Longtime residents of the Chaney Braggs Apartments in Woodlawn say they are facing possible displacement after years of property neglect and legal disputes. The building, located at 6450 S. Stony Island Ave., is home to about 20 households who formed a tenants union two years ago as conditions worsened and foreclosure proceedings began.
A court hearing scheduled for Tuesday may determine whether the building must be vacated due to unsafe living conditions, according to tenants gathered outside the property this week.
“We’re not the ones who stopped showing up — it was the landlord,” said Kyana Butler, a longtime resident and organizer with Southside Together. “Now that the Obama Center is coming, all of these new buyers want to come in and take over the land … and kick out the people that have been here.”
The building’s owner is Woodlawn East Community and Neighbors Development Corporation (WECAN), a nonprofit focused on affordable housing in Woodlawn. WECAN could not be reached for comment. Its founder, Mattie Butler, was a prominent housing advocate; two properties were named after her before she died in 2022. Residents say that following her death, WECAN neglected the apartments and stopped collecting rent.
Tenants have maintained the property themselves while seeking city intervention for new management. Infiniti Gant, an organizer with Southside Together, said residents worked together to keep up basic maintenance.
“This is the foundation of what used to be a strong, not-for-profit community organization meant for affordable housing,” resident Reyna Collins said. “I think it’s kind of insane and ironic that this demographic in this community should be so quickly swept out from something that’s really our own. We took care of this because this is our home.”
The property entered foreclosure in October 2023. In 2025, Community Initiatives, Inc., which often manages troubled Chicago buildings under court order, was appointed as receiver.
City officials have also listed WECAN on its building code scofflaw list for chronic violations affecting tenant safety. “The City of Chicago has been steadfast in our pursuit to hold the WECAN Development Corporation accountable for the deterioration of their building, which has impacted the safety of those who call it home,” said Nefsa’Hyatt Brown, spokesperson for the city’s buildings department.
As legal proceedings continue, residents say there are no assurances they will be able to return if renovations or redevelopment occur. According to Kyana Butler, a prospective buyer offered $2,000 per household for residents to leave—a proposal she called “downright disrespectful” given many have lived there for decades.
Residents do not know who made this offer or who might purchase the property next.
The Illinois Housing Development Authority currently holds the mortgage on Chaney Braggs Apartments. Andrew Field, assistant director at IHDA, stated Thursday that his agency “has been committed to working collaboratively with ownership and community preservation partners to explore all viable solutions that ensure the long-term affordability and sustainability of Chaney Braggs.” He added that if a buyer emerges, IHDA would work with owners “to ensure rents continue to be affordable for the remainder of the regulatory agreement, or 2032.”
The apartment building sits within an area designated by last year’s Jackson Park Housing Pilot ordinance—which includes provisions like a Tenant Opportunity to Purchase program supporting tenant unions’ ability to buy their buildings before outside investors can make offers. However, organizer Infiniti Gant noted union members likely cannot afford a competitive bid.
Nearby developments include a planned 26-story hotel led by Barack Obama’s former boss and ongoing renovations at neighboring affordable apartments.
