Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

City sues South Chicago Chapel owners over alleged building code violations: ‘The stench was overwhelming’

wbez.org · 14dShare

The city of Chicago is taking the owners of South Chicago Chapel to court for a litany of alleged building code violations — including the failure to keep buildings “clean, sanitary, and safe” after the recent discovery of 56 decomposing bodies on the property. “The stench was overwhelming and could be smelled outside the building,” the complaint, filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court, states. “There were swarms of flies at / near / on these bodies. There were numerous rats at / near / on these bodies. This is an immensely unsanitary situation.” The city is asking a judge to issue a fine of $11,500 per day for every day the violations are not corrected. It’s unclear whether that means the owners could be ordered to clean up an area that some community members want to see deemed a crime scene. The complaint stops short of requesting a complete demolition or condemnation of the building, though a judge should order that outcome “if necessary,” the complaint reads. The complaint names

First report: City sues South Chicago Chapel owners over alleged building code violations — 'the stench was overwhelming' — suntimes.com, 14d