Results tagged “eviction”

More Trouble For Spire Developer

Already responsible for The City's Most Expensive Hole In The Ground, Spire developer group Shelbourne Development Group Inc. is in more hot water as their sales center is facing eviction from its current home in NBC Tower. Crain's reports that a complaint filed in Cook County Circuit Court claims that Shelbourne hasn't paid rent since April 1 and owes over $300,000 for the space which takes up the entire 18th floor. It's not the only legal wranglings Shelbourne's been involved in; remember, they were sued by Bank of America back in August for allegedly defaulting on a loan. A spokeswoman for Shelbourne said in a statement, “The issue is a typical tenant/landlord dispute that we expect to be resolved amicably. During our time there, we've experienced a few minor issues, and hope the management is more responsive to our concerns.” And, in a display of optimism that suggests Shelbourne lives in a land of rainbows, leprechauns, and unicorns, she added, “The Chicago Spire project is very much alive and yes, we are still talking to potential buyers interested in purchasing units."

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In Illinois, Hope in a Tough Housing Market

Governor Pat Quinn was in Chicago's West Lawn neighborhood this weekend to sign into law a bill that extends a 90 day grace period to homeowners facing foreclosure. The bill, which passed the state legislature in late January, prohibits lenders from beginning foreclosure proceedings during the first 30 days of delinquency. After that, lenders are required to tell homeowners that they have 30 days after that period to seek credit counseling. Homeowners who get counseling from a HUD-approved credit counselor then have an additional 30 days to work out a plan to begin making payments on their home loan again.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is closer to resuming evictions of rent-paying tenants living in foreclosed properties now that judges are using a new court document. The new document specifically outlines how long the tenant has until he/she has to leave the property - the shortest of 120 days or the remainder of the lease. Dart spokesman Steve Patterson said:

We applaud Judge Kinnaird for taking this step and believe it brings us much closer to a resolution. We're continuing to meet with the judge and state's attorneys, addressing logistical changes that will have to take place before the plan can be finalized. But we're confident things are moving in that direction.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, he of "We won't surprise tenants with an eviction order intended for their landlord" fame, recently sat down with Time Magazine to discuss the housing crisis and why he came to the decision he did.

Tell me about your thoughts on the "cavalier" attitude at the root of this problem.

After two years of legal battling, the Illinois Appellate Court upheld a ruling by Cook County Court Judge Sheldon Garber ordering the owners of Jimbo's Lounge (3258 S. Princeton) to vacate the premises. The battle began when building owners Ray and Donna DeGrazia opted not to renew the lease with bar owners Jimbo and Joyce Levato. The Levatos claimed they had a verbal agreement on a new lease on which the DeGrazias reneged.

The fight between longtime Bridgeport staple Jimbo's lounge and landlords Ray and Donna DeGrazia took an unexpected twist when recent court filings indicated that the DeGrazias had reached an oral agreement to replace Jimbo's with a John Barleycorn. Barleycorn owner Sam Sanchez eventually backed out of the deal due to the continuing court battles and twists involving Jimbo's protracted eviction, which even owners Jimbo and Joyce Levato admitted is ultimately an academic conclusion.

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