The City of Chester is just a bunch of corrupt officials playing God over the slums they have created. It gives them Power and kick back money in their pockets and they rule without fear of anyone caring what they do in their slums There is a reason it was the 3rd most depressed area in the entire US back when we were trying to restore that house...and it was because of the corrupt government.
Big toothy fish in a muddy puddle...and willing to eat their own people without regard.
The strange part is that it was the County seat in the 1950s and once had the number one deep water port in the nation for shipping tonnage. The City likes it being a slum and has resisted every effort to revive the town except for a ratty casino that they can milk and a soccer stadium near the river that they can skim for cash from events. They don’t want anything living in their town permanently as a business with long term vision, just ones with people visiting short term and leaving money behind.