SPRINGFIELD: Budzinski Meets Sangamon Towers Management to Address Residents’ Health and Safety Concerns

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) met with the management of Sangamon Towers to continue her advocacy for building residents regarding the unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the apartment building. Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members and Help at Home workers who provide care for Sangamon Towers residents also attended the meeting.

After receiving outreach from constituents on the conditions in Sangamon Towers, Budzinski reached out to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Following further revelations about the severity of conditions, Budzinski immediately sent a letter to Pacific Management CEO Jeff Richards requesting necessary changes to improve the wellbeing and safety of those in the building. 

“Today, we had a productive conversation about how we can continue to make progress to resolve the serious health and safety issues at Sangamon Towers,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “In the weeks since I wrote to Mr. Richards, I have been heartened by his willingness to work with my office to begin to address these concerns and I am grateful for his participation in this meeting. I am also grateful to George Hemberger and Kayla Watson from SEIU and Help at Home for their continued advocacy. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home and I am confident that today’s discussion is a step towards making that a reality for the residents of Sangamon Towers.”

Among the chief concerns for Sangamon Towers residents are issues with mold, bed bugs, feces and urine in public areas, unreliable elevator service, lease enforcement, security doors being left open for the unhoused to enter the buildings, harassment, and arson. Since Budzinski’s November letter, residents have reported management making positive changes to the building, like more strictly enforcing security protocols.

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