Tenants Targeted

      Though it's not professional, ethical, or legal for property managers, landlords, and corporate partners to target tenants, it happens on a regular basis by select partnerships and corporations at various subsidized housing complexes throughout Massachusetts. Confidential information tenants are required to provide landlords, in order to secure an apartment or voice an objection, is sometimes shared with other tenants by corporations.  Most often, the "crazy lady on the third floor" fiction that criminal property managers share is deliberately inaccurate in attempts to isolate and discredit individual tenants trying to improve their living environments.  Sometimes gossip spread by property managers encourage other tenants to harass legitimate tenants off the subsidized property, sometimes forcing them into homelessness. Other times a property manager's words serve to secretly intervene in a tenants' group and persuades other tenants not to vote for certain tenants likely to benefit the group. 
      In August 2014, tenants will again have the privilege to vote for good individuals to serve on the board of Clarendon Hill Towers Tenants Association (CHTTA).   (Ms. Hamilton, which tenant did you tell other tenants NOT to vote for?)   According to recent information received, First Hartford Corporation (FHRC) is attempting to influence tenants' votes at Clarendon Hill Towers in Somerville, MA.  And, it certainly isn't the first time First Hartford Corp. (FHRC), and some of their affiliated partners acted illegally, deceptively, and fraudulently.    For too many years now, certain corporate landlords have abused their powers of influence to pit tenant against tenant.  In the process, they quietly sit back and get their corporate needs of harassments and vindictiveness met.
       It's no coincidence these patterns of illegal behaviors continue on in a variety of HUD-financed housing complexes.  These corporate partners own and manage numerous subsidized housing complexes under a variety of partnership names throughout the United States.  They discriminate and target vulnerable and unrepresented tenants with numerous eviction proceedings. Some medically disadvantaged tenants have been forced to endure ten years of retaliatory and frivolous eviction proceedings, allowed by the housing courts.  A handful of tenants, with good witnesses and evidence, have successfully sued these partnerships, but have been urged to sign 'documents of silence' as part of a settlement agreement.
    It's disturbing to see these illegal and unethical patterns of abuse continue after so many years of reporting it to courts and public servants in government agencies. There is a great imbalance of power when certain corporate partners serve on Boards, in government agencies, or are connected to those in political office.  It should be considered bribery and/or an act of treason when big money influences enforcement of our Bill of Rights and Fair Housing laws. 
     
     In the meantime, citizens ask:  Why are so many employees from Cornerstone Corporation employed by FHRC in at least two different housing complexes with the same law firm of so-called "previous owners" of these properties?  Will a strong tenants' group ever be allowed to exist at Spring Gate Apts?  Will competent attorneys be readily available for legitimately needy tenants who exercise their rights in subsidized housing or will the housing courts allow corporate landlords to continue in the victimization of vulnerable citizens?  And, what the heck has been going on with First Hartford Corp. (FHRC), Connolly and Partners, LLC, Boston Capital, and the security companies at Rockland Place and Spring Gate Apartments in Rockland, Massachusetts?   
     Do you live in, or have you survived subsidized housing?  If so, don't continue to live in fear; share your true stories.  And, yes, appropriate agencies and appropriate corporations are aware of this blog's existence.  (A lot of good that does.)  Stay connected to read an upcoming article on the unusual and 'unsecured security practices' at the Rockland housing complex, updates on tenant groups, and more!