about it," Egan said Tuesday.
He added that the building was less than a block away from Morgan Park High School and that several of the panhandlers who were using the building were arrested on outstanding warrants.
Johnson initially felt sorry for the people squatting next door. He said he'd often see them holding a sign asking for money at 112th Place and Marshfield Avenue — near the on-ramps to Interstate 57.
"As time went on, I noticed it was just a hustle," said Johnson, adding he also grew concerned for his 5- and 8-year-old daughters.
He said the men and women gathered at the intersection would seemingly take the money they made on the corner near the Stop-N-Go liquor store at 1622 W. Monterey Ave. and buy drugs. Then, they'd sneak into the house next door to have a hidden place for their illegal activities.
Johnson said it's been noticeably quieter since the home has been torn down, but he worries about other vacant houses nearby that pose a similar threat. This includes a brick house immediately north of the one just demolished.
"It's just a matter of time before people get in there," he said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
