South Side Tenants Demand Action or New Owner

by Wendy Rosen

Tenants are still struggling with infestation, plumbing, mold, elevator, and security issues nearly a year after the City of Chicago filed a complaint seeking a $3,000 daily fine and a court-appointed receiver to take control of the federally subsidized South Side building.

The property owners, also facing more than $800,000 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fines to bring the building into compliance with city and federal regulations, have filed a motion to silence tenants and housing advocates in court.

At a Dec. 29, 2021 press conference, members of the Ellis Tenants Association (ETA) said building owner Apex Chicago IL LLC (Apex) and property manager Integra Affordable Management (Integra) have not provided safe, secure, and decent housing at Ellis Lakeview Apartments, an 11-story, 105 unit building located at 4624 S. Ellis Ave.

Tenants said Integra has retaliated against residents who voiced complaints by handing down lease violations and eviction threats.

“I’m stressing about being homeless and I’m going through Stage II ovarian cancer,” said Vicki, an Ellis Lakeview resident, at the press conference.

Integra sent Vicki a 30-day notice on Dec. 8, 2021, warning they would file for eviction if she did not vacate her unit by Jan. 3, 2022. Eviction, the notice states, “... could hinder future rental on any subsidized property.” The boilerplate lease violation accuses Vicki, or someone in her unit, with threatening the health and safety of others in the building. No specific events are documented.

“They’re a retaliatory real estate,” said Vicki. “Now I gave my name to you, they’re going to be acting to fool with me.”

Housing advocates confirmed that property managers have retaliated against at least a dozen ETA members by handing down lease violation and termination of subsidy notices, as well as illegally towing cars.

“You can’t even come into the building because now they had a whole shootout on the side of your car, and now you’re stuck in the crosshairs,” said Teresa, an Ellis Lakeview Apartments tenant at the Dec. 29, 2021 press conference.

(Wendy Rosen photo)

After receiving warning notices from Integra, tenants worked with advocates to compile and present evidence of inaccuracies to both Integra and HUD. This has triggered HUD investigations and, in several cases, has led Integra to provide written proof that it has cleared incorrect violations from tenant records.

Apex and the City of Chicago have been in court since March 27, 2021, when the city filed a housing complaint against Apex for failing 18 inspections and racking up more than 100 code violations. After tenants made court appearances, Apex filed a motion on Nov. 12, 2021 to block tenants and advocates from speaking in Building Court hearings. They contend that “parties who have no discernable interest in the Property” are raising new issues that delay the court from addressing violations lodged in the city’s complaint.

Housing organizer Noah Moskowitz, a volunteer with ETA, is specifically mentioned as someone who should be barred from speaking in court. Moskowitz believes the landlord is trying to stop tenants and advocates from raising concerns about their living conditions. “It’s a public court hearing where the judge can decide who she wants to hear from,” he said. “The judge has the right to ask whoever she wants to speak to speak.”

The city and HUD have threatened Apex and Integra with hefty financial sanctions, including a March 2021 HUD freeze on Housing Assistance Payments; a City of Chicago $3,000 daily fine, and a HUD levy of $278,677 and $523,666 in civil penalties unless problems are fixed. Apex sent HUD a $5,000 settlement offer on July 15, but HUD replied in an email that the offer was a non-starter and the agency plans to proceed with litigation.

StreetWise’s request for a comment from Apex/Integra was answered in an email from Apex attorney Shomshon Moskowitz, who wrote that his client is in the midst of legal proceedings and cannot comment at this time.

Tenants said safety is a top concern. They suggest that a parking lot gate -- broken for months -- is a serious issue.

Eric Sirota, a Shriver Center on Poverty Law attorney representing the ETA, sent HUD a petition signed by 55 tenants on Nov. 4, 2021. Tenants are demanding 24-hour professional onsite security.

Incidents cited in the petition include:

• 5/2/21: Someone drove into the parking gate, smashing into cars

• 5/27: Two women were attacked by a man on the 1st floor to the point where an ambulance was called

• 6/1: Gunshots were fired in and around the building

• 7/8: A neighbor in the building was shot

• 8/15: A drive-by shooting left several people seriously injured in the parking lot after 2 a.m.

• 10/22: A stabbing took place in the building

Nadrea Satchell said her kids are spending time at her mother’s house because they don’t know what they will encounter when they come home. Broken doors and gates provide building access to anyone. “We have no security patrolling the front to make sure no one would just come in and out of the units, and people are able to walk amongst the floors, you know, where tenant’s kids are out.”

Residents also complained about months of low water pressure, no hot water, leaking pipes, and standing water.

Tenants Nadrea Satchell and Teresa at the Ellis Lakeview Tenants Association press conference on Dec. 29, 2021.

(Wendy Rosen photos)

A close-up of Satchell's sign that reads "Mice & Vermin Live Rent Free At Ellis Lakeview."

(Wendy Rosen photos)

“Morning chores, you know, washing breakfast dishes, taking a shower, even doing regular chores have become, you know, becoming a really big task because we have to boil water to even get a hot shower or to wash our dishes,” said Satchell.

Arthur is another tenant who said he never knows when standing water in the tub is going to make it hard to get ready for work.

The City of Chicago’s complaint cites “very low hot water pressure.” HUD discovered the same issue and sent Apex two penalty notices on May 13 and October 21 threatening fines for inadequate hot water pressure, no hot water, and slow drainage with sediment backing up into bathtubs. A court-ordered demand in October pushed Apex to file for a permit to begin plumbing work, but advocates and tenants say there is no indication the work is ongoing.

Rodent and pest infestation is another constant problem that Ellis Lakeview management documented in a November 2020 letter to a pest control company: “the building is covered in roaches, bed bugs, and mice.” HUD also found evidence of pest infestation when they checked the building nearly a year later, on Aug. 30-31, 2021. Inspectors noted rodent holes, dead mice, and live cockroaches in HUD Pre- Penalty Notices sent to Apex in May and October.

“I don’t think they would live like this,” said resident Mike White. “We’re human beings and the way they’re treating us is unethical.”

The ETA is calling on Apex/Integra to retract its motion to keep tenants and advocates from speaking at Building Court Hearings. ETA also wants the landlord to repair the plumbing system, to hire 24-hour on-site security, and to fix all remaining problems. If those requests cannot be met, then tenants are calling for a new, responsible building owner to be put in place through receivership, according to the press release.

Arthur holds a sign with tenant demands at a press conference on Dec. 29, 2021.

(Wendy Rosen photo)

Wendy Rosen is a multimedia reporter covering a range of issues from immigration to housing. She is a winner of the National Federation of Press Women 2019 National Communications Contest for her photo story in StreetWise on Chicago’s Rohinga refugee community.