Rogers Park tenants seek fixes after renovations left faulty stoves, bug infestations

Brenda Dunkins initially thought it was a dream come true to have her federally subsidized apartment on the city’s Far North Side undergo renovations.

When she returned to her two-bedroom unit after a five-day renovation, it felt like she was living in a “nightmare.” Dunkins, 68, said her electric stove can’t cook things for long periods of time, and she has to use electric heaters to heat up her home.

One of her daughters, who lives in a different unit at Northpoint Apartments, located at 7717 N. Paulina St., has been dealing with rodent infestation after the floorboards appear to not have been installed, Dunkins said, who showed photos of the unit.

“We shouldn’t be treated like this,” Dunkins said Tuesday outside of the apartment complex. “They’re getting paid big, top dollars. We shouldn’t have to suffer like this, but they don’t give a darn. Trust me, they don’t care. We are living in hell.”

Dunkins and other residents gathered Tuesday outside of the Rogers Park complex to go public about their concerns. Other residents said they don’t have working electric stoves, some are dealing with bed bugs and rat infestations while others don’t have adequate heat in their units. One woman said that despite her attempts to keep her apartment clean, the bed bug infestation is so bad that even her young son has been bitten by the bugs.

Brian Rich/Sun-Times

While the residents and elected leaders have been in regular communication with Related Midwest, which manages the apartments, residents say they are frustrated and want to know when their concerns will be addressed. The complex includes more than 300 units.

Ald. Maria Hadden, whose 49th Ward includes the housing complex, has been involved in those discussions and said the gap in the talks is when exactly the repairs will be made. She said residents are asking for the bare minimum from Related Midwest.

“They have not fixed many of the problems that these residents are living with, and it is inhumane,” Hadden said. “It is unfair. We should not be giving any more public dollars — certainly no city TIF dollars — to a company that cannot manage a property to make sure that people are safe, that they are healthy, that their kids can go to school without bed bug bites, that they can cook meals in their homes.”

In a statement, Related Midwest said it has invested $21 million in repairs on the property that include a new roof, new windows, kitchen cabinets, appliances, plumbing fixtures and lighting.

“We remain committed to working with residents, organizers and elected officials and will continue to be responsive to any resident concerns, including through monthly meetings with residents and stakeholders to ensure the community continues to have quality affordable housing options,” the company said in the statement.

Brian Rich/Sun-Times

Toy Battle, a resident Related Midwest connected to the media, said that he was happy with the repairs, saying his unit now has more kitchen space and that he frequently uses his stove. He said his unit did at one point have bed bugs but that the issue was quickly fixed by management.

“I like the management that is in there right now over the management that was in there before,” he said, adding that he thinks the company does a good job of communicating with residents. “It’s a lot of work dealing with different types of people and the neighborhood itself.”

Valarie Davis, another resident at Northpoint Apartments, said she’s lived in the housing complex for 40 years and has undergone three renovations, adding the latest one that happened in 2021 seems to be the worst one. She was left with an electric stove that appears to have an issue with maintaining a certain temperature.

“I’m trying to cook a pot of oatmeal which takes 10 minutes to cook — took a whole hour to cook that oatmeal,” Davis said. “That was the top of the stove. The oven, it will stay hot for about half an hour, after that the temperature will drop and it will stay at that temperature.”

Davis said she was sent a part for the stove, but no one has come to install the part.

“In June it will be a whole year that I haven’t cooked a real good meal,” said Davis, who added that she’s concerned about what she eats because she has high blood pressure. “And I need to eat a good meal.”

Brian Rich/Sun-Times

Elvia Malagón’s reporting on social justice and income inequality is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.