Residents at Autumn Ridge Apartments in Park Forest, Illinois Endure Days Without Air Conditioning During Cook County’s Extreme Heat Warning

PARK FOREST, Ill. (WLS) — Residents of the south suburban Autumn Ridge apartments have endured three days of nearly 100-degree temperatures, yet on Monday, they still have no answers.

Residents report the building management assured them that air conditioning would be available by June 1. However, as of June 23, the air conditioning has yet to be installed.

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Andrea Deese-Shepard’s Park Forest apartment has been subjected to intense heat without air conditioning for at least three days. Her thermostat indicates 95 degrees, and no relief seems forthcoming.

“They sent out emails saying we were going to have air June first. Here it is, June 20, something and we haven’t heard anything else,” Deese-Shepard said.

So, Deese-Shepard is relying on fans and light clothing to get by, in the meantime.

“At night, it gets pretty hot. I been trying to keep everything closed. Keep still, wear as less clothes as possible,” Deese-Shepard said.

According to the village of Park Forest, the Autumn Ridge apartment complex has nearly 300 units, and residents say there is no air conditioning in any of them.

Resident Chante Hill says she has four fans in her apartment, but they mostly recirculate the hot air.

“It’s awful, just awful. Oppressive heat. It’s terrible,” Hill said.

The village of Park Forest has issued numerous citations to the building management.

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But Park Forest village officials also held an emergency meeting on Monday afternoon to try to offer solutions for the residents, including helping find contractors to fix it.

“All we know is they made promises to have it working weeks ago. It still hasn’t happened,” said Assistant Park Forest Village Manager Jason Miller. “This is dangerous heat, and no one should be subjected to temperatures of 95 degrees in their home. It’s unreasonable. It’s dangerous.”

Village officials say the building’s management has told them they are working on the problem.

Deese-Shepard, who has lived there for four years, suffers from respiratory problems, and she says the overbearing heat is making it difficult to breathe, at times.

“I don’t want to be illegal and just leave, but I can’t continue to stay in this condition,” Deese-Shepard said.

ABC7 reached out to management at the management at the Autumn Ridge apartments and was told they have no comment.