Banks, Courts, and Bureaucrats: Apartment Foreclosures and Coercive Evictions in Chicago

Since 2009, over 50,000 rental units in Chicago have gone into foreclosure, predominantly in low-income, minority neighborhoods. Despite paying rent and following the terms of their lease, tenants in foreclosed buildings are often forced out of their homes. Banks that take over foreclosed apartments often attempt to vacate residents through coercive methods such as turning off utilities, neglecting maintenance, and giving tenants misleading information. The paper examines the rights of tenants during the foreclosure process, and the challenges that government officials, social service agencies, and community activist groups face in responding to coercive eviction practices.