Free from Retaliation

Live life free from retaliation? .... No such thing on some government subsidized properties like Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apartments.  And, when Housing Courts pressure unrepresented tenants into mediation proceedings based on deceptions, with represented corporate landlords, there is little, if any, justice served.  HUD financing of such housing complexes needs to be abolished as long as unfair housing practices with illegal drug activity is secretly supported by owners and property managers.  In the long run, such nuisance properties do not benefit America.

H.R. 4868

The House Financial Services Committee will address H.R. 4868, the “Housing Preservation and Tenant Protection Act of 2010,” in May.  Please contact your elected representatives to urge them to OPPOSE H.R. 4868 especially if the following IMPORTANT SECTIONS, which help to protect tenants, are removed from this Bill.

*   Federal First Right of Refusal (SECTION 107), requires the owner of the property to offer the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) the opportunity to purchase the housing before entering into any agreement to sell their property.

**  Pre-emption of Federal Law (SECTION 108(d)), permits states and localities to regulate owners of projects assisted under federal laws with respect to preservation and tenant protection even if the regulation conflicts with federal law and policies.

*** Resident Access to Building Information (SECTION 304), allows personal and private investor information regarding the owners to be available to the residents.

For several good reasons, I believe that Resident Access to Building Information (Section 304), is a necessity to obtain improved accountability in subsidized housing.  If this section is included and then enforced in this Bill, it could help improve bad conditions on these subsidized properties and better limit fraud, waste, and abuse.
If you also feel these sections definitely need to be included in H.R. 4868, as written above, please contact your elected officials who serve on the House Financial Services Committee and tell them so!  Also, let them know you are a Constituent and would appreciate enforcement of laws and HUD rules and regulations on their properties.
If you reside in Rockland Place dba SpringGate Apts., you're likely to be in Massachusetts's 10th district.  Contact Information:
The Honorable Bill Delahunt
2454 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3111

For more information about H.R. 4868, or to be sure of the appropriate contacts for your Representative, please visit the following website and scroll to the bottom of the page www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/hr_031710.shtml

To read this Bill in full, click here http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-4868

Misleading Advertisement for SpringGate

It's amazing how well they're able to present their subsidized property in misleading advertisements. (more on this topic at a later date).

INSPECTION TIME: In Search for more Green
    SpringGate Management sent another notice to residents today.  This most recent notice had a date change from April 10, 2010 to May 10, 2010.  
SPRING GATE APARTMENTS
TO: ALL RESIDENTS       FROM: MANAGEMENT OFFICE
SUBJECT: HUD INSPECTION          DATE: 5/6/2010
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be conducting an inspection of the property on April 10, 2010. In preparation for this inspection management is requesting your cooperation in addressing the following health and safety violations if they are present in your apartment or building.
1.) Remove all personal belongings from the hallway. The hallways are for egress only. They are not for storage of bicycles, carriages, shoes etc.
2.) Remove any belongings from the front and rear entry doors to your apartment if they inhibit the door from opening all the way.
3.) Remove air conditioners from bedroom windows. Your bedroom window is considered an emergency exit. That's why the AC sleeves were installed. Also, do not block your bedroom windows with furniture.
4.) Do not remove or disconnect your fire detection devices. If you are having a problem with them let management know.
5.) Remove rubbish or extraneous materials from your deck.
Maintenance will be going through the hallways early Monday morning. Any belongings left in the hallways will be discarded.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call the Management Office at 781-871-2323. Thank You

     I have a question: Why doesn't Management usually care about cluttered hallways which endanger tenants' lives, except for when the property is being inspected?

Desirable Apartment Living for the Non-Compliant

     I was really surprised to discover Connolly and Partners LLC (one of the listed owners of Rockland Place dba SpringGate Apartments in Rockland, Mass.) is an Associate Member of The National Multi Housing Council.  NMHC is an organization that provides leadership for the apartment industry on legislative and regulatory matters, advances research and the exchange of strategic business information, and allegedly promotes the desirability of apartment living.  I would think 'desirability of apartment living' would include the needs of EVERY TENANT, including the disabled and handicapped.

     Because this property manager continues to delay and make excuses for noncompliance of laws and regulations while accepting government funds, tax credits, and rent payments, perhaps the HUD inspector might possibly resolve the issues of missing screens on handicapped apartment patio doors, lack of wheelchair ramps to mailboxes and entrance/exits; poor lighting in common areas at night, unfair parking policies including the lack of handicapped parking spots, criminal activities on property, etc. etc. etc.  Take an honest and hard look at what you're inspecting please!  Some unannounced evening inspections through parking lots and hallways could reveal more non-compliance issues.
      Officials may also want to take an unobjective view of Management's tenant list and compare that with who REALLY lives on their subsidized property, financed by taxpayers and legitimate residents.  Though reported by several tenants throughout many years, these problems continue to exist at this 204-unit housing complex inspected by HUD, MassHousing, Rockland Housing Authority, Cornerstone, Boston Capital, and Connolly and Partners LLC.

Inspections with Little Compliance

While tenants continue to wait for corporate management's compliance of lease agreements and promises made regarding safety issues, ANOTHER notice of inspection was sent to residents at Rockland Place Apartments. This time the notice wears the SpringGate Apartments letterhead/logo and reads:

May 4, 2010   TO: ALL RESIDENTS    RE: HUD INSPECTION
      On Monday May 10, 2010 an Inspector from the Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) will be on site at Spring Gate Apartments to perform an inspection of the property for HUD. All areas of the property will be inspected including buildings, grounds, common areas and approximately 20 apartments which will be chosen at random by the inspector on the day of the inspection. Since there will be no additional notice regarding which units will be inspected all residents should be prepared.
      The REAC Inspector will be accompanied by Spring Gate management staff. Your presence is welcome during the inspection but not mandatory. If your unit is chosen and you are not home we will leave a notice in your apartment apprising you of our visit. In the event that the inspection takes longer than anticipated it is possible the inspection could run into Tuesday the 11th so please be prepared. Also, if the inspection has to be rescheduled for any reason the Management Office will notify you of the change.
      We appreciate your cooperation in preparing for this very important inspection. Please call the office if you have any questions or concerns.
      Thank you,
      Janet Hamilton, Property Manager
 
It's been my experience, MassHousing and HUD inspections mean little for the safety of tenants on these subsidized properties, especially when this corporate landlord is quietly allowed to be in non-compliance of rules, regulations, and laws, including the number of appropriate tenants in 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units.  A new coat of paint on curbs will do little to relieve the anxieties tenants feel from car vandalisms, faulty fire alarm panels, harassments, retaliations, and other illegal activities existing on this tax-credited property.

Books of Interest

While searching for a book about why Management allows illegal drug sales in subsidized housing, I could only find the following two books:

1. Johns, Christina Jacqueline. Power, ideology, and the war on drugs: nothing succeeds like failure. New York: Praeger, 1992. ISBN: 0275941671 (alk. paper).  LIBRARY OF CONGRESS SUBJECT  HEADINGS: Narcotics, Control of -- United States. * Narcotics, Control of. HV 5825 J6 1992


2. Keyes, Langley Carleton, 1938-. Strategies and saints: fighting drugs in subsidized housing. (Langley C. Keyes). Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute Press; Lanham, MD: Distributed by University Press of America,  c1992. ISBN: 0877665591 (cloth alk. paper) * 0877665605 (paper alk. paper).
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS SUBJECT HEADINGS: Drug abuse -- United States -- Prevention -- Case studies. * Public housing -- United States -- Security measures -- Case studies. * Narcotics, Control of -- United States -- Case studies.  HV 5825 K48 1992

A Glance Inside Subsidized Housing

MESSAGE TO:  All Residents        FROM:  Janet Hamilton 
DATE:       4/8/2010                       RE: Vehicles
It has come to our attention that there is a possibility that the lug nuts on your vehicles tires might be getting loosened. We are only aware of one incident but felt it important enough for you and families safety to let you know about it. We suggest that you check your tires before leaving the property to ensure your safety. As always we also encourage all residents to keep watch of their neighborhood and to report to the office anyone who you think could be responsible for doing something that is so dangerous. If you should have any questions or concerns please call the Management Office at 781-871-2323. Thank-You
   
      This notice was sent to tenants at Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apts. in Rockland, Massachusetts.  Janet Hamilton is employed by Cornerstone Corporation, acting as agent for FHRC and property manager of this nuisance HUD subsidized property.  Why aren't there any corporate names listed on this recent notice?

        While residents' lives are threatened, crime at Rockland Place is minimized by authorities.  Management intentionally favors several non-compliant tenants and even rents to those with criminal histories.   They do NOT take effective crime prevention measures on this subsidized property.  Several years ago, new owners and management promised concerned residents the installation of security cameras; but as usual, it was just another empty promise.
        In this latest notice, I especially enjoyed reading the line of how Management 'always encourages residents to keep watch of their neighborhood and to report to the office....'. 
       Let it be known that this corporate landlord/management has a tendency to retaliate against those who 'REPORT'.  

Cornerstone Violates Laws Again

Cornerstone Corporation and their affiliates continue to operate numerous subsidized housing complexes including RoxSE Homes. Although on the Board of Directors for NEAHMA (New England Affordable Housing Management Association), Cornerstone Corporation has been justifiably accused of habitually violating occupancy agreements, tenant rights, and laws in other subsidized housing complexes too.

.... DECEMBER 16, 2009 - A settlement was reached in Boston with Attorney General Martha Coakley and Cornerstone Corporation.  The complaint alleges that, despite knowing that the tenant was a licensed foster parent, Cornerstone and Evans accused her falsely of operating a day-care center out of her apartment, twice threatening to evict the tenant and her family unless such activity was ceased.

It is illegal, under state and federal law, to discriminate against a person based on his or her familial status, including foster parent relationships. Under terms of the consent judgment, entered by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Linda Giles, Cornerstone and Evans will pay $15,000 to the Commonwealth with $10,000 suspending pending compliance by the defendants with the terms of the consent judgment.

The defendants are barred from further discrimination by the consent judgment, which requires that all Cornerstone employees receive training on state and federal fair housing laws. Cornerstone is also required to adopt comprehensive non-discrimination policies by the judgment.  A separate agreement entered into by the defendants requires them to pay the victim $30,864.08.

The defendants are also required by the consent judgment to conduct a thorough and documented factual investigation prior to accusing a resident of violating a lease provision.

Read more details here: http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/224568-coakley-gets-settlement-with-property-management-company
Filed Under: State AGs

About Rockland Housing Authority

Rockland Housing Authority has been in business for approximately 46 years and is located at 8 Studley CT, Rockland, MA 02370-2571.  They're listed as a private company categorized under City Government-Housing Programs and located in Rockland, MA. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $500,000 to $1 million and employs a staff of approximately 5 to 9.
NAICS Code and Description: 531311, Residential Property Managers