'Everybody's angry': Almost 2 years after Woodridge tornado, townhome residents still waiting on repairs
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's been almost two years since a tornado swept through Woodridge and the damage hasn't been fixed.
The village estimates that still, 24 homeowners are unable to move back into their homes. CBS 2's Sabrina Franza spoke with one of those homeowners.
Two years later, and you can still see some of the windows boarded up on several townhouses. The question is why is it taking so long? And when can these homeowners move back?
"This was like from movie. Never seen before."
The horror film continues for homeowners like Birute Savickiene.
She'd lived there only a year before the tornado struck. Her family was asleep in bed when it happened.
"I working. My family, my daughter, my grandson. He already sleep. He was in bed," she said.
The roof, in pieces scattered on the lawn outside. Twenty-one months later, there's a roof on her townhome, but there's nothing homey about it.
For her and some of her neighbors, it's unlivable.
"Everybody's angry. These old people live here, crying. He walks outside and he's crying," said Savickiene.
Elected leaders held a news conference Monday to tell those tenants they're not forgotten. But some, like Birute Savickiene will have to find alternate housing after her insurance plan stops paying for her temporary apartment.
CBS 2 asked what happens to those people in the meantime.
"We're gonna be up against that soon. There's no current plan in place. That's a process were going to continue to work with our offices are working with residents directly, as is the village, trying to close that gap," said Illinois State Senator and Minority Leader John Curran.
The onsite condo association said it's been fighting with the insurance company to secure funding to fix these homes, something it claims to have gotten approval for as of last Friday, though the details on how much and what that covers, it can't say because no ones signed on the dotted line just yet.
Carlo Caprio of MC Property Management Corporation sent a statement to CBS 2:
MC Property Management Corporation has worked diligently with the Association's Public Adjuster and Insurance Carrier to try to get to an amicable resolution to the amount of work needed and dollars needed to fund the re-construction for Woodridge Club Condominium Association #5 from the June 20, 2021 tornado that struck the community.
We have worked closely with The Village of Woodridge and their connection to a local Not-For-Profit Neighbors helping Neighbors to direct displaced residents in the Woodridge Club Association #5 to the organization for their needs related to housing, clothing, food, and other financial assistance. The Village has been an incredible resource and partner for us through this entire ordeal.
It is important to understand that this Tornado caused and extremely large insurance loss for the association and we have worked tirelessly to get to a resolution with the insurance carrier. The scope of work and funding for this reconstruction is significant and this is why it has taken so much time to get a resolution and approvals needed from the insurance carrier to start the re-construction efforts.
On Friday March 31, 2023 I received some positive news that the insurance carrier has approved a significant payout for the construction phase of this project. We are now awaiting the documentation to be finalized so that we know what funding was approved and when we can start the re-construction efforts to get these residents back into their homes.