Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard is facing eviction from a home she rents with fellow Thornton Township employee Kamal Woods.
The landlord sued in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging Henyard and Woods owe $3,350 in back rent and late fees for a property they rent on the 14600 block of Harvard Street, the Chicago Tribune reported.
This is just the latest in a string of legal challenges for Henyard, who is under federal investigation related to her roles as both Dolton’s mayor and Thornton Township supervisor.
The landlord, whose identity wasn’t reported, terminated the pair’s month-to-month contract in mid-September, citing non-payment of rent and the tenants’ refusal to sign a new lease. The notice gave Henyard and Woods five days to settle their debt and renegotiate the lease.
If they failed to comply, the landlord threatened to take legal action to recover the home and any outstanding rent. Attorney Beau Brindley, who is representing Henyard on other legal matters, said the lawsuit is without merit.
“No proof of missed payment can be produced as no payment has ever been missed,” Brindley said, accusing the landlord of acting in bad faith.
“The complaint is brought based on ill motives and will not stand up in the face of scrutiny.”
Henyard’s salary as mayor is $46,000, and as Thornton Township supervisor, it’s $224,000. The town paid her $62,000 last year, according to a tax document viewed by the outlet.
The Department of Justice has subpoenaed records from Thornton Township High School District 205, along with documents tied to state grant money used in a youth assistance program run by Woods, who oversees the township’s “Project B Youth Violence Prevention” initiative.
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The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity also received a subpoena in connection with the $7.1 million in grants allocated to Thornton Township since 2020, including a $500,000 grant to the youth program.
Henyard’s personal finances appear to be under strain. Public records indicate she owes nearly $3,600 in unpaid property taxes on a home on State Street, where tax bills have been mailed in her name.
Henyard is facing at least two challengers in the mayoral election next year.
— Andrew Terrell