Air conditioning controversy: Alderman says apartment where 3 women died won't turn on A/C until June
Air conditioning controversy: Alderman says apartment where 3 women died won't turn on A/C until June
Three women were found dead at a Chicago apartment building without air conditioning, and the alderman said that building officials told her they don't turn on the A/C until June 1 no matter how hot it gets. Rogers Park Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) contacted building officials last week after calls from residents about their health and safety. Chicago's temperatures broke records last week.
CHICAGO - Three women were found dead at a Chicago apartment building without air conditioning, and the alderman said that building officials told her they don't turn on the A/C until June 1 no matter how hot it gets.
Rogers Park Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) contacted building officials last week after calls from residents about their health and safety. Chicago's temperatures broke records last week.
Chicago alderwoman says three women have died at apartment building without air conditioning
Chicago Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) said said that she had started getting complaints about the lack of air conditioning from residents at the James Sneider apartments, 7450 N Rogers, on Thursday. By that time, Chicago had suffered through days of an unseasonable heat wave.
"Maybe we need an ordinance telling people that they have to provide AC for their residents," Hadden said. "I'm not sure where we're going with that. But we all know climate change is here. It gets hotter sooner. The weather's less predictable and these management companies are going to have to use their common sense to put the life and health of their residents first."
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The three women who were found dead in their rooms on Saturday were identified as Janice Reed, 68; Gwendolyne Osborne, 72; and Delores McNeeley, 76. The Cook County Medical Examiner has not yet ruled on the causes of death.
James Sneider management did set up a cooling center that many of the residents slept in.
Roneisha Harris' grandmother is one of several hundred residents of the ten-story building.
"It's sweltering in there. Ever since the hot weather started it's been really hot. Uncontrollably hot," Harris said.
The building is owned and managed by the Hispanic Housing and Development Corporation, which has not yet responded to questions.