Chicago residents unionize to fight possible displacement, rent hikes over Obama Presidential Center

The controversial Obama Presidential Center in Chicago has some nearby residents unionizing to protect themselves from the coming changes in the area.

As construction continues at the monument to former President Barack Obama, which is scheduled to open this June, residents in rent-controlled housing nearby have reportedly organized to combat what they see as potential rent hikes and even losing their current residences.

The potential sale of the Woodlawn apartment building near the Obama construction site has longtime residents mobilizing to resist changes, with tenants at Chaney Braggs Apartments, at 65th Street and Stony Island Avenue, having a rally earlier this month to protest.

“Residents say a California investor wants to buy the building and either gut and rehab it or demolish it,” according to Fox 32.

“According to tenants, the buyer is offering a $2,000 cash payment for each family to move out,” the outlet added. “Most tenants currently pay $700 to $800 a month in rent, and many have lived in the building for 30 or even 40 years. The proposed deal has left families worried about finding another affordable place in Woodlawn.”

(Video Credit: CBS News Chicago)

The tenants initially came together about two years ago to take care of building and maintenance needs after the previous landlord abandoned the property. They are now using the same system to deal with the effects of the Obama Presidential Center, which is reshaping the surrounding areas in the South Side of Chicago.

“The building was once owned by a nonprofit dedicated to affordable housing and community stability, but those protections are no longer in place,” Fox 32 reported. “No sale has been finalized. Tenants say they will keep organizing to protect their homes and are watching for updates from local officials and the buyer.”

The Woodlawn residents indicated that they have reached out to city and state officials but have not received a response yet.

“The Obama Presidential Center, set to open in Chicago’s South Side on June 18, is a 19.3-acre campus in Jackson Park featuring a 225-foot museum tower, library, and community forum,” Fox News noted. “Obama, the first American Black president, is celebrating the grand opening of the over-budget building — called an eyesore by critics — on the eve of Juneteenth.”

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