In the wake of a $,1,900 judgement against her, activist Vernita Gray said the condominium association that allowed sheriff's deputies to illegally evict her may have won this battle, but will not win the war.
In addition to a pending Housing and Urban Development discrimination complaint and possible complaints with the state, city and county, a public protest is scheduled this Saturday in front of Gray's South Shore condominium.
In court last Friday, March 9, Gray again appeared before Circuit Judge Willie M. Whiting, who denied a condo association attempt to remove her from her condo but granted the association more than $1,900 in fees, fines and late assessments.
Even in finding that Gray owed the association money, Whiting still had harsh words for condo association President Shelley Norton.
When Norton's attorney, Herbert Fisher, announced that he would not be calling his client as a witness, Whiting replied, "I would like for her to be up here. Ms. Norton started this as far as the court is concerned."
Whiting also brushed aside suggestions that Norton attempted to stop deputies from illegally evicting Gray on Feb. 23. "There's no question in my mind that when Ms. Norton had the option to delay the sheriffs, she didn't do it," Whiting said. "The court considered that a slap in the face."
Gray, gay and lesbian liaison for the Cook County State's Attorney's office, moved into her condo at 7355 S. Shore Drive early last year. Noting that the condo association didn't hold the required number of meetings a year and didn't notify residents of the building's finances, she began withholding her $183 monthly assessment.
In November 2000, the association sought to have her evicted, allegedly over $1,300 in overdue assessments and fees. But Gray maintains that her eviction had less to do with money than with getting her-;an outspoken lesbian-;out of the building.
Whiting issued an eviction order on Nov. 16, but she vacated it Feb. 7 after discovering Gray had not been properly notified of the impending action.
The condo association has said it sent the required notices to Gray, who testified last week that she acquired a post office box this year after having problems receiving mail at her condo address. In court, Norton denied the unspoken accusation that she or the condo association has a key to Gray's mailbox and tampered with her mail.
In vacating the Nov. 16 eviction, Whiting gave Gray until March 9 to pay the overdue fees.
But on Friday, Feb. 23, sheriff's deputies removed all but a scattered few of Gray's belongings, and Norton apparently let them do it.
On Feb. 27, Whiting ordered Norton to give Gray both the keys to her condo and all of the possessions that had been removed from it.
At presstime, Gray had her condo back, but not the belongings she has resigned herself to never seeing again.
"I believe they have destroyed all of my stuff out of meanness and maliciousness," Gray said last week, noting that at last count she was out nearly $40,000 worth of furniture, electronics, clothing and more.
At last week's lengthy proceeding, Fisher argued that it wasn't the condo association's duty to notify the sheriff's office of the Feb. 7 order, and he looked to place blame on Gray.
Whiting disagreed, denying a motion that again sought to remove Gray from her home.
Gray plans to pay the $1,900 judgement, but she and other condo owners are organizing to encourage the association to open up its operations. In a letter dated March 7, Gray and five other owners asked the board of managers to attend a special meeting this Saturday.
Among the items on the agenda are: "Board of Managers' meetings during the past 12 months and actions taken by the Board during that period"; the fiscal budget for 2000/2001 and Gray's eviction.
In response, the owners got back their letter, with handwritten comments from Norton that read, "If you don't like the way the Board of this condominium operates-;Then move out! And move on! No one is making you stay here-;this is about order, not mass ( 6 ) people confusion! Thank you and have a nice day. P.S. Moving company can be found in the yellow pages."
The comments go on to accuse the owners of causing "division and confusion," and claim the owners don't have the support to call a special meeting.
A legion of supporters accompanied Gray to last week's court date, and as the dozen of them filed into the courtroom, Whiting remarked to her clerk, "I thought it was a class or something."
Nearly 100 people attended a benefit on Gray's behalf March 11, bringing money, clothing and memorabilia. Mary Morten hosted the benefit and thanked Willa Taylor, Sharon Mylrea, Pat Gilbert, Troy Ford, Carole Nolden, Leslie Reambeault, Paul Fairchild, Renae Ogletree and Bill Greaves for their help on the event.
On Sat., March 17, a protest is scheduled at 7355 S. South Shore Drive. Protesters are assembling at 11:30 a.m. at Arthur Ashe Memorial Park, 74th St. and South Shore Drive. A march in front of the building will begin at noon, and participants are urged to bring signs and banners. Call ( 773 ) 324-0377 or ( 773 ) 561-7878; www.outlineschicago.com . This will be a non-violent protest.
