CHA Goes on the Defensive in Child's Death Case

by Mary C. Johns, Editor-in-Chief

The Chicago Housing Authority recently went on the defensive in response to media reports stating that the public housing agency was warned by the federal housing inspectors about the potential threat of harm some rod iron gates and fencing "in need of repair" posed at the Cabrini Green Rowhouses, which eventually fell and killed a toddler living there.

On June 27 this year, 3-year-old Curtis Cooper was crushed to death by a 7 foot tall black steel metal rod-iron gate, while playing nearby.

At the time of his untimely death, it was speculated that kids had been playing on the leaning gate that made it come off its "rotten" hinges. But relatives and other residents living at the public housing complex told reporters that the gate eventually fell off on its own.

CHA appeared to be downplaying the seriousness of the situation when it stated in an August 22, 2008 press release that areas of the fences and gates at the site were identified by the U. S. Housing and Urban Development as "damaged/failing/leaning" and graded the condition as a "Level 3," which was reported as only "in need of repair."

In the press release they stated, "while this designation is regarded as 'in need of repair' the report clearly states that the damaged gates are considered 'Non-Life Threatening.' Therefore, any conclusion that HUD's designation of 'Level 3' indicates the highest level of emergency would be inaccurate and misleading."

Regardless of whether the gates and fencing were deemed a "life threatening emergency" or not, the fact of the serious matter is that one of the "damaged/failing/leaning" and "in need of repair" gates fell on a child and took his young life.

The Rowhouses were managed at the time by the private management firm Urban Property Advisors (UPA), whose contract was suspended by the CHA on July 8, 2008, until the completion of an investigation. Cullen J. Davis, a licensed attorney and real estate broker and the son of Allison Davis, a highly influential city developer runs the company.

Because the incident is the subject of litigation, the CHA stated that they were "not at liberty to discuss specific details regarding the inspection reports, nor discuss CHA property management firm responses to those reports."