Darrell Hoemann/For CU-CitizenAccess.org
CHAMPAIGN-URBANA: Since the housing market crashed in 2007, the cities of Champaign and Urbana have received more than $2 million in state and federal…
Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
A moldy ice chute, food preparation areas with pesticides stored above them and storage coolers occupied by houseflies and moths were among the worst violations leading to closures and failures of eateries across the county since July. In total, 18 establishments were closed or failed inspections for serious health code violations between July 1 and Sept. 30, according to a review of inspection records.
Darrell Hoemann/CU-Citizen Access
Champaign County officials say they are facing a host of critical repairs and improvements that need to be made at county buildings but have been deferred for years. In response, they have proposed a 0.25 percent sales tax referendum they say will cost a median-income household only $20 per year.
Darrell Hoemann/CU Citizen-Access
These houses make up about 5 percent of vacant houses citywide, but represent the worst of the worst, officials said. Those are houses with repeated code violations, safety issues or are home to criminal activity. The monitored homes are largely located in more troubled neighborhoods because city staff closely monitors those areas.
If you want to watchdog your local or state government, using the Illinois Freedom of Information Act is one of the best ways to go. So CU-CitizenAccess.org is offering how-to guides on how to file effective Freedom of Information requests.
This page is a guide to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, with basic information about what the law entails. You can read the entire law here. If you have additional questions about the Freedom of Information Act, check out this helpful “Frequently Asked Questions” compiled by the Illinois Attorney General’s office.
The University of Illinois almost always takes its allowed five business days to respond to a Freedom of Information Request and frequently asks for an extension of five days because of the sheer amount of volume of Freedom of Information requests.
Here's a sample FOIA letter to help you get started filing Freedom of Information Act requests.
There are four departments that work to police the Champaign-Urbana community. When requesting information, it is often beneficial to get the same data from each department in order to get the full picture
Look here for help for filing Freedom of Information Act requests with Champaign County, City of Champaign and City of Urbana.