SlumLords2013
Introduction/Definition/etc
Maybe it should be called Games Landlords Play,
but that would be too PC for what is happening...
Body
Having been a landlord, a long time ago in Arlington,
the other Arlington, if only renting a house,
have lease, and rent rooms to others...
For a few people, read most, it didn't work out,
I was taking the responsibility, and ending up
with the bills, paying on rooms I could not rent
with problem roommates, drinkers, and other problems,
extra work to make it happen/ keep a roof over head(s),
and then unhappy about it...
Cramped shared living, people eating my food,
leaving dishes, not helping out... No A/C,
large oil furnace that took a lot of money
to fill each time/season. Lots of interviewing and
time spent dealing with roommates...
Go get my own apartment, more expensive,
but better than dealing with others...
Had a yard, because I had an old dog, but meant
mowing the lawn, and what lawn mower to use?
The old landlord(s)/ group house people had a
mower that was falling apart, and eventually I could
not start it... Maybe a push mower, but
it was a big back yard, too busy to spend time there
though... Some other roommates had tried a garden,
but that had gone to seed (right phrase?)
But we had people coming by, a busy street,
one bar person down the road hit a roommate's car,
on the street, rumors of another ending up on the front lawn,
and it had a little hill... A dent still in the fence pole...
But people would come by with mowers
and ask for money to mow the lawn,
$20-50 / mow, IIRC. Which adds up, after a while,
if the expenses aren't shared equally or something...
Roommates think it's the landlords responsibility...
But I was busy with other things, the job
was going away, a Fortune 500 company,
was moving it's local employees,
typical corporate America,
even though the pay was relatively good,
the environment became worse and worse,
and after I was gone the company basically
collapsed on itself.... Maybe Karma?
And I was getting sicker...
But more to the point, "professional"
management companies for non profits,
in the New Arlington, the other Arlington,
the one that doesn't have rail transportation,
working roads, potholes/ torn up streets,
even a memorial cross at a bus stop nearby,
someone killed, but the story is not told,
no names nor articles, like Ghost Bikes
even in Fairfax County, showing a biker died,
this might have been a pedestrian
or car driver, a T intersection, and not sure...
But low rent areas have problems,
no parking to speak of, neighbors with houses
have different permits, apartment dwellers
get nothing, or not enough. Condos nearby
have other parking spaces, likely for more money...
as online sites will rate and attest,
mice, bad management, and now inflated glowing ratings,
of people who obviously don't live there,
probably work there instead,
most of which is the lack of diversity,
the management only wants one kind of resident,
many people have said, "You Live There",
and "It's for them" or similar... Like set aside areas
for otherwise minorities, where the minority can be a majority
and have their own culture, exclusively,
but that isn't right, you can't say someone can't live some place
based on ethnicity nor race, that's discrimination,
the inverse, people would sue, so they have to
find another reason, look for disability
weakness and be predatory...
Barge into someone's apartment,
without "Permission to Enter",
say during mid terms or finals,
or another busy time, bring a new worker,
who puts wet stuff on your electronics,
admittendly in a trash can, but it was being used
for other stuff, and get started on 3 ticket items,
response time unexpectedly good, too good,
then when the resident complains that the people just came in,
like going to put your key in the door,
and finding it open already, only to see people are inside already,
without notice, claim something else... It was an emergency,
must have been a leak...
So relatively new maintenance manager claims the
ticket didn't have "no permission to enter",
the admin must have left that part of the email off,
clear as day, do not enter... She doesn't like you,
must be a language problem, you are different,
so cause problems, and nothing you can do about it...
Escalate the problems, instead of solve them,
change the procedures, check the forms,
make sure residents are respected,
create arguments/ excuses,
it would be too difficult if everyone had that,
we couldn't get anything done,
(maybe the job is too difficult for you?)
try photographing persons belongings,
claiming you need evidence,
but not listen to you have no right to do that,
even when the resident takes photos of the mice
holes, dead mice or rats nearby and other problems,
split fences down left for years, trash mess,
garbage all over the grounds, trash bags in trees,
can't they get a pole or something to get that out?
Even if the resident has some pride in where they live,
picks up occasionally things that aren't even theirs,
looks like the trash guy, ha ha, disabled trash picker...
And then basically try to bully the resident out
of housing... Same stuff different year,
new twist this year, claim violating the lease,
then force your way in again...
Repeat with non sensical and
unreasonable demands "no boxes" "no newspapers".
Have no grievance procedures, for complaints against staff,
contracted staff. Send same people the
complaint is against to do more damage,
bully further..,
Don't listen to anything, and create more
problems, Say "we don't like you".
Talk in a different language, about the person,
make jokes about the resident in the presence
of other staff and the resident.
Obstruct justice, (sewer service?)
what ever that is in an area
not served well by law enforcement...
Wonder why the contract is stopped,
and all the staff can just go home,
unpaid and fired...
Conclusion
Summary of experience or similar
The ~5 cell phone calls about the dog
I don't even have, you can't have dogs
here, I know that and I don't before even move
in... Harassment is the M.O. here...
Threatened by the senior manager,
"poison him" said during an annual event to
a person serving food...
Try to remove him each year around renewal time...
Harassment may make him leave???
Don't act on Neighborhood / Apartment Watch type suggestions...
How dare we speak out about tenants rights...
Send Pinkerton type fake security guards to violate
bully/ harass...
Discussion
A place for feedback on the page presented
What's your worse living experience?
Better than the hospital/ nursing home/ other institution?
If you had stuff to say to the taxpayers about
how you are treated,with their hard earned money
who's job(s) would you end? How? Why?
How to replace them?
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20130603 Jerry
- Jerry created this page to ...
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