Residents of an apartment building in Harvey, Illinois found themselves trapped inside their units after their doors and windows were boarded shut. Concerns were raised when videos of the incident circulated on social media. One resident, Rudolph Williams, stated that he was trapped inside his unit without any prior notice. Photos of the more than 30 boarded up units showed non-occupancy orders.
The City of Harvey shared photos on social media revealing deplorable living conditions and major structural concerns in the apartment complex. These included broken concrete, rusted out holes in staircases, personal belongings stored in stairwells, piles of garbage on the property grounds, and overflowing dumpsters. In October 2023, the city launched an investigation into the property due to structural issues and collapsed stair risers. Discussions were held with the property owners, Jay Patel and Henry Cho, regarding these concerns as well as numerous 911 calls reporting illegal activities on the premises.
During a meeting two months prior, the city recommended that the property owners hire a structural engineer to assess the damages. The city’s building department granted a two-week period for hiring the contractor and urged the owners to erect temporary structures to block the stairs. The owners were also advised to vacate the building for safety reasons during construction, with an extension granted until the end of October for residents to find alternative housing.
City officials emphasized to the property owners that the building had surpassed its life expectancy and needed to be evacuated by October 28. The responsibility to communicate this information to tenants was also stressed. Multiple assessments took place between October 28 and December 14, during which the city’s building department determined that two buildings posed an imminent safety risk due to deteriorating balconies and stairs.
On Friday, as city police conducted inspections and wellness checks, the property owners boarded both buildings. Mayor Christopher J. Clark was contacted for comment but did not respond immediately.
