Park Forest, Illinois Autumn Ridge apartments residents going days without air conditioning amid Cook County Extreme Heat Warning
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PARK FOREST, Ill. (WLS) — Residents of the south suburban Autumn Ridge apartments have gone through three days of near triple-digit temperatures, and still, they have no answers on Monday.

Residents say the building management promised them they would have air conditioning by June 1. Instead, it is now June 23, and they still have no air conditioning.

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It has been at least three days of extreme heat without air conditioning in Andrea Deese-Shepard’s Park Forest apartment. The thermostat reads 95 degrees, and there is no relief in sight.

“They sent out emails saying we were going to have air June first. Here it is, June 20, something and we haven’t heard anything else,” Deese-Shepard said.

So, Deese-Shepard is relying on fans and light clothing to get by, in the meantime.

“At night, it gets pretty hot. I been trying to keep everything closed. Keep still, wear as less clothes as possible,” Deese-Shepard said.

SEE ALSO | Chicago weather: Extreme Heat Warning continues for Cook County Monday

According to the village of Park Forest, the Autumn Ridge apartment complex has nearly 300 units, and residents say there is no air conditioning in any of them.

Resident Chante Hill says she has four fans in her apartment, but they mostly recirculate the hot air.

“It’s awful, just awful. Oppressive heat. It’s terrible,” Hill said.

The village of Park Forest has issued numerous citations to the building management.

READ MORE | How to stay cool in Chicago area amid rising temperatures this summer: LIST

But Park Forest village officials also held an emergency meeting on Monday afternoon to try to offer solutions for the residents, including helping find contractors to fix it.

“All we know is they made promises to have it working weeks ago. It still hasn’t happened,” said Assistant Park Forest Village Manager Jason Miller. “This is dangerous heat, and no one should be subjected to temperatures of 95 degrees in their home. It’s unreasonable. It’s dangerous.”

Village officials say the building’s management has told them they are working on the problem.

Deese-Shepard, who has lived there for four years, suffers from respiratory problems, and she says the overbearing heat is making it difficult to breathe, at times.

“I don’t want to be illegal and just leave, but I can’t continue to stay in this condition,” Deese-Shepard said.

ABC7 reached out to management at the management at the Autumn Ridge apartments and was told they have no comment.

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