Fourth Business Owner Forced To Sell After Not Receiving Access Letter From Alderman
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Just weeks after the report of an alderman refusing to provide access letters to business owners, another owner says they too have not been given an access letter for their business, forcing them to sell.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov spoke with the owners who said it's hurting their livelihood.
"It feels like my rights have been violated."
Jasmine Baynes is now the fourth woman trying to open a business in Chicago's 7th Ward - claiming Ald. Greg Mitchell is blocking their efforts, and then ghosting them.
"To me it's a pattern, it's discrimination," Baynes said.
In 2018, Baynes' mother gave her money from her late husband's life insurance policy to buy this former daycare site. She planned to open a new one. Baynes says she had everything needed - except an alley access letter from Alderman Mitchell. After three years, all these emails and repeated calls to the city, Mitchell never budged. She's now forced to sell.
"I'm telling them this man is sabotaging everything we're trying to do. It's like you don't have any help from anyone."
Baynes reached out to CBS 2's Dana Kozlov after our story earlier this month profiling the other women. Since then, two of those businesses have been targeted.
"We are constantly being attacked."
Desaree Wilcox says city inspectors showed up at her building late Saturday, claiming they had reports of unsanctioned events, but the interior is still under construction.
"I was like what the heck is going on here," Wilcox said.
Then Wilcox arrived to find a stop work order on her door for work being done beyond the scope of her permits, but she has all the permits and no building inspectors have been inside the space for at least a week. coincidence? Wilcox doesn't think so.
"Greg Mitchell is behind this, that's without a shadow of a doubt."
Jocilyn Floyd has concerns, too. days after she talked to us about Mitchell's refusal to work with another daycare owner, someone kicked in its door. But there is no proof that the alderman is behind it.
"No but it was sure coincidental that we had a lot going on, on one day exactly one week after the report," Floyd said.
The stop work order that was place on Wilcox's door has since been removed as it was placed their in error.
The Department of Buildings issued the following statement on Saturday:
"The Department of Buildings (DOB) is committed to ensuring the safety of all buildings in the City of Chicago. The DOB along with BACP and CPD routinely inspect businesses and issue violations, where necessary, to ensure compliance with City laws."
The DOB said it was reviewing what led to the erroneous stop work order.
After multiple attempts, the alderman has yet to respond.