Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart on Wednesday said a Chicago-based property management company has been illegally posting eviction notices for tenants and he wants it to stop.
"This is outrageous conduct. What you have here is a situation where people are living here, paying their rent. They've done nothing wrong," he said at a protest outside the offices of CHIProperties, at 1512 North Fremont Street.
Dart said the company has been posting notices instructing renters in buildings subject to foreclosure that they must move out of the building immediately or they would be escorted off of the property without their belongings.
"They come in and tried to board it up," renter Luis Islas said of his west side apartment building. "This company, and banks, they think they can do whatever they want, but it’s not right."
According to federal and state law, renters within a foreclosed building are given 90 days notice before an eviction can take place.
Dart said he's sent cease-and-desist letters to CHIProperties and similar firms that had sent out similar, illegal notices.
Officials from CHIProperties were not available for comment.
