The Evidence: Undeniable Proof of Negligence & Selective Enforcement

This case is built on extensive documentation, official records, and firsthand testimony exposing the Village of Oak Park’s systemic failure to enforce critical safety regulations. The following evidence proves how the Village’s actions—or inaction—have endangered public health, caused financial harm, and violated legal requirements.

1️⃣ Key Findings: How Oak Park Ignored the Law

🚨 FOIA Records:

Between 2019 and 2023, Oak Park issued 12,036 building permits, yet only 500 demolition permits were obtained through Cook County—despite the legal requirement for demolition permits when disturbing load-bearing structures.

📧 Emails from Cook County:

Cook County officials confirmed that demolition permits are mandatory when altering load-bearing walls. This means thousands of projects proceeded illegally, violating asbestos safety laws and putting workers and residents at risk.

🎥 Video Evidence of Selective Enforcement:

Footage from 2019 shows Oak Park aggressively enforcing demolition permit requirements against certain contractors—while allowing others to violate the law without consequences.

☠️ Asbestos Contamination:

Independent asbestos testing confirms that properties permitted by the Village contained hazardous asbestos materials—posing serious health risks to workers, residents, and nearby communities.

🔍 Ongoing Non-Enforcement:

At least three properties are currently under construction in Oak Park without required Cook County demolition permits. Yet, the Village continues issuing permits without oversight, allowing unsafe conditions to persist.

2️⃣ Demolition Permit Requirements & Village Noncompliance

🏛️ Legal Requirements for Demolition Permits:

Under Cook County and Village of Oak Park regulations, any construction that involves the demolition of a structure, exterior wall, or load-bearing interior wall must first obtain a Cook County Demolition Permit before work begins.

📌 What the Law Requires:

Cook County Department of Environmental Control: Requires asbestos testing and remediation before demolition.
Village of Oak Park Building Permit Guidelines: Confirm that a separate demolition permit is required for interior and structural demolition.
FOIA Records (2019-2023): Show that Oak Park issued 12,036 building permits, yet only 500 demolition permits were obtained—proving systemic noncompliance.
The Village of Oak Park's demolition permit requirements are detailed in the following documents:
1. Demolition Guidelines:
  - Section: "Submittal Requirements"
  - Details: States that a permit is required before demolishing a structure, exterior walls, or interior load-bearing walls.
  - Source: Demolition Guidelines
2. Guide to Submitting Building Permit Applications:
  - Section: "Demolition Permit"
  - Details: Specifies that a separate permit is required to demolish a structure and/or interior elements, and a Cook County Demolition Permit must accompany the application.
  - Source: Permit Submittal Guide
3. Building Code Amendments:
  - Section: "105.1 Required"
  - Details: Requires a permit for constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing, or changing the occupancy of a building or structure.
  - Source: Building Code Amendments
These sections collectively outline the procedures and requirements for obtaining demolition permits in Oak Park.

📄 Official Village Documents Confirming These Requirements:

3️⃣ Case Studies: Evidence of Selective Enforcement & Health Risks

⚠️ Case Study: 1166 Cuyler, Oak Park

The Village granted a work permit despite knowing that work had already been done without proper permits, as documented in multiple inspection reports.
Despite these violations, the Village never required walls to be removed to inspect all prior unpermitted work or to conduct asbestos testing before allowing further renovations.
Proper asbestos testing should have been mandated, but instead, the Village allowed construction to proceed in a home with three floors of asbestos.
By permitting work in these hazardous conditions, the Village put workers, city inspectors, and future occupants at risk.
A family has since moved into this home, and no one knows how much of the original asbestos remains inside today.

📌 This case proves Oak Park’s pattern of negligence—choosing to look the other way when safety violations occur, while selectively enforcing excessive requirements against others.

Documents detailing the Asbestos found prior to the home being sold and worked on, and City inspection records stating they knew work was done with out a permit.

🏗️ Multiple Active Noncompliant Construction Sites

These projects were permitted without requiring a Cook County Demolition Permit, meaning they likely exposed workers and tenants to asbestos without proper testing.

📍 Known Noncompliant Sites:

430 S Taylor, Oak Park
510 Grove, Oak Park
541 and 500 Gunderson Ave, Oak Park
1185 Ridgeland, Oak Park
1150 Cuyler, Oak Park

4️⃣ Visual & Documented Evidence

📊 Permit Comparison Charts – Data proving thousands of missing demolition permits.
📧 Emails & Government Communications – Direct proof of negligence and failure to act.
📸 Before-and-After Photos – Properties worked on without proper asbestos testing.
🛑 Expert Statements – Testimonies from asbestos remediation professionals confirming widespread risks.

5️⃣ What This Means for the Case

This overwhelming undeniable evidence supports the following claims:

✔️ The Village of Oak Park knowingly ignored mandatory safety codes.
✔️ Selective enforcement was used to target specific individuals, while others were allowed to violate the law.
✔️ Asbestos exposure and unsafe housing conditions resulted from the Village’s systemic failures.