Essence Nelson, a 26-year-old single mother, is facing the harsh realities of life after a devastating fire forced her from her South Shore apartment earlier this year.
Now residing in a two-bedroom apartment in Blue Island with her 4-year-old son, Nelson’s life took a turn for the worse since the fire in February.
Struggling to find affordable housing in her previous neighborhood, Nelson now travels 15 miles daily to drop her son off at elementary school in Chatham before heading to her job in social services at Roseland Hospital.
The fire turned Nelson’s dream of returning to college into a distant aspiration as the time spent on the road and rising gas prices weigh heavily on her.
Her former home at 6725-6733 South Paxton Avenue was managed by CKO Real Estate, a landlord accused of neglecting its properties.
Tenants across several buildings owned by CKO reported chronic issues such as lack of heat, water, and electricity.
As the situation worsened, four buildings on Paxton Avenue fell into foreclosure, leaving many without assistance, including Nelson.
While affected tenants are receiving $2,500 in relocation assistance, Nelson and seven others have seen no such help, raising serious questions about accountability.
According to city officials, Nelson and others in her building must contact Chikoo Patel, the CEO of CKO Real Estate, who has not only multiple complaints against him but also has yet to provide any aid post-fire.
“I could use that money to move [back to South Shore],” Nelson expressed, increasingly frustrated by the circumstances.
Despite the chaos, tenant groups led by Southside Together recently celebrated a court ruling that awarded $50,000 in relocation assistance for tenants from two other condemned buildings on the same street.
These groups received $2,500 each for 20 individuals affected by significant city code violations, with Cook County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Sconza labeling the properties as unsafe.
While some tenants have been granted extensions to vacate, Nelson’s building remains the only condemned property in the vicinity where individuals have received no support.
Echoing the sentiments of many, Nelson reflects on life without basic amenities, recalling how her neighbors lived without heat starting from a boiler malfunction reported by property manager Jerome Faulker.
In January, a city inspector noted dangerously low temperatures in Nelson’s apartment, citing a chilling 31 degrees in one bedroom and 35 in another.
On February 23, much to the community’s shock, a two-alarm fire broke out in the building, attributed to human action according to the fire department report.
Two days prior, Nelson received urgent voicemail warnings from a city inspector urging her to remove her belongings before the building was boarded up—a directive that, contrary to the instructions, was never carried out.
As a result, many residents were unable to retrieve their possessions before the fire attacked their homes.
Some tenants ended up moving in with friends or relatives, incurring additional costs and challenges as they coped with the aftermath of the tragedy.
Despite multiple requests, these tenants report that they, too, have not received any relocation assistance.
Nelson learned that under the control of CKO and Patel at the time of the fire, the property owners were still responsible for assisting tenants—an obligation they seemingly have yet to fulfill.
According to Kristen Cabanban, director of news affairs for the Chicago Department of Law, relief for these tenants will only come once a receiver is appointed, which happened after the fire.
However, Cabanban emphasized the responsibility of tenants to seek assistance from Patel, posing an insurmountable hurdle given his elusive status.
Reports suggest that his company was permanently closed following accusations of embezzling millions, leaving many former tenants in limbo without assistance.
Tracking down Patel has proven nearly impossible, with numerous challenges faced by both tenants and legal representatives who have tried unsuccessfully to serve him.
Through various fraudulent activities, Patel appears to be operating under different LLCs, raising further complications for those seeking justice and support.
Romeo Dixon, executive director of Southside Together, is committed to helping Nelson and affected neighbors navigate the fallout from the fire, despite being unaware of their specific situation until recently.
As Nelson’s harrowing experience unfolds, it highlights the broader struggle faced by tenants in similar predicaments across Chicago as they confront issues of relocation and rebuilding their lives.
This ongoing situation raises significant questions about accountability and the rights of tenants in the hands of unscrupulous landlords, underscoring the need for systemic changes to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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