It's his house- Flanagan should be able to rent to whomever he pleases. I suppose he's learned a lesson to be more covert about caring for his properties in the future. I am currently house-hunting now. One of the first things I consider is the neighborhood, or neighbors and ask if any section 8 housing is nearby. A hard lesson learned is that the quality of life, property crimes, theft and the safety of loved ones can be adversely affected by neighbors. If one has any doubts, look at FBI crime statistics. Yet the Flanagans of this world are to be crucified.

James- you are a moron!

Once upon a time, to be "discriminating" meant to be "discerning." To use sound judgment. Now it's a dirty word.

We rent (as in pay rent, we don't rent out), and we've seen time and again where black tenants cause trouble. One time we had a white man living above us who was friends with a bunch of blacks, and they were in and out, day and night, and eventually the tenant got busted for drugs, go figure.

And there's the property-rights issue. You should be able to rent to whoever you want--it's YOUR property. But then again, certain people (such as those of the Communist/Marxist persuasion) don't like property rights.

To Rick Schmidt moron=politically incorrect. This is why he feels no need to actually try to refute what was said. He may even know that what James said was correct and politically incorrect truths in this day make him uncomfortable so he has to lash out.

With a topic of this sensitivity, I would encourage people to comment if they have the courage to put their full names with their comments. Obviously, this is just a request, but I do not want my site to become a place where people can lash out at races they don't like and hide behind first names.

Paul Dailing
Tinley Park Patch Editor

Who said anyone *hated* another race? Facts are facts--a minority of the population is responsible for more than half the crimes in this country!

It's only a "sensitive" topic because people willingly turn a blind eye to facts that invade their comfort zone.

And my last name is Spears. No relation to Britney.

Thank you for sharing your full name. I've seen these things become downright nasty when people feel they don't have to be accountable for what they say. I find sharing names helps keep people civil.

Also, no one said "hated." I said "don't like."

Back in 1966, Martin Luther King Jr. marched through the bungalow belt in a push for fair housing for blacks on the South Side. He even signed an agreement with Mayor Daley, which was never enforced. The matter is chronicled in detail in Mike Royko's "Boss," for anyone interested in a history lesson. The issue of fair housing is as strong then as it is now, as evidenced by this Orland Park case and others across the Southland.

The debate here is about property rights — can a landlord decide who rents the house he owns — and fair housing — can a landlord discriminate based on race. It's a discussion worth having. And I think we can keep it frank and honest yet civil.

I just deleted a comment from an Arizona man who made some fair points about quality of life in his neighborhood, yet also had to throw in a reference to "feral black thugs." Other references here to blacks perpetrating the majority of crimes in America take us down another path. The equities of the justice system and the legacy of crime and opportunity in urban environments can be debated til we're all blue in the face. But let's avoid name calling.

A final point worth noting: Any landlord can tell you, you run a high risk of renting your property to someone who's irresponsible whether they are black or white.

WOW! Between this Orland Park housing situation and the Green Gardens situation, the fact is there is still a lot of racism in America, especially here. Saying you don't want to rent to blacks, lying to them and repeating the lie to a someone else (just so happens he was set up by the DOJ-good!), where are we going as a country? Don't white people commit crime too or is it only black people? So we should only rent to who we want, sell to who we want, let drive who we want, let vote who we want, let go to certain school who we want...sounds alot like what Tea Partiers call "restoring America's principles" or "the good old days" which translates to R-A-C-I-S-M!

I am am African American business owner and my wife is an African American lawyer, glad we don't live in Orland Park. I was pulled over in Orland for a traffic violation one night in 2010 and the cop asked me "what was I doing there?". That was none of his business and luckily he was dumb enough to ask the question in from of my wife, a witness and officer of the court. But make no mistake, THESE TYPE OF THINGS GO ON EVERYDAY!

DC, I am sorry you have been treated that way, and I know it is common in our area.
I have a collegaue who is African-American who is thinking of moving to the south suburbs. He and his wife have degrees from leading universities and have 6-figure jobs. But I am embarrassed for the potential reception he might receive, like 'driving while black'. I would love for them to live in the area, but I can't honestly tell them they will feel welcomed. It makes me sick as a human being to admit that. So if I am upfront with him, guess what that does, it drives a potential buyer out of our depressed housing market. That's the cost of racism, and my economics background tells me that is much higher than any cost that landlord might percieve from declining property values.

Let me tell you about my Orland Park experience as an African American consumer...I was set to buy a car from a dealer on 159th when I asked could we see the invoice price, produced some research on the car, markup and market value. The salesman said the dealer always traded fairly, I did not need or could I discuss invoice prices and would not honor my request. I asked a white friend of mine to go to the dealer, same salesman, the next weekend with the same information on the same car and guess what! He produced the invoice pricing and worked on a price from there. The salesman even when as far as to tell my friend it was a relief to have such an "educated" consumer (does "educated" mean "white"?). My friend called me on his cell, asked me to come in and the look on the salesman's face was priceless. Needless to say, that salesman was fired, I bought the same car from another dealer and communicated my experience to my friends and family network. Today that dealer is out of business.

I hope not just the landlord learns a $35,000 lesson (which I doubt) but the village of Orland condemns these acts and learns a lesson as well.

If you think Section 8 is a problem now, just wait until the apartments go up where Randy’s and The Triangle once stood on 143rd and LaGrange. This was a 40 million dollar decision by our Mayor and his band of Trustees. Take my word, Section 8, here we come.

Truly it is a tragedy that Section 8 "subsidized scumbags" are making their way to otherwise civilized suburbs like Orland Park. There are VERY GOOD REASONS why people believe in the "stereotypes" and "make generalizations": it's because the majority of them are TRUE!

Honest guy...do those stereotypes go both ways? If you assume something about section 8 people, should we make assumptions about the people that live in Orland Park and don't want "section 8" people around? Can I assume racism? Is "section 8" code for "black or hispanic people"? Should I make an assumption that police don't like minorities? Every been to traffic court in Worth (the court for some of the southwest suburbs)? One would believe only blacks and hispanics were driving from the racial make up of that court? Since you are HONEST GUY, is that an HONEST assumption? From the situation that this blog came from, should I assume white Orland Park landlords don't like black people? At least that assumption in based in FACT!

Honest Guy- I would like you to be a man of color, law abiding and be stopped by the police. I am a professional, college educated (graduate degree), war veteran and have been treated like a DOG by the Orland Park police. Taken out of my car, had it searched, padded down for a traffic stop! Can you explain that activity? I have NEVER been more humiliated and in front of my 6 year old son. How do I tell him police are here to help?

Your stats above do not take into account minorities are arrested and stopped at a higher rate than whites. Don't believe it is not true, I have lived it. Oh yeah, why are cases reversed on DNA evidence? Because police are so diligent and do the right thing the first time? What do we owe (as a society) someone that has spend years in jail because of their color and police injustice?

Of course, to you:

-Minorities are crying about racism
-That is the past and we should get over it
-Police are all just (not that all are bad but some are)

And white people don't break laws as minorities do, minor traffic laws? Are you joking? Ever heard of the term "driving while black"? Why you just move to Highland Park or better yet, move to Wyoming or North Dakota? By your logic there can't be crime in those places, right?

Mr. Vick,
your premis has been captured on film, with
the late Godfrey Cambridge in the lead role:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon_Man_(film)

I am a landlord who rents to several african american families and I can tell you that they are good people. As with any group, there are good ones and bad. Just becasue they are black or on section 8 means nothing. This landlord in question can run a credit check or criminal background (actually in orland this is required) if he wants but I have seen many problem white tenants.

The fact of the matter is that landlords are going to do whatever they can to protect their investment. As a landlord, I've been taken by white folks and I've been taken by people of color. Both cost me time and money although I will say that the person of color cost me a whole lot more time and money because of Section 8. Every tenant is a risk, some more than others. A landlord is going to play the odds. It may not be right, or moral, or ethical..but there it is.. With housing values in the toilet it becomes a case of "any means necessary" to protect an investment.

Its sad racism still exist. I assume some of the people who posted their comment still lives through the racist a.. ancestors. This man probably had a good job and could afford to live in OP, people who make minimal wages couldnt afford the cost of living in OP. However, minoritities are not the only ones committing crimes in OP the White race is to. Am biracial in my white neighbors in OP sells drugs n use drugs so get it straight about crime in stop feeding into the media.. If they came to OP they will find something too.

I ran across this article while searching for something else. I know that the original post is over a year old, but the comments here are disgusting and embarrassing. I cannot believe that my race would be so blatantly racist an judgemental this day and age. If these comments reflect the thinking of Orland Park residents I'll be sure to NEVER move there and pray that minorities do the same. I don't even want to spend money in such a racist town.