Englewood Women's Shelter, Apartment Homes In Danger Of Closing
(CBS) -- An apartment building for women and children in need in Englewood has fallen on hard times, and is in danger of closing, because it can't pay its bills.
For two years, Trina Nalls has called Clara's Place home. A third of her meager income as a home care worker goes towards rent for her apartment in the building at 1656 W. 63rd St.
However, she might now be forced to move out. Gas service already has been shut off at Clara's Place, thanks to a whopping $19,000 in unpaid bills.
If Clara's Place is forced to close, Nalls said "I imagine we would have to go to another shelter somewhere; and we've been in one before, but you sleep on the floors, and stuff like that."
Nalls, her daughter, and her three grandchildren are just one of eleven families who might find themselves homeless, if owner Clara Kirk can't pay her gas bill soon.
"They want $6800 to come up with a payment plan. I don't have $6,800. I would love to have it, but i don't," Kirk said.
Kirk's predicament has been looming for months. Without grants or public funding for Clara's Place, she relies solely on donations to help provide stability to those women and kids in need.
"Nobody is here because they want to be here. They're here because they don't have places to go," Kirk said.
She was hoping, once again, that a generous soul might help her help others. You can donate by clicking here.
People's Gas spokeswoman Jennifer Block said the company already has waived late fees and restored service to kirk's Clara's House, a temporary shelter down the street, but Kirk owes more than $19,000 for the Clara's Place apartments, and gas service remains off. Block said those apartments are not sustainable.
