Feds Raid Squalid South Shore Building, Residents Left to Face Uncertain Future
As winter approaches, nearly 40 residents of the notorious 7500 South Shore Drive apartment building remain without heat or hot water, forced to endure squalid conditions that have become a national scandal. Just last month, Cook County Judge appointed Friedman Communities to relocate tenants and clean up the property, but it appears little has been done since.
The new owner's inaction has only exacerbated the dire situation, with residents telling WBEZ reporter that the building's elevators no longer function, leaving many unable to move around safely. Conditions have deteriorated further, with reports of pools of urine and sewage in common areas, and a dead cat found in one abandoned unit.
Tenants union representatives are now calling for urgent repairs, including heating, electricity, and elevator installation, as well as cleanup of the building's notorious pest and mold infestation. They also demand 24-hour security and relocation assistance of $7,500 per household within 30 days of scheduled move-out.
Despite an initial influx of resources to address the crisis sparked by a September immigration raid that drew international attention, many residents now fear for their safety and well-being. An organizer with Southside Together said the raid only provided temporary relief before security disappeared once national attention faded.
Tenants union president Mashawnda Price fears losing her 3-year-old daughter due to the hazardous conditions, which include dark hallways and stairwells. Her daughter is currently staying with a grandmother. Meanwhile, Darren Hightower, who has lived in the building for two years, described people living with disabilities that cannot be relocated without assistance.
The tenants union is now pushing the mayor's office to prioritize their concerns and work with Friedman Communities to relocate residents to safe buildings within the South Shore neighborhood. However, so far, there has been no official response from Mayor Brandon Johnson's office.
In a stark reversal of fortunes, the situation highlights the urgency for better regulation and oversight in housing markets across the US, where residents are often left to suffer under substandard living conditions with little recourse or support.
As winter approaches, nearly 40 residents of the notorious 7500 South Shore Drive apartment building remain without heat or hot water, forced to endure squalid conditions that have become a national scandal. Just last month, Cook County Judge appointed Friedman Communities to relocate tenants and clean up the property, but it appears little has been done since.
The new owner's inaction has only exacerbated the dire situation, with residents telling WBEZ reporter that the building's elevators no longer function, leaving many unable to move around safely. Conditions have deteriorated further, with reports of pools of urine and sewage in common areas, and a dead cat found in one abandoned unit.
Tenants union representatives are now calling for urgent repairs, including heating, electricity, and elevator installation, as well as cleanup of the building's notorious pest and mold infestation. They also demand 24-hour security and relocation assistance of $7,500 per household within 30 days of scheduled move-out.
Despite an initial influx of resources to address the crisis sparked by a September immigration raid that drew international attention, many residents now fear for their safety and well-being. An organizer with Southside Together said the raid only provided temporary relief before security disappeared once national attention faded.
Tenants union president Mashawnda Price fears losing her 3-year-old daughter due to the hazardous conditions, which include dark hallways and stairwells. Her daughter is currently staying with a grandmother. Meanwhile, Darren Hightower, who has lived in the building for two years, described people living with disabilities that cannot be relocated without assistance.
The tenants union is now pushing the mayor's office to prioritize their concerns and work with Friedman Communities to relocate residents to safe buildings within the South Shore neighborhood. However, so far, there has been no official response from Mayor Brandon Johnson's office.
In a stark reversal of fortunes, the situation highlights the urgency for better regulation and oversight in housing markets across the US, where residents are often left to suffer under substandard living conditions with little recourse or support.
... Like, imagine being stuck without heat or hot water during winter - it's just not right 
. And the state of that building is absolutely unacceptable 
. I mean, who can live like that? It's a national scandal for real 
.
... Losing access to basic human rights like heat and hot water because of where you live is just heartbreaking 
. And what about Darren and his disability? It's not fair at all 
. We need better regulation and oversight in housing markets, period 
. I'm calling on them to work with Friedman Communities to get these people relocated to safe buildings ASAP 
.
. We need to hold our leaders accountable for these kinds of issues 
. The future of these people is at stake, and we can't afford to wait any longer 
.
They need to step up and do some real work to get those tenants relocated and safe.
...like 7500 South Shore Dr is literally a health hazard now...how much more suffering r these ppl gotta endure b4 smthn gets done? 
. Newsflash: ppl ain't gonna keep movin' in a place w/o heat, hot water, or basic functioning infrastructure 
24/7 security & relocation assistance? that's da bare minimum rn 
& mayor Johnson's office is just ignorein ppl now? not cool @ all 
. we need beter reguilation n oversight in housing n thats 4 shure 
And 1 in 5 seniors experience elder isolation due to mobility issues, but this building is literally a death trap for them 
. Did u know that every dollar invested in addressing lead poisoning can prevent up to $1 million in healthcare costs? 
and the fact that the new owner isn't doing anything about it is appalling. 24hr security and relocation assistance aren't enough, they need to fix the building from the ground up... 
. And don't even get me started on the state of the building - it's disgusting! Pools of urine and sewage? Dead cat in an abandoned unit? Gross 
.
. And what's even more disturbing is that it happened after an initial influx of resources to address the crisis, but now it seems like everyone has forgotten about these residents 
.
. This is not just about fixing a building, it's about human lives 
!