Tag: chicago tenants

Tenant Wins – Power Restored in More Ways Than One

Posted on by Gordon Dymowski

Empowerment often begins with knowledge. Earlier this year, on the MTO hotline, MTO spoke with a man from Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood. He is a disabled veteran living on a limited income. For three years, he had been paying more than $200 a month to ComEd and could not understand why his bill was so high. Eventually, the cost became unmanageable, and his power was shut off.

When the electricity was disconnected, his neighbors also lost power in parts of their apartments and in the hallway. It became clear that he had been unfairly paying for electricity that served other units.

Through our conversation, he learned what his rights are and what steps he could take. He decided to write a letter to the property owner stating that:

  • The owner is responsible for all charges beyond his actual usage,
  • He is seeking compensation for the overpayments, and
  • The landlord must place the utility account in their own name until the issue is resolved.

At the end of the call, he said, “Now I have a plan I can implement.” That moment

When someone realizes they have options and a path forward is empowerment.

From Crisis to Compensation: Organizing Works!

Posted on by Gordon Dymowski

In May 2025, our team responded to an urgent call from a tenant who had just received a devastating notice: their building had been declared uninhabitable by the Department of Buildings, and all residents were required to vacate within two days.

MTO mobilized immediately. That same day, MTO Building Organizer, David Wilson, went on-site to meet with tenants, explain their rights, and walk them through what to expect when a building is shut down due to landlord negligence. By Wednesday, the situation had escalated, and Chicago police and a court-appointed receiver arrived to clear the building, using methods that felt coercive and dehumanizing, with tenants treated more like criminals than residents.

Despite the urgency and uncertainty, MTO, in partnership with Law Center for Better Housing (LCBH), remained on the ground, working closely with the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) and the Red Cross to secure emergency shelter for displaced residents. At the same time, staff began advocating for tenants to receive compensation for the hardship they were facing.

Out of the 72-unit building, we were able to connect directly with 22 tenants. Many others had already left, unwilling to endure the deteriorating conditions.

MTO and LCBH negotiated with the receiver, who initially offered tenants between $650 and $800 in compensation. Recognizing that this was insufficient given the circumstances, our team pushed back. Through persistent advocacy and negotiation, we secured a revised offer of $2,000 per tenant, an outcome that tenants felt was far more fair.

This case is a powerful example of how rapid response, community collaboration, and organizing can make a meaningful difference.

Tenants Fight a Roach Infestation with FWP

Posted on by Yesenia

Story by Tulsi McDaniels

In September 2024, tenants Simone and Andrew moved into a building managed by First Western, only to discover a severe roach infestation. They sought help from MTO, who guided them in drafting a formal termination letter to end their lease early.

However, their experience with First Western quickly became a nightmare. As Simone explained,

“Our experience with First Western was one of the most stressful we’ve ever faced. They completely pulled the rug out from under us once we sent them money. We never even got official keys. They are just a half step away from being a complete scam… leaving us without habitable housing. An experience I wish on no one.”

First Western initially denied their request and demanded an additional two months’ rent to terminate the lease. With MTO’s support, Simone and Andrew stood firm, highlighting the building’s failure to meet health and safety standards. Their persistence paid off when First Western agreed to release them from the lease without extra charges, allowing them to move to a safer home.

Their experience demonstrated the importance of tenant rights and the power of advocacy in the face of predatory property management.

Tenant Lockouts Are Illegal

Posted on by Yesenia

Story by Tulsi McDaniels

A picture of a judge's gavel.Only A Judge Can Evict You

In July, MTO counselors jumped into action when tenant Harold D. faced an illegal eviction by his landlord.

The landlord changed the locks. Harold called the police. As often happens, the police declined to act or even to file an official report of the incident.

Despite the police refusing to do their job, Harold and the MTO counselor persisted.

With the help of the Metropolitan Tenants Organization, an advocate engaged with the landlord, informing him of the potential for jail and daily fines for continuing the lockout. This threat of escalating penalties prompted the landlord to restore Harold’s access within the hour.

Thanks to the effective advocacy and Harold’s persistence, he successfully reclaimed his home and upheld his rights as a tenant.

MTO is currently planning to pilot a lockout project to demonstrate an alternative to relying on the police to enforce the law. Stay tuned and don’t let landlords bully you out of your apartment.