DALEY CENTER — A judge Wednesday reaffirmed the decision to evict the family that has been squatting in a bank-owned home for the past three years in Rogers Park.
Jorge Ortiz, who has lived at 7245 N. Ridge Blvd. with his mother and children, went before the judge inside Daley Center courtroom 1302.
The brief hearing renewed an earlier ruling against the family.
"We knew this was coming," Ortiz said afterward.
The squatters claim they've taken a vacant, foreclosed home and transformed it into a community center to help others struggling with finding housing the neighborhood.
They've also drawn criticism from neighbors living next door who said the home, owned by CitiMortgage Inc., becomes a party venue hosting late-night festivities during warmer months.
Ortiz denied the claims — as did his uncle, Gerardo Calvillo, the day before.
"How friendly have they been? I think it goes both ways," he said.
But Ortiz also said he would seek to mend the relationship with the neighbors to make peace before the eviction is carried out.
"We're going to use this time to reach out to these neighbors," he said.
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