Article: A clean sweep on Elm Street

HIGHLAND - A green sedan with a shattered windshield was just one of 11 cars towed away from Elm Street on Thursday during a "blight sweep'' intended to clean up the troubled neighborhood.

The philosophy behind the effort, which was led by sheriff's deputies and city code enforcement, is that grime often leads to crime. When abandoned cars, graffiti and other eyesores plague a neighborhood, lawbreakers are more likely to think they can get away with breaking the law, officials say.

By working with city code-compliance officers to tidy up Elm Street and nearby alleys, deputies hope to make the area safer.

"If we can get rid of some of the blight and some of the cars where homeless ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!