Chants of “This rent is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S,” split the quiet morning in front of 910-916 Judson Ave. on Sunday.
Over 50 members of the Quadrel Evanston Tenants Union and their supporters gathered to protest “excessive rent and fee hikes” by Quadrel Realty Group, which owns several apartment buildings in the city. Union members demanded that Quadrel comply with the city’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance and provide prompt repairs and reasonable prices.
Formed in March, the union is composed of almost 50 units across three Evanston buildings — 910-916 Judson Ave., 929-935 Michigan Ave. and 605-617 Hinman Ave. — owned by Quadrel, an arm of Chicago-based private equity firm North Park Ventures. North Park bought the buildings in 2022 from the Wirtz family portfolio.
On Oct. 7, the city sent Quadrel a demand letter alleging “a pattern or practice of violating the Evanston Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance” and threatened potential civil action “for injunctive relief and/or monetary damages.”
The letter accused Quadrel of violating four parts of the RLTO — skipping “fair notice” on lease renewals, charging disproportionate move-in and utility fees, unauthorized “holdover” penalties and failing to attach an RLTO summary to lease offers.
According to 605-617 Hinman Ave. resident Tim Barnett, Quadrel informed tenants they should expect rent hikes of 8% to 15% this year.
“We deserve to feel safe and respected in our home more than anywhere else,” Barnett said. “While we understand that Quadrel needs profit, we refuse to let our families pay for their bottom line. That’s non-negotiable.”
Quadrel did not respond to a request for comment.
Supported by the Metropolitan Tenants Organization, the union arranged a series of speakers including residents, Ald. Shawn Iles (3rd) and Mayor Daniel Biss.
As speakers cycled through stories of pest-ridden apartments, steep rent, fee increases and ignored maintenance requests, the crowd clapped and chanted in support.
Barnett said Quadrel needs to treat its tenants with respect, especially those with children or on fixed incomes.
The rally also featured a statement of solidarity from renters of Quadrel-owned buildings in Minneapolis and a statement by a union member who remained anonymous out of fear of retaliation from Quadrel.
“Under Wirtz, the old landlords, rent increases were manageable — rarely more than $100 a year. Under Quadrel, they’ve jumped to $350 per year,” the union member’s statement read, noting that they rented from Wirtz for six years before Quadrel entered the fray.
Community organizer Jonah Karsh from the MTO said that when Quadrel purchased the buildings, the group reportedly intended to hold onto them for only three years.
“So if you’re trying to purchase this, buyers, know that you will have to deal with us,” Karsh said. “So tell Quadrel to make peace with us and let us stay in our homes before you buy the buildings.”
In 2024, Evanston amended its RLTO to include new requirements for fee transparency. These changes went into effect in January.
Before Iles was sworn in after his April victory, he said he was invited to see the building conditions on Michigan Avenue.
What he saw left him “shocked, but unfortunately not surprised,” he said. Iles added that other landlords are watching to see how the new RLTO is being applied.
“If we can’t hold this landlord accountable, the RLTO might not be worth the paper it’s printed on,” Iles said.
Tenants voiced concerns about gas leaks, mold and water damage, lack of adequate heating and pests. The union also passed around QR codes that linked to Evanston’s RLTO and an Action Network link to email Quadrel.
Toward the end of the rally, Biss stepped in front of the crowd. He framed the tenants’ organizing as part of a larger Chicago area history of labor and community movements.
“My message to Quadrel is simple: follow the law,” Biss said. “We passed our Residential Landlord-Tenant Ordinance unanimously. It’s a floor, not a ceiling. Landlords should do more. Landlords should do better, but the bare minimum is to follow the law.”
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