Housing
Read more about the article Champaign targets certain neighborhoods for demolitionDarrell Hoemann
Nuisance Houses on Tuesday, September 20, 2016. photo by Darrell Hoemann/The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting

Champaign targets certain neighborhoods for demolition

These houses make up about 5 percent of vacant houses citywide, but represent the worst of the worst, officials said. Those are houses with repeated code violations, safety issues or are home to criminal activity. The monitored homes are largely located in more troubled neighborhoods because city staff closely monitors those areas.

Continue ReadingChampaign targets certain neighborhoods for demolition
Read more about the article Despite yearly purge, “no-trespass” list remains longDarrell Hoemann
The board listens to a report during a meeting of the Housing Authority of Champaign County board at their Champaign, Il offices on Thursday, December 18, 2014. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Despite yearly purge, “no-trespass” list remains long

Since the beginning of the year, the Housing Authority of Champaign County removed nearly 190 names from their “no-trespass” list — the largest mass purging of the list in the past five years. Still, about 540 names remain on the list, which is posted on the housing authority’s website.

Continue ReadingDespite yearly purge, “no-trespass” list remains long
Read more about the article Unpaid property taxes total $2.5 million, but investors give delinquents time to payDarrell Hoemann
Champaign County Treasurer Dan Welch by the county seal i the board room where delinquent properties are auctioned in Urbana, ILon Monday, May 4, 2015. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Unpaid property taxes total $2.5 million, but investors give delinquents time to pay

Last year Bell Sports in Rantoul had about $108,000 in unpaid property taxes. The former Gateway Studios property in Champaign had about $104,800. And Mennenga Construction Inc. in Urbana had about $84,200.

Continue ReadingUnpaid property taxes total $2.5 million, but investors give delinquents time to pay
Read more about the article Records show public housing often filled with violationsRobert Holly
Lavell Blissit stands outside Steer Place in Urbana on April 15, 2015. He has been a resident there for the past four years, he said.

Records show public housing often filled with violations

Cockroaches, mice feces, broken appliances and mold were among the most severe violations found during standard public housing inspections this past year in Champaign County.

Continue ReadingRecords show public housing often filled with violations
Read more about the article Despite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challengeDarrell Hoemann
Jeremy Leevey, fire prevention officer for the Urbana Fire Department at the campus fire station on Thursday, September 25, 2014. (Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access)

Despite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge

For the past month, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been working to teach students what it takes to prevent fires as a part of a national campus fire safety initiative. Nowhere are those lessons more needed than in the fraternities and sororities that routinely have dozens of fire-safety violations.

Continue ReadingDespite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge
Read more about the article Despite routine inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge
A photo taken by city of Champaign inspectors at Theta Chi, 310 E. Gregory, Champaign on Sept. 4, 2013.

Despite routine inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge

By Janelle O’Dea and Robert Holly/CU-CitizenAccess.org -- At the Theta Chi fraternity house last fall, Champaign city inspectors found 81 fire and life-safety violations,…

Continue ReadingDespite routine inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge
Read more about the article Gov’t Watch: City of Urbana program works to fund housing opportunitiesDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
Regina Ramsey and her family, Shawtel Harris, 18, Makhii Jones, 5 and T'Aire Jones, 8 at 1107 West Hill Street, Urbana, where Habitat will begin construction of their new home in a a few weeks. They were at the site on Wednesday, April 23, 2014. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Gov’t Watch: City of Urbana program works to fund housing opportunities

Lyanne Alfaro/For CU-CitizenAccess.org -- Two more low-income Champaign-Urbana families will soon each have new homes. The new housing is a result of one of…

Continue ReadingGov’t Watch: City of Urbana program works to fund housing opportunities
Read more about the article Inspectors monitor some residence halls, tooDarrell Hoemann
on Friday, November 15, 2013. photo by Darrell Hoemann/The Midwest Center for Investigative Journalism

Inspectors monitor some residence halls, too

In addition to fraternities and sororities, inspectors visit 15 privately-owned residences that fall under the certified housing rules, such as Bromley Hall, Illini Tower and Newman Hall.

Continue ReadingInspectors monitor some residence halls, too
Read more about the article Fraternities and sororities fail inspections; Violations take months to fixDarrell Hoemann
Alpha Delta Phi, located at 310 East John Street in Champaign, had 54 violations after its initial inspection last year. Among the violations, Inspectors found broken windows, tripping hazards and expired fire extinguishers. Inspectors also found beer cans and tea lights in the fraternity’s crawlspace, which is not meant to be used as a habitable space. This photo of the house was taken on Nov. 15, 2013.

Fraternities and sororities fail inspections; Violations take months to fix

City safety inspectors find hundreds of fire hazards and safety violations in fraternities and sororities at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign each year, yet it can take months before some violations are corrected, inspection documents show.

Continue ReadingFraternities and sororities fail inspections; Violations take months to fix