Last month, the Cabrini-Green building at 412 W Chicago Ave was closed and gutted in response to security concerns about gang violence. The Chicago Housing Authority reports that all of the families who occupied the building have found new homes.
But one resident says otherwise.
Sherice Wolfe told the Chi-Town Daily News that the timeline she and others were given to find a new place to live was too short.
She estimates that a dozen families have had to take up residence in homeless shelters or in overcrowded apartments with other family members. Many of the building's former residents can't move into new public housing units due to family with criminal records, according to Wolfe.
Wolfe's own teenage son has a record, which is making it difficult for her to find a new home.
"He jeopardizes me," she said, "but how can I turn him out?"
CHA spokesperson Matt Aguilar however says that Wolfe's claims are incorrect. Aguilar says that all families have been accounted for and none of them have been left homeless.
Local
Carol Steele, president of Cabrini's local advisory council, hadn't heard the accusations but has said she'll look into it.
"That's something that needs to be talked about," Steele said.
The boarded up building is set to be demolished sometime this spring or summer, Aguilar reports.
Matt Bartosik is the editor of Off the Rocks' next issue and a "between blogs" blogger.
