A 16-page document titled "Statement of Facts on National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture Abuse of Public Land and Public Funds" was published by Preservation Chicago and released by WTTW this week.
The documents we have shared via petition updates over the past few months are among the 400+ pages FOIA'd from multiple agencies and sources. Preservation Chicago distilled them into an absolutely damning narrative that spells out Billy Ocasio's nefarious methodology and path of attempting to steal public land using public funds. It is worth the read.
Slam dunk, right? NO! We still need your support as every day the structure stands it remains an existential threat to open lands. Standing, it is a monument that flaunts public corruption, erodes public trust, and rewards impropriety. What is needed is a pile of rubble being removed, followed by the desecrated canopy being restored by immediate tree plantings and Jens Jensen's landmarked rolling prairie landscape reinstalled.
Those of you who vote in the area, know that the 26th Ward Alderperson elections are proving critical in the fight to restore, protect and preserve parkland and historic architecture and landmarked landscapes.
Billy Ocasio and his family, who live out-of-state, are attempting to steer our local election in an attempt to grasp political power in order to help him get away with the current and future theft of our parkland, taking it away from all of us, permanently. Alderperson candidate Jessie Fuentes has accepted donations from the Ocasio family and she remains silent on the topic. If you vote in the 26th Ward, or if you know anyone that does, please forward this update to them.
Make your decision about who will govern our park and community very carefully. It will determine what Humboldt Park looks like forevermore. Do you want open lands to remain open, or paved over by permanent private development?
Here is the link to the 16-page document compiled by Preservation Chicago:
Many of the 400+ pages of FOIA'd documents are available for download on their website:
https://www.preservationchicago.org/humboldt-park-stables-statement-of-facts/
If interested in viewing or reading the most recent media coverage, go to WTTW.com and search for the broadcast which aired 02/17/2023 titled "Paper Trail Shows Illegal Museum Construction in Humboldt Park Violated Rules at Every Turn". This is public television's 2nd coverage on the matter of the attempted theft of public land.