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Residents from Chicago Heights and Harvey urge Cook County for emergency help after neighborhood fires and alleged local-government failures
Summary
Multiple residents called on the Cook County Board to help displaced families in Chicago Heights and to investigate alleged corruption and poor municipal services in Harvey, including requests that the sheriff intervene and county funds be used for demolition and recovery.
Several residents from Chicago Heights and Harvey asked the Cook County Board on Jan. 23 for emergency assistance after fires and to investigate municipal actions they say left neighborhoods vulnerable.
Doris Williams of Chicago Heights described multiple houses destroyed by fire and asked whether Community Development Block Grant funds were available to demolish burned properties, obtain empty lots and help displaced neighbors. Williams said some households lacked insurance and aid from Red Cross, and she pressed county leaders for follow-up on water, caregiver services and demolition assistance.
Alicia Campbell, also from Chicago Heights, said her home burned after an adjacent vacant house — which she said the city had long ignored — caught fire, and she said first responders initially lacked sufficient water to fight the blaze. Campbell said she and neighbors were displaced and sought county help to clear and rebuild lots.
Several speakers from Harvey, represented by Ryan of the Harvey Historical Society, urged the county to intervene in what they described as longtime problems with the Harvey Police Department and municipal finances. Ryan asked the Cook County Sheriff to “immediately come take over Harvey Police, investigate all the corruption in the Harvey Police Department,” saying residents do not feel safe and that records and public meetings have been obstructed.
Speakers asked county officials whether outside oversight or legal action by the state's attorney would be possible. Commissioners did not take formal action at the meeting; multiple commissioners invited constituents to follow up with county staff after the meeting and noted the issues for potential referral to appropriate county offices.
The public comments cited repeated requests made over months and highlighted the residents’ frustration at what they described as slow or inadequate responses from municipal and county offices. Commissioners asked for forms and follow-up contact information and said staff would accept the submissions for further review.
