Harvey tenants at boarded-up apartments now face another problem: possible homelessness

HARVEY, Ill. - Residents who were trapped in their boarded-up apartments in Harvey are facing another hurdle – figuring out where to live next.

Genvieve Tyler was inside her apartment on Friday, when crews were boarding up the units, and says she thought someone was breaking in.

"They came like they were about to raid something. It was 30 of them," she said.

RELATED: 'I didn't hear anybody': Harvey tenants trapped in boarded-up apartments

Viral cell phone video shows 73-year-old Rudolph Williams talking to his nephew through his door while trapped inside a boarded-up apartment.

Williams says he was inside for two to three hours. He was one of at least five families who were still inside their units with their belongings.

Non-occupancy orders are now posted on more than 30 apartments.

In December, Harvey's buildings department deemed the properties along 144th and Halsted as an "imminent safety risk." 

The city said in a statement that they "did not evict anyone but has advised property owners of unsafe conditions."

Those conditions include structural issues, collapsed stairs and numerous calls to 9-1-1 for illegal activity.

Many of the families receive governmental assistance for housing. 

Tyler says she was just laid off and doesn't have money for a deposit. 

FOX 32 received this statement on behalf of the property owners, Jay Patel and Henry Cho:

"Prior to the initial purchase of the property in February of 2023, we were given the "all-clear" to move forward, following multiple inspections, including one from the city of Harvey, with only a few minor issues needing to be addressed. After several months of operation, we were surprised by the city’s notice to immediately have the building vacated to begin structural repairs to the staircases, but we were committed to following their guidance and promptly rectifying any issues for the safety of the residents. 

We aimed to treat the tenants with as much respect and consideration as possible, given the difficult and unexpected circumstances they were facing - including negotiating with the city to prolong the evacuation time, swiftly notifying the residents through various channels, as well as offering concessions to try to aid in this challenging transition. Our property management firm coordinated the shutdown of the building with the city of Harvey, and onsite vendors reported that on Friday, January 5th, the viral allegations regarding tenants being boarded into their apartments are categorically false. 

While we cannot control the actions of our tenants, we try to enforce policies that provide a safe environment to those who call the building home and once we are notified of any issues, we act quickly to ensure that the situation is resolved. We place our tenant's safety at the forefront of all our decisions and we hope to reopen our building to the city’s standards around March, as we continue to cooperate and begin quality repairs and follow the appropriate guidelines."

The property owners also said the 73-year-old man who was inside one of the apartments was evicted by the Harvey Sheriff's Department in July of 2023 and has not been a resident since then. They said it is unknown why he was there.

They added that:

"Prior to being informed of the structural issues with the building, the owners were previously working with a different property management firm, which unfortunately was not an ideal fit for the city’s communication needs. In response, the owners immediately took action and hired a new company to take over the day-to-day management in November and have seen notable improvements and look forward to an improved and continued positive working relationship with the city. 

Also of note, while the city of Harvey did not evict anyone directly, they did order the shutdown of the building and subsequently coordinated with the property management firm to ensure a safe evacuation on January 5th, including the presence of several police officers and placing red notices of a non-occupancy order on each unit door signed by City officials. "

On Jan. 16, Cook County's Housing Authority said it is working with some residents to find new homes.