Eyes On The Landlord

Updates from around the city

Hilliard Tower Tenants Have Had Enough!

Tenants in the HIlliard Towers have unionized. Hilliard Towers is a 654-unit housing block that targets families and seniors in the near South Side. On November 17th 2023, a group of Towers tenants read and delivered a letter of demands to the on-site management office. Tenants also delivered their letter to the offices of the mayor, the 3rd Ward alderperson Pat Dowell, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Signed by 49 tenants, the letter implored Holsten Real Estate Company to devise a proactive plan to tackle the incessant issues faced by the residents. Holsten Real Estate is the entity that owns and manages the Hilliard Towers, in addition to over a dozen others in the Chicagoland area. Tenants reported problems such as water and sewage leaking into their homes, cockroach infestations, mold that was repeatedly painted over, and security issues like key cards not working. Doors would also consistently be left unlocked, regardless of the security staff onsite. The tenants were not alone in finding issues, as building inspectors have issued citations for structural damage on numerous occasions over the past two years- an issue that ownership had disregarded. In stark contrast, the Holsten group boasts in their mission statement that they work to “strengthen at-risk populations by expanding their access to viable resources that promote self-sufficiency, wellness and stability.” 

The recently established Hilliard Tenants Association is fueled by optimism, stemming from the slew of tenants who are actively participating in their meetings thus far. They aspire to collaborate with seniors in the buildings and continue moving forward.

First Western, Watch Out!

A group of tenants living in Chicago’s Lower West Side and Pilsen communities have formed the First Western Tenant Union. Forged in response to egregious rent hikes and substandard building conditions, the union has now achieved successful rent withholdings, secured a 20% reduction in rent, had essential repairs done in their six-unit building, and established meaningful connections with many of their neighbors. All as a direct result of the union’s formation! Two members of the First Western Tenant Union spoke with us, highlighting instances where the building had been neglected. These include significant plumbing issues, bed bugs, mice infestations, and water leaks. Initially their complaints received minimal to no response from First Western. When a tenant reached out, First Western’s CEO Paul Tsarakis proceeded to deflect by making racist remarks. According to Paul, “the neighborhood is going bad because of Black kids.”

Although he initially refused to acknowledge the union and rejected requests for conversation, Paul Tsarakis eventually sat down for a brief meeting. During the meeting, Tsarakis bullied and belittled the tenants, accusing them of only wanting “free rent” and making up the issues in the building. The meeting came only after the union, along with other community members, held a successful rally in June of 2023, where they handed Tsarakis the portion of their rent that had been withheld. Additionally, Tsarakis incurred a $500 fine in circuit court due to the multitude of unaddressed complaints filed against First Western Properties.

Now that First Western Tenant Union has achieved their initial goals, their main focus is to continue to reach out to other First Western properties- some of which have even worse conditions than they fought against in their own building. They remain in contact with tenants across multiple First Western buildings and wish to develop their online presence so they can assist others and expand their union. 

One tenant explained to us how, through the experience of unionizing her building, she’s accrued political knowledge and learned how to leverage tenant power. She had previously believed tenants had few rights, and found this belief isolating. “After going through the process he [Paul Tsarakis] is less than nothing. Everything he has accumulated can all be taken away. We have a lot of power here.” Another tenant similarly noted that she learned “the amount of power that there is in organizing and how landlords will take advantage of you if you let them. You still have rights and deserve a good quality of life even if you don’t own your home.”

By organizing together, this union has not only strengthened the bonds they have with their neighbors and community, but has learned how to make concrete changes that improve the quality of their lives and the lives of those around them. Alone, tenants are often ignored by their landlords, but together and with some work, they become a force to be reckoned with. The union hopes to grow and is open to making friends and allies in the community. You can contact them at firstwesterntenantunion@gmail.com.

An Update on the Fair Tenants Union!

Fair Tenants Union, who we first reported on in TT4, continues to organize against the reprehensible and shameful slumlord Gary Carlson. To summarize, the villain allowed conditions in his buildings to become so degraded that Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) canceled their contract with him in July of last year, declaring that his buildings had “significant life/safety violations.” This meant that Carlson tenants with Section 8 vouchers had to move out, leaving them scrambling. They had very few options, and thus the Fair Tenants Union was formed.

Fair Tenants Union continues to meet weekly to discuss their plans, despite many members having moved out of Carlson’s apartments via their protests and negotiation with CHA. When asked why she stays a part of the union, now that she’s moved to a nicer apartment, Fair Tenants Union member Thelia replied “Right is right.” She continues to learn about tenants all over Illinois who have to deal with unjust conditions, and has realized people like judges who preside over these cases are a huge part of the problem. She stated she’s been an activist her whole life, and recalled that when she was a child, she would go with her grandmother to churches where the Black Panther Party would serve meals to her community. She told us that through being a part of a tenant union, she’s formed friendships. “You never know who can help you. Eat together, support each other, knock on your neighbor’s door and ask if you can help with anything.” 

Gary Conman?

Tenants Talk has recently been made aware of a scam that occurred in a Gary Carlson building, which affected two families who recently migrated to the city. The tenants signed a lease from someone named Carl Martinez, only to be kicked out a day or so later by Carlson. After they moved in, the tenants were harassed and had the locks changed, despite all of the fees they had paid and the lease they had signed. It remains unclear whether slumlord Gary Carlson is in cahoots with this Carl Martinez or not. The fraudulent lease scam may be coming from an outside party. 

No tenants have chosen to comment at this time. If you know more about this ongoing story, please contact us!

Apex and Trigild, Their Pockets Are Filled

Ellis Lakeview Apartments is a building in Kenwood. Recently, it was taken into receivership by the Cook County Circuit Court, who appointed Triguild IVL as the receiver. The action followed years of tenants complaints, plus a recent inspection that revealed problems like pest infestations and broken elevators. Apex Chicago IL had been the landlord previously.

In the face of foreclosure, Apex initially pledged a repair fund, but then negligently failed to provide the mandated amount. Despite this, Apex continued to receive federal subsidies. However, they also faced accusations of fund misuse, leading to an intervention by the feds. At the same time, Apex’s former manager pleaded guilty to engaging in real estate fraud.

In being appointed receiver, Trigild IVL has been charged with managing and repairing these apartments. But they are presently under fire—due to an actual fire, in a separate apartment complex they manage on the North Side.

Two tenants were critically injured after a fire broke out in their Triguild-managed Edgewater apartments. Only one tenant reported hearing any alarms. When asked, Trigild’s response was that the alarms worked perfectly. Suspicious. More on this in our article,“Edison Fire.” 

This goes to show: receivership is a tool used to protect the interests of creditors, lenders, or other stakeholders, often at the expense of the tenants who are living in the building. Tenants don’t have any say in who will be taking over and the courts don’t care if these new owners have a clean record or one that was burned. Just make sure your rent is paid on time!