CHA Catches Cabrini-Green Residents Off-Guard With Eviction Notices
By Amy Perry in News on May 20, 2010 5:20PM
Citing crime and safety issues as a primary concern, the Chicago Housing Authority issued 30-day eviction notices to the 31 families still living in the Cabrini-Green building at 1230 N. Larrabee Street. The families aren't pleased with the notices that they felt came out of nowhere. According to the Sun-Times, residents thought a new mixed-income housing development was planned for the future and believed they secured an agreement to stay via a federal lawsuit. CHA’s Plan for Transformation calls for a standard 180-day notice and a federal judge was overseeing negotiations between CHA and tenants seeking to consolidate into one of the four Cabrini-Green properties while awaiting new housing.
In a press release [PDF, via], CHA CEO Lewis Jordan said: "First and foremost, our job is to put people in better and safer housing. We can no longer tolerate seeing good people live in deteriorating and unsafe conditions. Anyone who has been inside the old Cabrini buildings cannot deny the deteriorating conditions. The families there are at great risk and it is our responsibility to see that those residents are moved from that environment as quickly as possible."
CHA officials say that all families will be given the choice to relocate to another CHA-rehabbed property or use a housing choice voucher to rent in the private market. Relocation assistance will be offered to all 31 families still living in the high rise.
Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) is pushing the CHA to reconsider the evictions while Richard Wheelock, an attorney for the residents, said that if the CHA doesn't reconsider then another federal lawsuit may be filed.