(Mehves Konuk)

Spring is in the air. Soon birds will be building their nests, couples will canoodle in newly-green parks, and students sick of their dorms or their roommates will begin the hunt for a new (or first!) apartment in Hyde Park. The world-weary staff of the Weekly, who collectively have occupied at least 30 apartments, are here to help you with the last.

This special feature has two sections. In the first part, we offer advice about practicalities such as hiring movers, knowing your legal rights as a tenant, and expanding your apartment search beyond Hyde Park. In the second, we provide information about several major Hyde Park landlords, including locations, prices, and amenities. In addition, last year’s housing issue with additional advice and landlords is available on our website at chicagoweekly.net/housing-guide—but be aware that rents and contact details may have changed. We hope this helps, and we wish you all good luck.

Neighborly Advice
Getting a Move On
Renters’ Rights
Renters Insurance
Subletting
Other Neighborhoods
How to Get Free Furniture

So, What are the Options?

In the first part of this issue’s feature, we introduce some of the basics of apartment-hunting.

Finding an apartment in Hyde Park can be a tumultuous journey, full of pitfalls and unexpected turns. The best way to suit up for apartment hunting season is to plan ahead and familiarize yourself with the options available. High-rise or owner-occupied? Studio or five bedroom? Near to campus or far away? Tiny windowless box or large spacious sunroom?

Essentially, knowing yourself and your options is the best way of guaranteeing a happy living experience. Hyde Park apartments offer a plethora of different options, and having some idea about what will make you, the tenant, happy, is essential in figuring out where you should make your home.

ROOMMATES
A good way to start thinking about your future apartment is determining with whom you could live. While this may seem like an obvious first step, it could also be where your apartment search ends. If you have a friend or acceptable acquaintance with an extra room opening up in his or her apartment, getting on the lease in place of that former roommate is fairly easy, and generally requires less hassle in terms of figuring out the specifics of moving in and out. Also, if you move into an apartment that you already know well, you understand exactly what you’re getting into. Especially since the unpleasant surprises of Hyde Park apartments, like leaking sinks and questionable radiators, tend to show up long after the lease is signed and the deal is done, this can be a huge advantage in overall satisfaction.

If you can’t move into someone’s apartment, you can find a solid group of roommates or decide that you want to live alone. Finding out who you want to live with and getting an apartment with the appropriate number of bedrooms means you won’t sign a lease that will be a financial burden on you. But be cautious when rooming with good friends, as peoples’ household behaviors and possible lifestyle tensions between roommates often don’t emerge until later, and you don’t want to sour a friendship or a living situation. Just make sure everyone knows from the start what is expected of each roommate and the apartment situation in general.

FINANCES
Having a number of roommates on the lease that resembles the final composition of your apartment ensures that you don’t have to cough up too much for a security deposit (though some companies, like MAC Management, are doing away with the security deposit, which is usually equivalent to one month’s rent and is due at the lease signing). Upon signing a lease, you may also have to pay the first month’s rent. In order to expedite the process of renting, it is best to make sure you have access to these funds right away. Most landlords will also ask for references and run a credit check, so previous unpaid bills could interfere with your chance at getting an apartment you like.

WHERE AND WHEN TO LOOK?
Traditionally, many Hyde Park leases start on June 15, which this year is the day after Convocation. However, because of the number of different realtors in Hyde Park, lease start-dates vary. Some management companies begin showing apartments with June leases around the beginning of April, as soon as they’ve received word that tenants do not plan to renew leases on individual units. April is a good time to begin to make preliminary calls to the management companies. Some units, including those in owner-occupied buildings with less than six units (many Hyde Park apartments fall into this category), are exempt from the usual municipal code, so make sure to find out what the terms of your lease actually are before you sign it. Chicago municipal code states that the landlord must “Not force a tenant to renew an agreement more than 90 days before the existing agreement terminates,” and must give “at least 30 days of written notice of his intention not to renew a rental agreement.” This means that if pursuing a June 15 lease for an apartment that is currently occupied, the new tenants should make sure to have the lease signed in full by the middle of May (and those who have leases they would like to renew should make sure to do so before then). Never, ever, sign a lease that you haven’t read completely. If you disagree with any item on a lease, don’t sign it. Also, keep in mind that for real estate, oral contracts are considered binding.

Because of this time frame, some smaller realtors do not show apartments for June rental until the end of April or the beginning of May, and dealing with them earlier may result in leases that start in the middle of May. However, if you see an apartment that you like a lot, the earlier starting date can be worth the extra month of rent, and can make the moving process easier.

The best way to start the apartment search is to call management companies, ask when they are showing their apartments, and what they have available. Asking around and researching on the internet should supplement this hands-on search, rather than replace it. Keep in mind that during the spring, there are usually hundreds of people looking for apartments in the same area, so be prepared to sign a lease very quickly if you decide you really want a place.

Finally, remember that some of the best apartments in Hyde Park may not be the easiest to find. They may require visiting multiple management companies, making appointments during regular business hours (not over the weekend), and presenting yourself well to landlords. Small sacrifices of time and careful attention to detail while searching for an apartment will ensure that you can truly make a home, sweet home, rather than being imprisoned in a small box with no natural light—unless, of course, such a cell is what you desire. (Rose Schapiro)

MAC Properties
Locations: 47th and Ellis; 47th and Woodlawn; 51st and Drexel; 51st and Greenwood; 51st and Kimbark; 51st and Harper; properties on Cornell and S. Hyde Park Blvd. from 51st to 56th; 52nd and Drexel; 52nd and Woodlawn; 52nd and Dorchester; 52nd and Blackstone; Most Woodlawn properties between 53rd to 55th; 53rd between Ellis and Greenwood; 53rd and Cornell; 54th Place and Cottage Grove; 54th and Ellis; 54th and Blackstone; 54th Place and Cottage Grove; 54th and Drexel; 55th and University; 57th and Kimbark; 57th and Lake Park.
Amenities included: Dishwasher in a few of the properties, hot water and heat included with rent.
Rent range: Studio $500-$1000
Two-bedroom $1000-$1400
Three-bedroom $1400-$1800
Four-bedroom $2000-$2400
Pros: No security deposit required, lease dates beginning in September, locations all over Hyde Park, variety of properties, some recently renovated properties such as the Algonquin (51st and Hyde Park), Woodlawn Court (53rd and Woodlawn), and the Blackwood (52nd and Blackstone).
Cons: Notoriously poor customer service, one-time non-refundable $300 move-in fee, gas and electricity not included in rent, some apartments are under-heated in the winter, many apartments in a general state of disrepair.
User comments: “I know that MAC has a bad reputation, but K&G gave them some terrible apartments and I think they have made some real efforts to improve them. In my experience they have been prompt and caring.” —Greg Muren.
Notes: Because MAC offers apartments in many of the popular locations for undergrads such as Woodlawn and generally dominates the property market in Hyde Park, they are known for having a lack of concern for helping people find apartments or providing good service that would keep or attract customers. MAC is known for having poor management both on the leasing and resident services side: losing track of rent, failing to respond to customer service needs, and having a lack of coordination amongst its staff. Having recently bought up many more Hyde Park apartments, they often do not know much about what properties they are selling. That being said, some residents have perceived a recent turnaround in resident services responsiveness, and MAC reportedly is beginning a project to renovate many of its run-down Hyde Park apartments.
Contact: MAC Chicago Leasing Office, 5418 South Woodlawn Ave, Suite G. (773) 324-8543. leasing@macapartments.com. (Laura Harmon)

Parker-Holsman Company
Locations: 5631-39 S. Kenwood Ave; 5756-58 S. Kenwood Ave; 5600-02 S. Dorchester Ave; 5464-76 S. Harper Ave; 5323-25 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Amenities: Laundry facilities.
Rent range: Studio/One-bedroom $540-700
One-bed/One-bath $750-780
Three-bed/Two-bath $1250-1400
Pros: Extremely well-organized, informative website, easy to get in touch with, clear-cut rules, seem to be well executed.
Cons: Higher prices, mostly year-long leases which usually start in June or July, don’t seem to have student-specific norms of conduct.
Notes: Well-established (since 1931), “good relationship with students.”
Contact: 1461 East 57th St. (773) 493-2525. phc@parkerholsman.com. www.parkerholsman.com. (Bonnie Kate Walker)

Regents Park Luxury Apartments
Locations: 5020-5050 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Amenities: Private health club, indoor pool, urban garden and bird sanctuary, onsite grocery store, heated garage
Rent range: Studio $1025–$1250
One-bedroom $1195–$1435
Two-bed/Two-bath $1495–$1875
Three-bed/Two-bath $1895–$2250
Pros: Regents offers a student discount for undergraduate students looking for two- or three-bedroom apartments at $699 per student regardless of floor level or floor plan. Membership to the health club is half-price with this special offer.
Cons: Heating/cooling and electric are not included in the rent prices
User comments: “It’s really nice, but I thought it was a little too luxurious. As a college student, I expected something more…something more cozy. It was a little dry and dull.”—Sung Eun Jung
Notes: In order to find an apartment in Regents, prospective leasers must fill out an application specifying their preferences. Those interested in a place for this September are advised to fill this out quickly.
Contact: Regents Park Office, 5020 S. Lake Shore Dr. (773) 288-5050. www.regentsparkchicago.com. (Elise Biggers)

McKey and Poague
Locations: Managed building at Kenwood and 54th; others available
Amenities: Usually household appliances, laundry room, bike rack room
Rent range: 2 Bedroom $900-1100
3 bedroom (very few available) $1500-1700
Pros: Likes working with students, attentive to student needs, very concerned with good management and customer service; goal is to “make life as easy as possible. Provide a safe, secure, nice apartment, so students can leave Hyde Park with good memories.”
Cons: No website, no company email address, hard to access.
User comments: “I haven’t had any problems with the management, and I love my apartment. I would definitely say my experience [with McKey and Poague] has been universally better than my experience with K&G.”— Anonymous tenant
Notes: Extremely nice and eager to accommodate, proud of good service and customer appreciation
Contact: 1348 East 55th St. (773) 363-6200. wallyjp@spc.global.net. (Bonnie Kate Walker)

Columbian Apartments
Location: 52nd and HarperAmenities: All utilities except electricity included with rent.
Rent range: Studio $550
Pros: Close to lakefront and public transportation, thick walls.
Cons: Some old appliances, barking dogs nearby, $40 application fee plus security deposit based on credit score.
User comments: “A nice bonus of the building too is the rooftop, if you’re fearless enough to walk up the somewhat suspect fire escape stairs to get to it.”—Anonymous tenant.
Contact: Columbian Apartments Management, 5220 S. Harper Ave. (773) 752-7788 (Robin Peterson)

The Flamingo
Location: 5500 S. South Shore Dr.
Amenities: 24-Hour lobby attendant, air-conditioned fitness center, outdoor pool, Bar Louie restaurant.
Rent range: Studio from $610
One-bedroom from $875
Pros: All utilities are included, except electricity, flexible lease terms, close to the Shoreland and within walking distance to the Museum of Science and Industry, beautiful views of the lake.
Cons: Appeals to an older crowd and families, not a large undergraduate population, wing night at Bar Louie’s may keep the cholesterol count high.
Notes: Described as a “vintage Hyde Park building,” the Flamingo keeps a nice historic feel even with its modern features and amenities.
Contact: 5500 S. South Shore Drive. (773) 752-3800. www.flamingoapartments.com (Yennie Lee)

Globe Realty
Locations: 55th between Everett and Kenwood; 53rd and Hyde Park.
Amenities: Heat, hot water included.
Rent range: Studio around $600
One-bedroom $525-$700
Two-bedroom $700-$1000
Three-bedroom $850-$1000
Pros: No security deposit, hot water included with rent, lease dates beginning in September, friendly and reliable maintenance workers.
Cons: One-time non-refundable move-in fee between $300-$500 depending on the size of apartment; limited availability of studios.
User comments: “It’s not a large organization, which is really helpful. They could get away with doing a lot less than they do. I just wouldn’t feel the slightest amount of hopelessness if one of the washing machines broke, because it wouldn’t take any effort on my part to get it taken care of. It would get fixed, and they’d plant some flowers while they were at it.”—John Wood.
Notes: In-house management is friendly and competent. Landlords consistently maintain the greenery in the summer and shovel the snow in the winter. The company also isn’t stingy with the heat, even though it’s included with rent.
Contact: Globe Realty, 1625 E. 74th St. (773) 955-0000 (Supriya Sinhababu)

Hyde Park Tower
Location: 5140 S. Hyde Park Blvd
Amenities: Air conditioning, carpet, gourmet kitchens with dishwashers, microwaves, and garbage disposals, on-site laundry facility, 24-hour fitness center, cable or satellite, broadband internet, 24-hour door staff, attached parking garage.
Rent range: One-bed/One bath $1099–$1224
Two-bed/Two-bath $1329–$1639
Three-bed/Two-bath $1729–$1969
Pros: Cat-friendly and conveniently located near public transportation, has a rooftop clubroom with “Million Dollar Views.”
Cons: Utilities to be paid in addition to rent: heat, trash maintenance, water, and electricity.
User comments: Reviews are mixed. However, many have noticed that the elevators seem to be broken regularly. Noise and smells also seem to transport from room to room through the vents. The staff, on the other hand, is rumored to be very friendly.
Notes: If considering moving into HPT, sign up by March 15th and receive a $250 bonus! HPT also offers subsidized rates; call for details.
Contact: Hyde Park Tower, 5140 S. Hyde Park Blvd. (888) 229-9562 (Elise Biggers)

Madison Hyde Park Apartments
Location: 51st and Dorchester
Amenities: Central air and heat, dishwasher, laundry facilities, door attendant, security cameras, bike room included with rent; parking $65-75.
Rent range: Studio $800-850
Two-bedroom $1000-$1150
Pros: Close to public transportation, responsive management, thick walls.
Cons: Slow elevators.
User comments: “I would not say that this is the most luxurious place in the area but definitely best value for the money.”—Anonymous tenant.
Contact: Madison Hyde Park Apartments Management, 1380 E. Hyde Park Blvd. (773) 536-4300 (Robin Peterson)

Poinsettia Apartments:
Location: 5528 S. Hyde Park Blvd
Amenities: Refrigerator, laundry room
Rent range: Studio $595-$620
One-bedroom $795-$900
Two-bedroom $1350
Pros: All utilities included with rent (except internet).
Cons: Farther from campus than other options.
User comments: “It’s a nice, safe place to live. The building is beautiful, and I got a renovated apartment, which is sweet.”—Alli Urbanik.
Notes: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which notes that its terra-cotta ornamentation is among the best in Chicago. Apartments are being renovated as people move out, so chances are you’ll get a newly refurbished apartment.
Contact: Monica Domanski, (773) 934-9758 (Aileen McGrodey)

Steps Away
Location: 61st and Ellis
Amenities: Furnished rooms, heat, internet, water, laundry facilities included with rent; gated parking $50/month.
Rent range: One-bedroom of a three-bedroom apartment $450-$475
Loft $350-$500 (800 square feet,
newly decorated)
Pros: Furnished rooms, responsive management, quiet.
Cons: Rooms within apartments are rented separately.
Notes: Rents only to students.
Contact: 6130-6132 S. Ellis Ave.
Tim O’Connell, (773) 447-7520, www.geocities.com/stepsawayhydepark (Robin Peterson)

Windermere House
Location: 1642 East 56th Street
Amenities: Dishwasher in 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, air conditioning, 2 laundry machines on each floor, community wireless.
Rent range: Studio from $800
One-bedroom from $1085
Two-bedroom from $1485
Three-bedroom from $1835
Pros: Free fitness center, Piccolo Mondo Italian restaurant located on the first floor, laundry services on each floor, lake views, spacious rooms with high ceilings.
Cons: No pets allowed, it is expensive relative to other housing options, reports of negative reactions to the new MAC management, not all utilities are included.
User comments: “MAC can’t maintain anything. Especially the workout room…the Dept. of Health should see it.”—Anonymous tenant.
“Don’t let the advertisements fool you; this place has not been renovated in a long, long, while. One of the elevators often skips my floor, and I have to walk back down… The front desk staff is fantastic and very helpful…and the downstairs certainly looks impressive.”—Anonymous tenant.
Notes: One of the “upscale” MAC apartment buildings, Windermere is not to be confused with Windermere Senior Health Center which is down the street. Large rooms and big closets mean you get a lot for your money, although this is one of the most expensive buildings in Hyde Park. This high rise is a renovated hotel with historic charm and lake views. With the purchase by MAC last year, however, there have been mixed reviews about the new management, mainly reports that some rooms are run down and are only becoming more dilapidated. The building is conveniently located next to the Metra and the 57th Street beach, and is only a ten minute walk from campus. There is also garage parking for $125 a month.
Contact: Windermere House, 1642 East 56th St. (866) 744-8210. (Morgan Moroney)

Mr. Lin’s Apartments
Locations: 56th and Drexel, 55th and Dorchester, 56th and Maryland
Amenities: Refrigerator, heat, water, free hi-speed internet, in-building laundry; electricity and gas also included in basement apartments.
Rent range: One-bedroom $520-$550
Two-bedroom $600-$1000
Three-bedroom $840-1400
Four-bedroom $1800
Pros: Spacious apartments, friendly proprietor willing to please, some apartments have closed-off porches, basement apartments have possibly the cheapest rents in Hyde Park.
Cons: Some apartments a little more run down than others (especially the basement ones), limited availability, Mr. Lin only reachable by telephone.
Notes: Everything is pretty much run by Mr. Lin, who owns these apartments—which can make it a little difficult to determine what is or is not available. If interested, prospective tenants are advised to call him and see if anything is available; he will take your information and inform you of any upcoming apartment openings, as they become available.
Contact: Mr. Lin, 773-241-6854. (Sean Redmond)

University Park Condominiums
Location: 1401 E. 55th St.
Amenities: Refrigerator, in-building laundry, parking available for various prices (depending on the seller); other amenities may be available depending on the seller.
Rent range: Studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom rooms available starting at $650; individual prices vary due to the fact that each room is owned and rented out individually, resulting in a wide flux of prices.
Pros: Gated community, swimming pool, exercise room ($75/year membership), the pride that comes with living in the infamous “toaster buildings,” designed by internationally renowned architect I.M. Pei.
Cons: On the pricier side (to be expected from living in a condo), individually owned and rented rooms can make for difficulties in determining availability, noise from 55th street can be potentially sleep-disturbing, the shame that results from living in the infamous “toaster buildings,” designed by internationally renowned architect I.M. Pei.
User comments: “It’s not that bad, but it’s pretty gross, and I wouldn’t really recommend living here unless you want to feel like you’re coming home to ‘The Shining’ every night.”—Misa Galore, 4th year undergraduate student.
Notes: Building managed by the Habitat Company. Also, it’s a condominium, so keep in mind the subtle differences living in such a building might entail (increased regulations, non-student clientele, etc).
Contact: The Habitat Company, 773-324-1414. (Sean Redmond)

Hallmark-Johnson
Location: 5436 S. Harper Ave.
Amenities: Water included in rent.
Rent range: Four-bedroom apartments for around $1700.
Pros: Close to #6 and #55 bus stops, close to grocery store, big and spacious, new bathrooms and kitchens, hardwood floors, friendly community feel.
Cons: No pets allowed, residents say the landlord is uptight and it’s cold even though they pay a ton for heat, no recycling program.
User comments: “We looked really hard to find a non-MAC apartment. The one we settled on has its flaws, but it is infinitely superior to MAC in terms of price and service.”—Anonymous tenant.
Notes: Hallmark-Johnson is a commercial real estate company with holdings all over the region; this is the only building they own in Hyde Park.
Contact: Hallmark & Johnson, 847-933-9000. (Sean Redmond)

The Shtetl
Location: 5438 S. Harper Avenue #2
Hyde Park, or Upper West Side? That may be a stretch, but this luxurious, recently renovated two-story mini-mansion, with six beds, four bathrooms, and hardwood floors, comes awfully close. It’s officially called “The Redworm” after its compost system, though the new name hasn’t caught on yet. This spot is super swanky because it was once the bachelor pad of the building owner after he combined two apartments into one. It was under the auspices of the brothers of the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi for a while, until they moved to their current house on 56th and Drexel. But they left behind the beloved, semi-ironic title, “The Shtetl,” which continues to stubbornly stick to it today. Now home to the crunchier students of the UofC, the Shtetl’s aim is to foster an authentic co-op housing system. Roommates agree to share chores, attend weekly meetings, and follow a short list of fairly loose rules (no hard alcohol at parties, buy only organic food, and follow an extensive recycling system, to name a few). Not just anybody can live in this gorgeous pad: once you score an empty room for sublet or permanent rent, you’ll be interviewed to see whether you flow with this lifestyle. Rent runs between $300-500 (cheaper for the 7th bedroom, a sunroom convert); dishwasher, jacuzzi, and free laundry facilities are included. That’s right: Jacuzzi.

The Pepperland
Location: 1509-1517 E 57th Street
As an occasional visitor, I’m still a dog chasing my own tail in the Pepperland: I can never tell which way I came in, what’s up or down, or how to get out. Just east of Powell’s Bookstore—the friendly neighbors with whom 1W shares a kitchen wall—every apartment of this four-sided building is connected to a dingy, yet festive courtyard. Residents often cut through their neighbors’ apartments, so hold on to your belongings. Thursday is beer-dye night in the courtyard, on the ping-pong table, next to the rotting couch. The Pepperland’s signature Rubik’s cube and dollar parties (guaranteed to end in mad nudity) evoke fond memories of the days before its residents got royally busted after one party early last year. No more funny business—cops threatened to evict everyone and shut down the complex. Back up and running now, though with a little less steam, the same vibrant spirit lingers in its notorious landings. The building has been around since the late 1800s, but only in the 1970s did it acquire its bohemian reputation, thanks to a “mix of young people who wanted to live in a communal style,” says 1W resident Ben Nigra. In keeping with this persona, its namesake is from the Beatles’ movie “Yellow Submarine,” affiliated with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Also fittingly, the legendary liberal writer and UofC professor Saul Bellow once lived there. Over the course of its history the Pepperland often “absorbs certain groups of people,” Nigra said. In the early 1990s it held a large gay contingent, then the Crew Club moved in, and finally in the late nineties it became home to around half of the Ultimate Frisbee team. At present, over three-quarters of the Pepperland’s residents are associated with the Frisbee community. Nine of the twelve apartments have formed a sort of association, with a “party captain” who organizes meetings and funds (of the three remaining apartments, a mysterious old professor occupies one, and students unaffiliated with Pepperland festivities live in the other two). When you move in you’re expected to pay a $75 deposit that will be returned upon your departure—a stock purchase that would probably not be recommended to aspiring GSB Wall Street kids. But prepare to talk Kant over a game of Kings behind a tripped-out mural. A small apartment with three full bedrooms, one converted-pantry bedroom, and one bathroom, with laundry in the basement, runs about $1400 a month: cheap. Oh, and here’s an insider’s tip: if you’re looking to track down the One Dub Dirty Love Jazz Club, look no further than apartment 1W.

That seems to be exactly where the company is going: @properties is Chicago’s fastest growing real estate company, with award after award falling into their lap. Their reach extends to places you wouldn’t expect to see luxury condos–@properties signs, bedecked with smiling interracial groups of young couples thrilled about their “hottest new lakefront community,” can be seen at places like 24th and Western, 26th and State, 25th and Dearborn, 69th and Dorchester, 52nd and Calumet. They represent old and new buildings, affordable to high-end luxury, from the Gold Coast to South Shore. Since its founding in 2000 by CEOs Thaddeus Wong and Michael Golden, over 1.5 billion dollars in sales have flowed through @properties’ coffers. That looming tower of cash is just one stack in the torrent of money changing the face of Chicago neighborhoods. New condo construction and “conversions” (rental buildings bought out and converted to condos) boomed in 2005 and 2006 with a slight dip in recent months. Downtown condo conversions leapt from around 700 in 2004 to 3,965 in 2005, according to Appraisal Research Counselors. It’s part of a reversal of the flow of money out of the city and into the suburbs. Urban living has once again become desirable for the city’s monied classes, and they must find someplace to go.

The “everywhere” answer that @properties poses to that question is the problematic part, according to some. If there are condos costing hundreds of thousands of dollars everywhere, then where will people who can’t afford them go? Count the Metropolitan Tenants Organization (MTO) among the ranks of dissenters. The MTO was formed in 1981 with the goal of “lifting people up,” says director John Bartlett, from a bustling Wicker Park office full of people preparing for a protest on Daley Plaza the following day. Specifically, this involves protecting tenants’ rights, especially low-income tenants, educating them and acting as an advocate in relations with the government and private developers. Thousands of people call their tenants rights hotline every year, and in 1986 they had a major role in getting Chicago’s Tenants’ Bill (now Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance) passed into law. Most recently, they won a victory in getting a bill passed that requires landlords to give 120 days of notice to tenants when their building has been sold.

The MTO stands opposite developers and realtors like @properties philosophically on a number of issues. On whether there is really a problem: “I consider conversions worse because they’re taking rents that were affordable off the market and turning them into condos, which, for the most part, are not affordable for the people who lived there. So where do they go? They leave the community and, sometimes, out of the city. That’s a huge problem,” says Bartlett. @properties’ Thaddeus Wong has a different take: “We’re in a naturally occurring cycle that happens everywhere, and people get shifted around.” Bartlett offers a possible solution: “We need to increase subsidies, and secondly we need to offer incentives to landlords to maintain affordability. If you’re going to keep it affordable rental housing, we’ll keep your water bill lower and keep your taxes lower. We should raise taxes on new condos. We need to create laws that make it harder for a landowner to convert a rental unit into a condo.” Bartlett cited the fact that it’s cheaper and easier for developers to convert than to build new because they can get around some requirements. Wong was ambivalent on the question of a proper solution. When asked if he thought it was possible for mixed-income communities to be successful, he said “Absolutely.” Later on, though, he pointed out, “If you buy a house and it’s $500,000, and across the street they build a high-rise of subsidized apartments, your house may be worth $250,000 soon enough. Then you have homeowners asking: is this fair?”

As tempting as it may be to see it as such, developers are not one hundred-percent evil and greedy. As Bartlett contends, “It’s not like they have a commitment to that neighborhood; they just have a commitment to developing real estate so they can make as much money as possible. It’s greed is what’s pushing it.” Developers care about someone’s interests and will defend their constituency ardently—it just happens to be a different constituency than the one that MTO defends. Wong speaks passionately about the needs of homeowners, discussing how buyers on the South Side have been “ripped off” for years because the prices have been so low they haven’t been able to command good services or high-quality materials. “@ wants to bring professionalism back and improve the quality of service in South Side neighborhoods, and not just Kenwood, Hyde Park, and Bronzeville, either,” says Wong. The concerns that Bartlett and Wong voice echo each other: everyone wants a nice place to live, doesn’t want to be ripped off, and wants a quality home that is worth their money. Homeowners want their investment to mature; renters want an affordable place to live.

Despite Wong saying that we are simply part of a “growth cycle” that involves shifting people around, there is clearly some sort of problem with unfettered condo expansion. Even Mayor Daley sees it and called a condominium task force to discuss how to proceed. That was over a year ago, and the force has yet to meet, nor does it include a representative for renters (though it does include representatives from Lawyers Committee for Better Housing, the Chicago Rehab Network and Business and Professional People for the Public Interest). The task force is set to meet on November 8, and the problems they have to discuss surrounding gentrification, revitalization, urban renewal, or whatever you want to call it are intractable and numerous. Here’s a short list: subsidies to developers to encourage affordable rental housing construction are posed as a solution, but the funds needed for that must come from taxes and you aren’t going to get many taxes from a community that’s almost entirely poor. There is a lack of amenities in poor neighborhoods, but businesses don’t want to move to an area without buying power (though recent scholarship questions the assertion that the poor have as little buying power as is thought. It seems that businesses are missing a great opportunity.) It’s nigh impossible to find a solution to please the current community, or a reliable community voice, because the “community” is far from homogeneous. A neighborhood like North Kenwood-Oakland, which is ninety-eight-percent black, includes homeowners who have been there from generations and who want to see their property appreciate but fear taxes getting out of control, working-class renters who worry about a dearth of rental property, public housing residents who resist being shifted around by the government, and low-income renters in subsidized housing who are upset that their building is being sold or that landlords refuse to maintain their apartment. All these parties have particular and sometimes competing interests, and according to Mary Pattillo, sociologist and author of “Black on the Block: The Politics of Race and Class in the City,” homeowners often dominate neighborhood organizations. This begs the question: will there ever be a community “voice” that is respected as legitimate, and can organizations ever accurately claim to represent the community?

Naturally, it follows that no side can really agree upon an urban development success story, a model neighborhood that has undertaken a project of injecting money and new buying power into the neighborhood, including all voices along the way and reaching a solution that lets most people stay and makes the new people happy. Therefore, there is no model to compare to during the neighborhood-building process, no formula to follow. And perhaps that is exactly the point: in Chicago, the City of Neighborhoods, a development formula would produce a bunch of interchangeable, identical communities, lacking the strong character that evokes a sense of pride in its residents. Any solution must be fundamentally community-based. And the question isn’t whether the MTO or @properties and their counterparts are “right” or “wrong.” They are all simply interest groups representing different constituencies and pushing in sometimes opposite directions, trying to convince Progress to move forward at a rate at which they’re comfortable. Both are natural and both are necessary, and Chicago will only lift itself up through their conversation, negotiation, and, yes, politics. So let’s talk.