Chicago tenant wakes up at 3am to rats eating his face. He blames landlord, but management says he turned down the perfect resolution multiple times

A Chicago tenant says he woke up around 3 a.m. to find a rat chewing on his face inside his Rogers Park apartment, according to Fox32 Chicago. Heriverto Hernandez told the outlet the incident happened roughly three weeks ago in his garden-level unit on Damen Avenue. 

He said he had fallen asleep after a long shift at work when he felt something on his face. “I felt them on my face and threw them off my face,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said he suffered facial injuries and later sought medical treatment, including a rabies shot. He said his eye remains irritated and that he is still recovering.

Tenant union says rodent and pest problems have gone unresolved for months

Hernandez claims rats have been a persistent problem in his apartment for months. He alleges he repeatedly reported the issue, but says neither the management company nor the property’s owners have fully fixed the infestation. Rats turning up in unexpected places have made headlines elsewhere too, including a rodent spotted on a Spirit Airlines flight.

Hernandez is apparently one of more than 60 tenants who belong to Fuerzas Activas de la Damen, a tenant union affiliated with the All-Chicago Tenant Alliance. The union says its members have been in an ongoing dispute with building ownership over rent increases, eviction proceedings, and building conditions.

In a news release cited by Fox32, the tenant union alleged that rats and cockroaches have continued to affect multiple units and that maintenance concerns have gone unaddressed. The union also claims ownership has filed lawsuits against tenants and organizers in response to their organizing efforts. Organizers argue the legal actions are meant to discourage tenant advocacy, an allegation that ownership disputes in court filings.

Jake Marshall-Braun, an attorney with Beyond Legal Aid who represents tenants in ongoing litigation, said landlords remain responsible for maintaining safe living conditions regardless of whether tenants are behind on rent or facing eviction.

“A landlord’s responsibility to maintain their building does not end when a tenant is behind on rent or is in eviction proceedings,” Marshall-Braun said in a statement to Fox32.

A maintenance contractor familiar with the property said that ownership has been working to address pest issues. The contractor said some residents have struggled to keep their units clean and suggested complaints have increased following rent hikes. Other recent stories have shown just how unsettling rodent encounters can get, including a home aide’s shocking rat-cooking mishap that went viral online.

In a statement provided to the outlet, ARK Management said it has invested more than $1.5 million into capital improvements since acquiring the property in March 2025 and has fully rehabilitated more than 20 apartment units.

“Our objective has been to improve the building, address longstanding issues, and provide safe, quality housing for our residents,” the company said in its statement to Fox32.

ARK Management said its biggest challenge has been communicating directly with certain tenants. The company said a third-party tenant union has inserted itself between management and residents, requiring that communications, repair requests, and negotiations go through the union and its attorney rather than directly between management and tenants. The company said it believes this arrangement has caused delays and made it harder to resolve maintenance issues promptly.

Regarding Hernandez specifically, ARK Management said he is currently in an ongoing eviction proceeding and has not paid rent for approximately eight months. The company said it has made multiple offers to relocate him into one of its newly renovated apartments within the building at its own expense, but that he has declined those offers and remained in his current unit, per the statement.

“We also take any allegation regarding tenant health and safety extremely seriously,” the company said. ARK Management added that its ability to investigate reported conditions and complete repairs depends on receiving notice and obtaining access to the unit, and that the process becomes more difficult when communications are routed through third parties rather than occurring directly between management and tenants.

The company said its commitment remains to improve the building, comply with applicable laws and city requirements, and provide safe housing for residents, according to the statement. ARK Management said it would welcome the chance to meet on site to show the improvements made and discuss the challenges it says it continues to face in managing the property.

Hernandez said he is seeking compensation for his medical expenses and wants building conditions improved for all residents. The tenant union told the outlet it plans to continue its efforts until it reaches what it considers a fair agreement with ownership.