More problems have surfaced at a troubled Park Forest apartment complex, where air-conditioning woes earlier this summer left many residents sweltering during a heat wave.
Separately, in a court filing earlier this month, the village said that Autumn Ridge, with nearly 400 apartment units in Will County, is unsafe and a public nuisance.
The filing calls on a Will County judge to appoint a receiver who will collect rents and make necessary repairs, which Park Forest complains cover virtually every aspect of the buildings, including plumbing, roofs, windows and electrical systems.
The complaint alleges Autumn Ridge ownership and management “have permitted the structures…to remain in constant and continuous disrepair.”
The latest issue concerns lack of natural gas service to some adjacent townhouse units as well as air conditioning still being out at one of the four high-rise apartment buildings, Mayor Joseph Woods said Monday.
He said he and village staff met Monday with property management and ownership, including two people he said have minority stakes in ownership of the property and have promised a “tangible plan of action” to be presented to the village by Tuesday afternoon.
Woods said he and village officials are “cautiously optimistic” changes could come to the property, but are not pinning their hopes as far as a dramatic turnaround.
“I don’t want to minimize our level of frustration,” the mayor said. “There needs to be some resolution on behalf of everybody.”
Many of the apartment units were without air conditioning during a heat wave in June that brought temperatures in excess of 90 degrees and high humidity to the Chicago area.
Another round of dangerously hot weather is due to arrive in the area as early as Wednesday.
The village said air conditioning was restored in some buildings, but it was not clear Monday whether all units affected had their air back.
Woods said village officials were told Monday that, within the past three weeks, portable air chiller units were given to tenants in 150 apartments.
Residents said that, during the heat wave in June, calls to property management were largely ignored or residents were told a fix was on the way.
They also said calls for routine maintenance of problems, including plumbing and mold, were also disregarded.
In the July 1 complaint seeking appointment of a receiver, Park Forest said the litany of problems at Autumn Ridge “will remain unabated” and “result in irreparable harm” to apartment renters.
Park Forest said that fines have had no effect on prompting improvements, and said the village has levied fines on Autumn Ridge “on numerous occasions” but that management “has ignored and continues to ignore the serious nature of the condition” of the property.
The complaint alleges the property “does not comply with the minimum standards of health and safety and the village’s ordinances.”
The village said Park Forest is also owed more than $590,000 for water provided to the apartments since March 2024. Woods said it makes no sense for the village to threaten to cut off water, as that would just harm residents and not pressure ownership to respond.
The mayor said there have been promises in the past of a partial payment of what the village owes for water.
He said the village can’t simply condemn the property, as that would leave residents out in the street. Woods said there are 380 apartment units, but he has been told that half are vacant.
The petition for appointment of a receiver was given an Oct. 20 court date.
Daily Southtown reporter Addison Wright contributed to this report.
