On Monday, July 18, 2022, HSPRD filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of 14 tenants against Pangea Properties – one of Chicago’s largest landlords – accusing the company of fostering dangerous living conditions that included broken elevators, mold, lack of heat or electricity and severe rodent infestation. The lawsuit also states that the tenants’ complaints were continuously ignored by property managers. HSPRD’s shareholder Chris Wilmes is among the lead attorneys representing the plaintiffs.
“There were obvious signs of pest infestation, feces from roaches and rats, droppings on my carpet, obvious signs of mice holes in the wall,” said one of the tenants, Kayla Jones. “When I called the property manager to talk about the issues, they made it sound like I was the only one complaining about the problem.” Jones said she made multiple complaints on the company’s online portal that were marked complete without anyone coming to look at the issues. When someone from maintenance showed up to inspect the situation, they denied seeing any mice. Jones said the mice were in the kitchen running across the countertop and microwave unbothered by the presence of a human — some even were found dead in the apartment.
The private landlord is one of the city’s most prolific eviction filers and has taken thousands of families to court since 2009 — most of these evictions have been Black families living on the South and West sides.
If you or someone you know was evicted from a Pangea unit or had housing issues, please contact us to share your story at 312-604-2620.
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