(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Residents of three apartment buildings in south suburban Robbins continue to be without water because their landlord is behind on his payments to the village.
The water was shut off Thursday by the village.
“We already paid our rent, and now we have to suffer without water, you know? That’s not okay,” says Donna Jenkins, who lives in one of the buildings on 138th and Central Park Avenue.
Jenkins says she pays $1,800 a month in rent and that water is supposed to be included — it’s just that the landlord has not been paying the water bills for her building and four others.
Robbins spokesman Sean Howard says the landlord, Marvin Wells, has been “playing games” and has racked up overdue bills that total $137,000. Howard accuses the landlord of stealing from residents.
During a meeting Friday between the village and the landlord, Howard said the landlord put down 25% of what he owes for two of the buildings, so water has been restored to them.
Donna Jenkins’ building and two others are not among them and remain without running water.
“[We] went without water last night, waking up to no water. We cannot do this for too much longer. It’s like putting you in survival mode,” she said.
Jenkins adds: “This is a health issue. My mother is a diabetic. My mom has high blood pressure. Like, we need water. It’s tenants in the building who has children, infants, toddlers. You know? You need water to survive.”
Jenkins’ neighbor, Kiwuan Jackson, agreed. “It’s kind of messed up, like, we should be having running water because we pay the bills and stuff.”
Village spokesman Sean Howard says the village will be offering cases of water to residents.
Howard says Wells has been stringing the village along for the more than the 13 months that Mayor Darren Bryant has been in office.
Erica Chiang, a spokeswoman for the landlord, says Wells feels like the mayor is using “strong-arm tactics” by shutting off the water.
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