Gateway Studios, an old motel located at 1505 N. Neil St., is being condemned by the City of Champaign for failure to pay its utility bills, forcing its more than 100 residents to find housing on very short notice, with very few local low-cost options available.
Residents have been paying their rent, which includes utilities, but the property owner was not paying the power bill, running up a debt of at least $44,000. CU Citizens for Peace and Justice is calling for concerned community members to attend Champaign City Council meeting this Tuesday night at 7 pm to insist that the city do more.
— From the UC-IMC report by ida
“I want you all to do whatever you can to try to find someplace to live,” she said. “We can’t let you and I don’t think you want to live in a room with no electricity, no air conditioning, no hot water. You need to dig down deep and figure out what you’re going to do.”
— Property management company employee Rose Touchstone, quoted in the News-Gazette’s report by Mike Monson
Sounds like typical absentee-landlord garbage. Check out the City Council meeting on Tuesday if you can.