Friday, May 10, 2024   |   View in browser

Update on 2018 Wesley Avenue Apartments Evacuation

EVANSTON, IL - An assessment performed on May 8, 2024 as part of ongoing monitoring revealed that the deteriorating condition of the stairs and platforms at 2018 Wesley Avenue posed an immediate threat to resident safety. Therefore, on May 9, 2024, the City of Evanston assisted the three remaining tenant households of 2018 Wesley Avenue in evacuating the building. The City began to reach out to residents in the early afternoon, at approximately 2:30 P.M. By 7:30 P.M., all three households had agreed to vacate the building and were accepting help from the City to relocate. Assistance was provided by a variety of City staff to evacuate tenants. Assisting personnel consisted of Victim Services Advocates, a Human Services Specialist, and members of the Evanston Fire Department. 

After the residents had vacated the building, the Evanston Police Department and the Evanston Fire Department ensured that all units were unoccupied before allowing the units to be secured by a third-party contractor.

Historical Context

The three Wesley apartment buildings (2014, 2018, and 2024) are owned by the Evanston Housing Coalition and have been inspected periodically as part of a routine rental inspection program, the most recent of which was completed on 5/18/2015. Of the 24 units, 17 had one violation, and one had two violations; none were life safety issues. Correction of all violations was documented in the reinspection completed on 8/11/2015, including two instances of exterior spot tuckpointing at 2018 Wesley near unit 3B and 2024 Wesley under the exterior stairs near unit 2C.  The condition of all 24 units was standard, and the next routine inspection would be in five years, in the summer of 2020. That inspection did not occur, as all routine inspections of inhabited housing units ceased during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent the spread of that virus. A routine inspection was scheduled for 10/20/2022 when routine inspections resumed but was canceled because EHC contacted the City in late summer, before the scheduled inspection, with concerns about the condition of the stairs and platforms and their inability to manage the properties. EHC then entered into a management agreement with Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC) in September 2022. In October 2022, HODC provided the City with a structural report about the condition of the stairs and platforms. Subsequently, a Property Needs Assessment of the buildings provided more information on the overall condition of the buildings than a routine property maintenance inspection.  

HODC responded to the City’s direction to address violations at the properties. This included identifying funding sources and developing a plan to address the deteriorated condition of the stairs and platforms and the overall condition of the buildings. HODC contracted with The Structural Shop LTD (TSS) in October 2022 to assess the condition of the stairs and platforms, as noted above. TSS described the condition of stairs and platforms at all three buildings as poor and recommended removing and replacing them, and installing temporary shoring prior to replacement. HODC then contracted with Prime Scaffold to install shoring immediately at 2024 Wesley due to the deflection of the top stair support. TSS noted that the structural report reflected the condition of the structures at that time only, and acknowledged the weather could result in further deterioration. Following the identification of the dangerous conditions, HODC began to seek funding, as Evanston Housing Coalition did not have the resources to replace the stairs and platforms or the capacity to seek funding. HODC did considerable work to secure funding to replace the stairs and platforms and rehabilitate the housing units, including submitting a Preliminary Project Assessment for Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to the Illinois Housing Development Authority that was not approved. Ongoing monitoring of the stairs and platforms at all three buildings was conducted, and Prime Scaffold installed additional shoring at all three buildings. On February 2, 2024, it was agreed that due to the deterioration of the stairs and platforms, the safety of the residents could not be ensured, and they needed to be relocated.

Meetings with Tenants

Since the initial outreach on February 9, 2024, the City has held a consistent position with the property owner (Evanston Housing Coalition) and tenants: the apartment buildings are dangerous and unfit for occupation due to the deteriorated condition of the platforms and stairs which serve as the only means of exit and entry to the apartments. For their own safety, residents have been asked to evacuate immediately. The City provided resources to help tenants relocate to safe living situations at each meeting. The urgency to move out was stressed at the April 9th meeting when tenants were given a deadline of April 12th to contact Connections for the Homeless (CFH) Housing Case Managers and May 13th to move out.

On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, the City’s Building & Development Services Manager/Building Official conducted an exterior inspection and found that a length of structural steel had failed underneath the upper (3rd floor) platform of the 2018 Wesley building and is currently hanging, detached from its original position. The concrete platform it supports has cracked and is sagging. The three households in this building were all working with CFH to find apartments and were evacuated on May 9th. City staff contacted the households around 2:30 P.M. to notify them of the urgent need to vacate and offer support and assistance. All three households agreed to leave the building. Evanston Police and Fire Departments were on the scene to ensure everyone's safety, including ensuring that the previously vacated units were not occupied prior to the board-up.  The tenants were assisted with temporary housing, nutrition assistance, and other support. The building has now been secured.

Residents have not been told they will lose City support services if they do not evacuate their  Wesley apartments by Monday. The City continues to be committed to the tenants at the Wesley buildings. The City met with the building tenants on February 13, March 20, and April 9, 2024. City and Connections for the Homeless staff continue to work with all Wesley Apartment tenants to ensure a prompt and sensitive transition. 

The Legal Process 

The City is addressing two distinct issues: tenant safety and dangerous building conditions. 

The City’s goal is to ensure the safety of its residents. The deteriorated condition of the stairs and platforms used to access the Wesley units meets the definition of a dangerous, unsafe building in 4-12-1 of the City’s Code of Ordinances. 

Section 4-12-6. Summary Action; Life Health Safety Emergencies authorizes the City Manager or his/her designee to take whatever measures are reasonably necessary to render the property safe and abate the nuisance, including, but not limited to, the immediate displacement of the resident and/or board-up of the property. Given the deteriorated conditions at 2018 Wesley Avenue, the City took immediate action to evacuate the tenants and ensure their safety. The boarding up is necessary to protect the tenants’ property and to ensure unauthorized access does not occur in the unsafe building.

To address the dangerous building conditions, the City sent a 15-day notice on April 30, 2024, to EHC, the property owner, to address the unsafe building conditions pursuant to 65 ILCS 5/11-31-1 and to begin a Circuit Court action seeking legal authority to directly address the dangerous conditions if the owner fails to do so.

Wesley Avenue Tenants

The occupancy of the three Wesley Avenue buildings in January 2024 and at the present time is described below: 

At 2014 Wesley Avenue, five of the eight units were occupied. One household has moved out of the 2014 apartment building, and three are working with City staff and Connections for the Homeless in their search for apartments. 

At 2018 Wesley Avenue, four of the eight units were occupied. One household moved out and is residing in apartments. The three remaining households were evacuated on May 9 and are working with City staff and Connections for the Homeless in their search for apartments. 

At 2024 Wesley Avenue, all eight units were occupied. Three households have moved out into permanent housing, and a third has signed a lease and is in the process of moving. City staff and Connections for the Homeless continue to work with the remaining four households to lease apartments. 

Next Steps

The City and Connections for the Homeless will continue to work with the Wesley Avenue tenants to ensure their apartment search and assistance. The May 13 deadline is still in place for the tenants residing at 2014 and 2024 Wesley Avenue. Temporary housing during the apartment search has been offered to all tenants. 

An assessment of the structures will be completed so that the evacuated tenants can retrieve their personal belongings. Assistance is being offered to ensure that this difficult transition can be completed in a sensible and timely manner. 

While no determination has been made regarding the future of the buildings, including the current residents in plans for the property will be considered to the extent possible. The property remains privately owned, and the owner controls its determination.

-END-

Media Contact: Cynthia Vargas
cvargas@cityofevanston.org
Phone: 847-448-8234