Maya Dukmasova

Aug 11, 2024 | blockclubchicago.org | Alejandra Cancino |Maya Dukmasova |Forest Gregg |Alex Richards

This is the first story in The Tenant Trap, a five-part investigative project by Injustice Watch, a Chicago-based nonprofit journalism organization that examines issues of equity and justice in the court system. Click here to read the whole series. CHICAGO — In January, 71-year-old Paul London was among two dozen tenants kicked out of the four-story South Side apartment building he called home for the past 25 years.

Aug 7, 2024 | injusticewatch.org | Alex Richards |Forest Gregg |Maya Dukmasova |Alejandra Cancino

To examine the link between dangerous building disrepair and evictions in Chicago, Injustice Watch analyzed roughly 1.9 million code violations, 60,000 administrative court dockets, 300,000 eviction court dockets, and 43,000 housing court dockets dating back to the early 2000s. Because Chicago Property Index Numbers were absent from these records, Injustice Watch relied on street addresses to conduct its initial analyses.

Aug 7, 2024 | injusticewatch.org | Alejandra Cancino |Maya Dukmasova |Forest Gregg |Alex Richards

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. Republish this articleThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. We welcome and encourage other news organizations to republish our reporting on the Cook County court system.

Aug 7, 2024 | injusticewatch.org | Alejandra Cancino |Maya Dukmasova

It wasn’t always tense between Megan Franklin and her landlords. In 2014, when she moved in, most of the 35 units in the courtyard building with castle turrets  were occupied by condo owners. It showed in the details. Her second-floor apartment had granite countertops, exposed brick walls, a gas fireplace, and central air conditioning. She liked Woodlawn, a historic Black community with a good neighborhood school. And she said the rent was fair — $1,215 for two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Aug 7, 2024 | injusticewatch.org | Alejandra Cancino |Maya Dukmasova

In 2020, Tonnett Hammond was getting increasingly anxious about not being able to reach her new landlords. By then, the post office had stopped delivering mail because of broken mailboxes at the 11-story apartment building known as Ellis Lakeview Apartments and conditions were worsening. Trash began accumulating in the hallway, roaches were colonizing apartments, and sewage backups were damaging carpets and furniture. “Management completely abandoned the building,” Hammond said.