Let the Blogging Begin!

I am a resident at 5528 N. Kenmore Ave in the north side of Chicago. I have lived in the same apartment for almost three years and after numerous calls to my landlord every spring and summer and sometimes in between, I have decided to fight back.

Roaches are not fun. Roaches alter your perception of the space you live in, and that's not a lie. After having a bad experience with one (and are there every any good experiences?), you will think you see them all the time. Then once you let your guard down, you will be all the more freaked out when you see another.

The roaches that I have seen in this building vary in size--sometimes between two and three inches, and sometimes about an inch in length. I have only found the larger variety in my apartment (which is not on the ground floor), but I have seen the smaller ones dead in other areas in the building. I am told that the roaches that I find do not live in the building, but rather come in from the sewers.

The purpose of this blog is to make public and somewhat formal what I (and others in this building) have been dealing with on a private and informal basis. Since March, I have stepped up my communication with my landlord (The Krenger Company) and have decided not to step down and hush up as I have done in the past.

Krenger is a good company. It staff are generally polite, and when something needs fixed, the work order is put in and carried out in a timely fashion.

The company has responded to my complaints about roaches over the years by 1) recommending that I keep my drains plugged, 2) sending someone from the maintenance team to use caulking to fill in gaps where the roaches could get in to 3) sending someone from maintenance to spray or put down powder that will kill the roaches, 4) sending a technician from Smithereen Pest Control to treat my apartment, which has entailed the exact same process as maintenance except the spray is of a higher quality.

Despite their willingness to respond to my complaints, the problem has not been resolved. Roaches still regularly come into my apartment and in the apartments of others in the building.

In trying to find a more permanent solution, I have contacted several people at Krenger. After one episode in which I found a roach in my bed, I called and let them know that I wanted to talk to one person who I could hold accountable for what the management is doing to solve this problem. Ruth was very polite, but after a couple weeks of being put off by her because I was trying to find out what was decided after an inspection by her boss and someone from Smithereen, I was finally able to talk to Marty Krenger about the matter.

His demeanor indicated that he was not prepared to do much more than what had already been done, and he told me he found no significant problem. I was extremely disappointed in his attitude and what he was telling me, but he told me I should email him a more detailed record of where and when I've seen the roaches. I did so and will include the letters I send him as well as a summary of his responses.

All too often tenants have a negative experience in the building and then just move at the end of their lease or earlier if they can get out of it. Then the next resident moves in and has the same problem. I've thought of doing the same thing myself, but because I like everything about the apartment, location, and price, I want to stay.

I hope that this blog succeeds in making the buck stop here. If this problem is not solved, and I am forced to relocate, then at least potential residents will have more of a chance to find out what problems await them in this building.