Residents say Fox View construction causing problems

Basic remodeling?

Sakeenah Easter says it was more like a tornado ripped through her three-bedroom apartment.

The mother of two, a resident of Carpentersville's Fox View Apartments, said she was warned in writing that some construction work would be taking place this week, while she was at work.

Easter didn't know it would be so intense that she - along with several other residents - would find their apartments uninhabitable.

When the California-based owners of the complex were made aware of the problems, they quickly moved to make amends.

"If mistakes have been made, those will be fixed," said Christopher Hilbert, senior vice president of Steadfast Residential Properties.

Returning home from work at Walgreen's Wednesday night, Easter found her home in shambles, her door left wide open.

Her toilet had been ripped out and placed in her tub.

Her belongings were piled in the middle of the living room.

Her rocking chair was sitting on top of her stove.

"All on the carpet was plaster and paint," she said. "I couldn't even breathe, the fumes were so bad."

Easter took her two children to Chicago to stay with relatives for the night.

Jose Estrella, who lives next door, was in a similar bind.

Estrella said that, he, his wife and his four children ages 1 through 5 were forced to cram themselves into one room to sleep several nights this week, as the rest of his three-bedroom apartment was uninhabitable because of the construction.

"My son's nose was clogged, he couldn't breathe last night," Estrella said Thursday. "Everybody's uncomfortable. We're showering at my mother-in-law's house, eating out, eating with relatives."

Built in the early 1970s by Kimball Hill Management Co., Fox View offers Section 8 housing, a federal program that subsidizes rent for low-income residents.

The 373-unit complex was purchased in December by California-based Steadfast Residential Properties. It is managed by Springfield-based Pacific Management Inc.

The complex's on-site manager, Victoria Brooks, on Thursday deferred all questions to Pacific's president, Patrick Somers. He did not return any calls from the Daily Herald Thursday or Friday.

"They didn't offer me anything. We're just out (of our apartment)," Easter said. "All they could say is, 'I'm sorry, this usually doesn't happen.'"

The Daily Herald Thursday afternoon placed phone calls to the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Pacific and Steadfast.

Easter said that by Thursday evening her sink and toilet were reinstalled, her water turned back on.

"They're not finished at all, but they did leave me with a toilet and running water, the livable things," she said.

Easter and her children spent Thursday night in their home. Steadfast's Hilbert said his company will sink a total of $44.3 million into acquiring and rehabilitating the complex. That rehabilitation includes overhauling the exteriors of units, renovating bathrooms and kitchens, as well as installing and maintaining a security system.

Hilbert and Fox View Project Manager Tim Middleton, both based on the West Coast, said they were unaware of any problems with the project until Thursday.

In a Friday interview, Middleton said he received a call from the Illinois Housing Development Authority Thursday afternoon, after the Daily Herald left messages.

"I would characterize it as a courtesy call on their part," Middleton said.

With the remodeling work at Fox View, Hilbert said, "it was our intention that we would manage the renovation of the property with the residents in place and do everything in our ability to limit the disruption."

In situations where the amount of work exceeded that which could have been done in 8 hours a day, Hilbert said, "it is our intention for (apartments) to be left in a clean and working fashion so the resident has access to water and working bathrooms."

Hilbert and Middleton said Fox View's on-site construction manager and property management team have been asked tell subcontractors to disrupt the lives of tenants as little as possible.

"What you have alleged is unacceptable. ... If a resident returns back to their apartment, stoves better be working, baths better be working, sinks better be working."