u/Fabulous-Western2561

I have seen it a lot more recently. security guards riding the train, K-9 units on platforms and actually chasing after people, cta workers taking smoking on trains more seriously, and separately, even the bus now has an announcement saying “fare payment is required” which ofc won’t do much but shows they are actively thinking about different ideas to better the system!

Stuff like this gives me hope for CTA’s future. this NEEDS to continue. and with the dialogue around taller fare gates to stop evasion, i feel like im actually becoming excited about CTA getting better !!!

Ofc we aren’t there yet, but we no new building happening any time soon, prices are going to continue outpacing other cities that are building more. NY will be freezing rents as well, so over years, i’m sure there will be at least a closer comparison between the two.

I know chicago has a long way to go until we reach NYC as far as rent prices and 💲/ sqft, but id hope we never get close to that at all. the greatest thing about chicago to me has always been the amenities you get for the cost of the city. with property taxes probably increasing due to our debt burden (thus increasing rents), plus supply far outpacing demand, it seems like we will just be in a continuous cycle of rent hiking and making the city more unaffordable.

I am not doubting he is a bad mayor, nor that he has made bad decisions, i genuinely don’t know anything about him. I have only lived in chicago for 3 years, so around the exact length he has been mayor. What has he done that is so abysmal?

I feel like the only thing i hear is “he will hire a pastor as head of CTA” or something, but it doesn’t really paint a picture as to how he’s negatively impacted the city of chicago. Can someone enlighten me?

Thank you so much for your help with my question yesterday. I had one more question about leanfire and was hoping i could get some insight. I live in a big city and love it here, but my specific area of the city isn’t my favorite. I stay in Chicago, but specifically bridgeport chicago (close to the white sox arena). I bought a home here a few years ago thinking i would love it, but instead it isn’t everything i had hoped in regards to transit access, amenities, not enough outdoor activity, being family oriented (when i want to have no kids), density, and culture. I would prefer to move elsewhere, but the area i’d move to would cost me a lot more money since bridgeport is more on the affordable side.

With Leanfire, I know that it is all about making the most of what you got and sacrificing some things to retire early. and this are absolutely had the BARE necessities i hope for in retirement. grocery store is a 15 min walk away, city bikes and buses are nearby, i have a couple restaurants 5 min walk away, so in reality i could retire here carless and be fine. Does it make more sense to just stay in the neighborhood and travel to others when i get the chance? or save up for a 3-4 more years and move elsewhere?

I am so tired of working. i’ve only been in the workforce for 10 years, and post college work for 6 years, but i’m already exhausted. i just want to learn the piano, make music for myself and with friends, and go on long bike rides around the city. I wanna learn how to cook, learn a new language, and REST! please tell me this will all be worth it😭 I should only have 6 years left of work before i can retire early. How is retirement treating those of you who have achieve it?