Concerned neighbor demands action on abandoned, collapsing house in Roseland
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An abandoned home that is falling apart in Roseland is not only a sore sight to see, but it is dangerous and hazardous for neighbors.
CBS 2's Shardaa Gray spoke Thursday with a concerned neighbor who hopes to see a change soon.
"It's dangerous," said Bi Nah Davis as he looked at the house at 10222 S. State St. "I live around the corner from that house, and that's my route home every day."
Davis said he first noticed the partially-collapsed house the beginning of this year. Initially, he thought surrounding neighbors would make a complaint.
But after months passed by and it still looked just the same, he decided to take action himself.
"I called Alderman Beale's office and made a complaint about the house falling in, and it's dangerous for kids being around," Davis said.
The next day, he got this email stating the office of Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) has requested immediate demolition of this property - and the Department of Buildings agreed to take the home down as soon as possible.
The email also said the alderman's office partnered with 5th District Broom and Bloom to clear the vegetation after the demo - but it didn't say when.
So Davis posted to the Nextdoor app.
"Right now, to this point, I think there's over 3,000 hits on it - so quite a few people are looking at this," Davis said. "So that's telling me, and it should be telling local politicians, that this a problem and somebody need to look at it."
We've been digging to find out who owns the State Street home. Our research shows all the previous owners died.
We also tried to reach neighbors who live next door. But no one answered.
Gray: "When you look at that house, what do you see?"
Davis: "I see a potential for drug addicts living in there, prostitution, kids getting hurt."
Davis says someone put up a fence on this week, blocking the entrance. He is grateful the fence is up, but hopes the alderman's office sticks to their word.
"To let it sit like that - to me, that's the job of an alderman," Davis said.
We reached out to Ald. Beale's office, but we have not heard back.
