Residents of Lakeside Towers in Waukegan are unsure what these icicle looking drips from the garage roof are, but two tenants said it removes paint from cars. (Steve Sadin / Lake County News-Sun)

As the city of Waukegan asks a Lake County Court judge to appoint a receiver for the Lakeside Towers apartment building, residents of the 14-story structure continue to live with mold on the ceilings, fecal matter unwashed from stairwells and gunfire outside the building.

Dorothy Wright, an 18-year resident of the building at the northwest corner of Genesee and Julian streets, said a fight started in front of the building on Sept. 18. The combatants were men who live there, but are not the legal tenants who are on the lease.

“The fight turned into a stabbing and then a shooting,” Wright said. “Security is armed, but they won’t do anything about what happens in the street. It’s the boyfriends of the women who live here. Other neighbors complain too. This is a historic neighborhood.”

Judge Daniel Jasica scheduled a Nov. 3 hearing on the city’s request to appoint a receiver in Lake County Court in Waukegan, and determine whether the Waukegan Housing Authority will take charge of the property.

The 14-story Lakeside Towers apartment building was declared a nuisance by the Waukegan police department. (Steve Sadin / Lake County News-Sun)

The city presented its most recent request for a receiver Wednesday, nearly a month after filing its complaint in Lake County court alleging property owner Apex Waukegan IL, and property manager Integra Affordable Management, continue to mismanage the building.

Wright, Wanda Evans, a seven-year resident, and Bianca Jackson, who has lived there for three years, said Tuesday only one elevator remains operational, maintenance has barely improved over the past month and requests for things like plumbing repairs remain unaddressed.

“We really want different management,” Jackson said. “We pay rent. We haven’t had two elevators working for about two years. We’re living with roaches and bedbugs. They won’t do anything about it.”

After filing the complaint and the initial court date, attorneys for the city said Jasica required weekly appearances in front of him to report on progress.

Attorneys for Waukegan argue the property now “poses an immediate threat to the residents who live there and to the community surrounding” the property. The Waukegan Housing Authority is capable of doing the job while Apex and Integra are not, they allege.

A tenant at Lakeside Towers said multiple requests have been made to remove the mold from her bathtub. (Steve Sadin / Lake County News-Sun)

In its first amended complaint filed in August, the city alleged numerous building code violations, and noted continual calls to both the Waukegan police and fire departments about problems at and around Lakeside Towers.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Evans said she started to notice Lakeside Towers go steadily downhill. That was about a year after Apex sold the building, and Integra began its management tenure. More than a month ago, Evans said she told Integra her toilet was leaking at the base.

“When you flush it, it’s worse,” Evans said. “Urine leaks on the floor. They told me they would take care of it next week, and now it’s been more than a month. I was in the hospital three weeks from the mold. When I walk in, I still start coughing.”

Wright said when Eastlake managed the property, there were five or six maintenance workers. Now there are rarely more than two, she said. When Eastlake Management Group of Chicago was in charge, the environment was completely different, she added.

“We had back-to-school parties for the kids in the community room,” Wright said. “There’s a pool table there. We don’t have a community room now. They’ve turned it into an office and a break room for staff.”

A resident at Lakeside Towers in Waukegan said the fecal matter in the stairwells has been unattended for weeks. (Steve Sadin / Lake County News-Sun)

Latasha Piggs, another resident of the building, said a member of the maintenance staff lost the keys to her apartment four months ago and Integra has yet to replace them.

Evans said maintenance requests continually go unanswered. Not long ago, she said she asked why it took so long to get things done.

“They said the owner said we don’t deserve it,” Evans said.

Attempts to reach the attorney for Apex and Integra were unsuccessful.