CHICAGO—(ENEWSPF)—December 26, 2013. A candlelight vigil in memory of Astor House tenant Charles Roth, who died after being evicted will be held on Friday, December 27 at 6:30 p.m. outside 1246 W. Pratt.
On December 13, 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 December 18, Roth had passed away.
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.”
