CHICAGO (WLS) — Residents of an apartment building on Chicago’s South Side were abruptly informed that they had just two days to vacate their homes after the structure was labeled as hazardous.
Dozens of tenants were notified they had to be out by Wednesday.
Some of them told ABC7 they have nowhere else to go.
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A significant number of those residing in the building on the 6100-block of South King Drive have been tenants for many years, regularly paying rent. However, they reported being informed on Monday that they needed to vacate by Wednesday, with Chicago police present at 9 a.m. to oversee the process.
Andre Taylor, a resident of the building, swiftly packed his belongings under the watchful eyes of the police, placing everything he could manage into trash bags. He faced uncertainty about where he would find shelter on Wednesday night.
“For now we just getting bags and whatever you can grab, cause you can see they’re boarding it up as soon as we moving out,” Taylor said. “Just been one headache after another.”
City buildings department officials gave Taylor and his neighbors two days notice that they had to evacuate the building because of unsafe conditions. Several tenants ABC7 spoke with said they have nowhere to go.
“What am I supposed to do with my dogs?” resident Lamont Prince said. “I don’t have nowhere else to go.”
On Tuesday, several neighbors showed ABC7 their units with holes in the ceilings and floors, faulty plumbing and broken windows. The building went into foreclosure, and the owner stopped doing maintenance.
The new owner, Frontline Real Estate Partners, told ABC7 they have no comment.
Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor of the 20th Ward said she notified the city buildings department, because it’s dangerous.
“All day long it’s about safety,” Ald. Taylor said. “If you walk in some of those apartments, it’s heartbreaking. I had to take a moment.”
The alderwoman said the Salvation Army was on hand to help displace tenants to find housing. Kameron Shepherd said he’s lived there most of his life.
“You got kids out here homeless,” Shepherd said. “Got people out here trying to find somewhere to live. It’s pitiful.”
The Metropolitan Tenants Organization was there to try to help protect residents’ rights. They said they at least want more time for them to move out, but they are having little luck.
“This is egregious and we only have questions for the city and landlord and property management company which has refused to answer questions upon multiple times of asking them,” said Peter Dorman with Metropolitan Tenants Organization.
Residents said they were told after the building was boarded up, they would have 48 hours to come back and retrieve anything they left behind.
Chicago’s Department of Buildings shared the following statement:
“The safety of Chicago residents is DOB’s top priority, and we will not allow negligent property owners to endanger lives. The property at 6116-34 S Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive was first inspected in August 2023. In November 2024, due to ownership’s failure to properly maintain and manage the property, the Department of Buildings issued a Commissioner Closure Order for the tier with the worst conditions located at 6124 South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Ownership completely abandoned the building, allowing the property to go into foreclosure, and conditions continued to deteriorate to the point of imminent danger to the community. Following a Commissioner Closure Order issued on June 8, 2025, DOB, in coordination with the court appointed Chancery Receiver, will vacate the entire building on June 11, 2025.”
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