Dear Supporters,

Last week, the City of Evanston filed a lawsuit against Albany Care, Inc and its affiliated entity, R.I.S. Management, Inc. a/k/a S.I.R. Management, Inc seeking "injunctive relief and abatement of public nuisance."

The complaint references and quotes from this petition. The filing is a matter of public record. You can read the entire document here.

The following are excerpts from the complaint. For clarity and context, we've added bracketed phrases within some of the quoted sections, and supplemental phrases to present and organize them. 

The complaint's introduction reads, in part: "By ALBANY CARE’s creation of a public nuisance within Evanston’s borders, it creates a two-fold horror. First, it does a disservice to the residents of ALBANY CARE, who are, in turn, residents of Evanston, by failing to provide adequate care and protection to individuals that suffer serious mental illness, who are some of the most vulnerable members of the population. Second, it leaves residents of the surrounding area with depressed property values, the inability to use and enjoy Grey Park and other Evanston common areas without fear of witnessing a crime or become a victim to one, including violent activity, the repeated exposure to alcohol and illegal drug use, regular verbal assaults involving profanity and slurs, theft, robbery, trespassing that deprive them of the use and enjoyment of these areas and even their own property."

The complaint goes on to detail conditions, incidents, and concerns that have been previously reported by local news media and this petition, including: 

• Instances of drug trafficking and drug use around the facility.
  
  
• Extensive laws enforcement actions targeting such activity: "In response to numerous complaints from Evanston residents regarding narcotics activity associated with Albany Care, the Evanston Police Department initiated an investigation into narcotics trafficking in Evanston. That investigation led to a cooperative effort with the FBI, IRS, and Chicago Police Department that resulted in uncovering a broad distribution network in the Chicago area. At the conclusion of this yearlong investigation, which included information and evidence provided by an individual discovered by the Evanston Police Department who was associated with drug related activity in relation to Albany Care residents, multiple individuals were indicted in relation to narcotics trafficking on July 2, 2025 by the Northern District of Illinois’ U.S. Attorney’s Office in United States v. DeBruce, Case No. 24 CR 594. This led to six federal arrests, the recovery of multiple kilograms of cocaine, and three firearms."
• Concerns about the facility's admissions protocols, staffing, and security levels.
  
  
• Complaints of "unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the surrounding neighborhood, particularly the public park across the street. Specifically, complaints have focused on cigarette butts and garbage all over the Grey Parkin locations where Albany Care residents have congregated. This littering has included pills of unknown origin left in the park (and accessible to pets and small children) and medical waste/urinary tract devices littered in the neighborhood."
  
  
• Burdens placed on the city's first responders: "The Director [of Albany Care] has openly admitted to the Evanston Police Department that narcotics use is common amongst residents – even going so far as to request increased police presence on check distribution days, when drug activity tends to spike."
  
  
• The stabbing of an Albany Care resident, perpetrated by a current resident, in August 2023. The filing notes that "the resident [the offender] has since returned to the neighborhood for reasons unknown."
• Burglaries and destruction of property affecting local businesses.
  
  
• A high volume of missing persons reports from the facility: "From 2019 to 2024, Evanston had a total of 3,560 reports citywide. ALBANY CARE accounted for 1,013 of those reports."

The filing also includes this previously unreported incident: "Recently, in July of 2025, an Albany Care resident battered a police officer, who suffered a broken bone in his hand. This resulted in criminal charges."

We'll continue to provide updates on the status of this lawsuit as it moves forward. The Fitzsimons Neighbors Substack will also post details of two other lawsuits recently filed against Albany Care and its sibling facility, Greenwood Care. Please follow the Substack to receive those reports.

Thank you for your time, compassion, and advocacy,

The Fitzsimons Neighbors Group