Candlelight vigil in memory of Astor House tenant Charles Roth, who died after being evicted

(From Cuafe Chi)

Letters to Editors

CHICAGO, IL – On Dec. 13, 2013, BJB Properties evicted four families from the Astor House building at 1246 W. Pratt. Disabled tenant Charles Roth – who had previously been living at home – was taken to Cook County Hospital after the eviction because there was nowhere else for him to go. By the following day, he was on life support, and by Dec. 18, Roth had passed away.

The fallen tenant will be a remembered in a community vigil Friday, December 27 outside 1246 W. Pratt, at 6:30 p.m.

Roth was evicted despite a pending court case that could have otherwise given him additional time in the building. Community members and former tenants are saddened and outraged by what has happened.

“What BJB did to people is wrong. They are evicting elderly people, people with disabilities, and single parents, and putting them on the street,” says former tenant Arbie Bowman.

Adds Marc Kaplan, a member of Northside Action for Justice: “In this holiday season, when many people celebrate a baby who was born homeless, we need to say enough is enough. Every person is a human, has value, and is worth standing up with and fighting for.”

For more information, contact:

Melvin Jennings, 312-256-6772

Arbie Bowman, 773-920-0456