Tag: tenant wins

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.