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Security Stepped Up Around Obama's Hyde Park Home

CHICAGO (CBS) ― A street in Hyde Park on Chicago's South Side is being transformed because one of its residents just made history.

CBS 2's Susan Carlson reports even from a distance of a block away from Sen. Barack Obama's home, gates are set up along the street and three bus stops have been eliminated from their route as part of the added security.

All of the changes took place this week, as Obama was officially declared the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.

Secret Service agents in unmarked vehicles are now parked outside the Obama home around the clock. Concrete barricades prevent traffic from getting through, but there's no stopping the curious spectators who arrive on foot.

Marsha Cassidy, who was taking pictures outside the home, said, "I just wanted to document the security and the excitement around this candidacy."

People are flooding into the Kenwood subdivision from all over the city and suburbs.

Neil Klemek is visiting from Kentucky.

"The Secret Service agent in the driveway told us we could take pictures, but we had to take pictures from the other side of the street," he said.

The entire block has turned into a tourist attraction and overnight life has changed for Obama's neighbors.

"You can't park on either side of the street anymore, or down the street, or down Obama's street," said neighbor Lowanda Darling. "So now, we're on the hunt for parking places."

The Secret Service is promising to work with people impacted by the changes. A spokesperson told CBS 2 by telephone, "We will make every effort to ensure that any adjustments in security effecting area residents will be as unobtrusive as possible."

And not all the neighbors are complaining about the beefed up security.

"We're a lot more secure than we were six months ago," Darling said.

"To me, it's been a lot quieter around here… you don't see as much kids hanging out on corners," said neighbor Jewel Chapron.

Neighbor Lizanne Phalen said, "It's a pretty small price to pay for him and, hopefully, what he'll be able to do for our country."

Unfortunately for the people living in the area, the parking and traffic restrictions are expected to stay in place at least through the election, if not beyond.

In addition to all the obvious, visible security improvements, the Secret Service says they have a lot of added measures in place in the neighborhood that you don't see – and that, of course, they didn't want to discuss.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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