'There's sexual predators living here': Concerns over Joliet apartment complex leads mayor to come up with creative community solution

CHICAGO (CBS) --  Tensions over an apartment building in southwest suburban Joliet.

That's because it houses several sex offenders. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray reports the city's mayor is taking a unique approach to make them move out of the neighborhood.

"Your first instinct is to protect your family."

John Sheridan, president of the Cunningham Neighborhood Association says six out of town sexual predators have been living in a home in the neighborhood since March of this year. Neighbors were unaware.

"Somebody found out the house was sold and there's sexual predators living here. Nobody notified anybody and that's the alarming part, Sheridan said. "It'd be different if they came to the city an announced they were going to do this project and kind of explain to people at a public forum and let people find out about. It might not be so bad."

He's talking about Newday Apartments on Cora St and Moran in Joliet. Mayor Bob O'Dekirk said he understands the need for housing.

"But I don't agree that it's right to put six sex offenders in one location, certainly isn't fair to the people of that neighborhood. It's a working class neighborhood. It's a diverse neighborhood," O'Dekirk said.

The mayor said the city decided to get creative. A house that's a block away, that was damaged in a fire, is up for sale.

"The plan is to buy the house, demolish it and turn it into a park. There is a state law that will not allow a sex offender to loiter within 500 feet of park," he said.

In 2019, a judge ruled it's unconstitutional for Illinois to hold sex offenders in prison after their release date. Illinois law use to state stated sex offenders cannot live at the same address, but last year, a federal judge ruled that was unconstitutional.

CBS 2 reached out to Newday Apartments but so far there's been no response

"(Illinois) Department of Corrections is under a court order to do this. Not specifically in Joliet, but there's got to be a better way to find housing for people than to just put six offenders all at one location in the middle of the neighborhood," O'Dekirk said.

The mayor said the next council meeting is in two weeks and that's when they will talk about how much it will cost to buy the house and build the playground.