Affordable Housing Not So Affordable

Along Martha Drive and Hannah Way, Rockland, Massachusetts, most residents pay 30-40% of their income to the HUD-financed landlord, to then be habitually denied peace, privacy, and security in resting, sleeping, reading, writing, etc.  Do American citizens really want more of these affordable multifamily housing complexes created where innocent, vulnerable residents are clustered amongst people who deal drugs, have criminal records, and/or who violate them?  How affordable is it to the health of a person with disabilities?
   Enriched corporate landlords and partners are so powerfully and politically connected that they're not even required to comply with lease agreements and laws. In several ways, the rights of vulnerable U.S. citizens are often violated in this type of multifamily housing.  Being treated with dignity and respect is extremely unusual in this demoralized living environment where corporate property managers contribute to the illegal chaos.

 A Special Weekend Report . . . or  . . . A Hamilton Alert
in Support of Security Cameras 

      A loud fight, involving a group of people, took place behind the buildings of 93 and 141 Martha Drive.  Isn't that where the Rockland Self-Storage facility is listed?

     The sewer cover in the middle of Martha Drive, where drug traffic frequently travels, was removed by vandals.  It was noticed missing around 3:00 a.m.  The Rockland Highway Dept. and Spring Gate Apt. maintenance were notified.

   Also this weekend, several vehicles each had two tires slashed at Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apartments.   Two vehicles were in the guest parking area while the other two vehicles were parked along Martha Drive.

 

TAX HAVENS and SHELL COMPANIES

     HUD-financed housing complexes, such as Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apts., aren't really required to be in full compliance of laws, rules, and regulations. Take the non-compliance of the handicapped units for example. It appears Rockland Housing Authority, DHCD, MassHousing, and the Rockland Board of Health don't want to make waves with some powerful corporate landlords.
     Who are all the individuals behind each of the Limited Liability Partnerships, Limited Partnerships,
LLC's and Corporations at Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apts.?  For a number of reasons, this information is vital to American consumers who really need to have the right to know.  How many ethical and unethical individuals, behind these ever-changing company names, have access to tenants' personal information, lives, and futures?  For purposes of self-protection and freedom of choice, all Americans need to have access to each individual name behind every corporate and partnership name.  This information should be readily available prior to doing business with any corporation.
     Some HUD-subsidized corporate landlords habitually put their best foot forward with attempts to discredit, retaliate, and/or harass vulnerable tenants who speak out against violations.  They pretend to provide safe, decent, affordable housing while dimming the lights and providing shared units for dealers, perverts, and felons.  It's no wonder they haven't kept their promise to install security cameras!  There's more than 'housing' going on along Martha Drive and Hannah Way.

          VIDEO CLIPS of INTEREST

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-fTt3cbNHo&feature=fvwrel
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnwM7kZMylA&NR=1
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQEM-2MB2v4
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16n1OVgB2FM&feature=related

     Administration STILL Bankrolling ACORN

ACORN employees have been nailed time and time again for fraudulently registering voters (including Mickey Mouse and the Dallas Cowboys football team) — allegedly for the purpose of sweeping Democrats into office. They were caught on tape advising undercover reporters on how to evade tax, immigration, and child prostitution laws. They were unceremoniously kicked off a U.S. Census Bureau program as a result of a Judicial Watch investigation. And ultimately, the organization was officially cut off from federal funds by Congress and President Obama.  So why is ACORN still receiving taxpayer dollars in defiance of the funding ban?
   Judicial Watch investigators recently discovered that the Obama Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a $79,819 grant to the Affordable Housing Centers of America (AHCOA) — an offshoot of ACORN — in apparent violation of the ACORN funding ban passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in 2009. Moreover, this grant was provided to the organization less than a year after ACORN/ACHOA was criticized by HUD’s inspector general in two separate investigations for misappropriating funds from federal grants.
http://www.youtube.com/user/JudicialWatch#p/a/f/1/eCDaOUVVXPI
           http://www.judicialwatch.org/investigation-acorn

Commonalities

What do three property management companies at Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apartments have in common besides investments and mismanagement of HUD-financed properties?   Abrams Management, Cornerstone Corp., and First Hartford Realty Corp. (FHRC) are presently all clients of Parsec Systems Inc.
    

Violence and Tragedy Emerge in Rockland

A SMALL TOWN IN MASSACHUSETTS SUFFERS
TWO MURDERS WITHIN TWO YEARS
     JANUARY 1, 2010 --  Stephen F. Harvey, 55, of Hanover was fatally stabbed in a rooming house at 5 Union St., Rockland, Mass. in the very early morning hours.  He was pronounced dead at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth.  Michael Purcell, 48, of 5 Union Street was arraigned on charges of murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in Hingham District Court.  
      JULY 8, 2011 -- Tina C. Gonsalves, 37, of 50 Concord Street, Rockland, MA was taken to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, where she died shortly after 2 p.m. from a fatal shooting inside her home.  She is the victim of an alleged drug-related home invasion.  Gonsalves is survived by her children, Todd J. Dorsett, Aaron J. Dorsett, Dasia Lynn Dorsett and Alanna Rae Silvia, all of Rockland.     *************************

     MARCH 8, 2010 -- Roberto Perez, 18, of 57 Church St., Rockland, was arraigned Monday in Hingham District Court on charges of armed assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The vicious attack left a 16-yr. old bleeding from repeated stab wounds on Church St.
     JUNE 30, 2010 -- Shane Perez, 17, and Aaron Dorsett, 18, were charged with two counts of assault and battery on a public employee and assault and battery, disorderly conduct and disturbing a school.
    JULY 21, 2010 --  Two Rockland brothers were arrested after allegedly robbing someone at gunpoint during a drug deal at Rockland Place Apartments dba Spring Gate.  Aaron J. Dorsett, 18, and Todd J. Dorsett, 20, who both live at 50 Concord St. in Rockland, were due to be arraigned at Hingham District Court.

      The tax-credited MHFA and HUD-financed Spring Gate Apartment complex is located on Martha Drive and Hannah Way.  This 204-unit housing complex is within a short walking distance of 5 Union Street and 50 Concord Street.   Purcell, the Dorsett family, and a few others who are allegedly involved in drug deals and violence lived at Rockland Place Apts., also known as SpringGate.  Some of the problems continue to frequent and/or reside at this subsidized property with management's and authorities' unspoken knowledge and selective enforcements.
     See more of Rockland's Hidden Treasures by clicking on the highlighted text within the articles above and this link.... http://www.wickedlocal.com/rockland/news/x902793615

Let's Support the Live-ins

Well, it's that time again!  July 10, 2011, residents of Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apartments received another notice from the Spring Gate Property Mismanagement Team of a meeting scheduled with residents and MassHousing for Monday, 6:00 pm, July 25, 2011 at the Community Room. 
     This is a formal notice of another proposal to raise their 'affordable into perpetuity' rents.  They incorrectly list the FHRC Management office as 30 Martha Drive, Rockland, Mass.  This corporate affordable-housing landlord is now receiving over $1000.00 monthly for most subsidized units.  They also receive undeserved low-income housing tax credits.
     The notice lists 5 creative reasons for this request to raise rents up to $1495.00  monthly.   One item states the subsidized property is in very good condition overall, but there is a plan to replace 24 bathtubs in 2012.  Is this how they plan to clean-up the hushed-up crime in this housing complex?  Again, there's no mention of the installation of those promised security cameras; just be sure to check each of the lug nuts on each tire of your vehicle before exiting their parking lots. Click here to see other violations that continue to exist.
     SpringGate's notice fails to mention Management's silent approval of live-ins who continue to use utilities.  Here's just one suggestion to help improve the budget at Spring Gate: List all live-in's names on legally-binding lease agreements and include every resident's income.  Oh, and let's not forget those privileged tenants who remain in oversized apartments that Ms. Janet Hamilton cleverly calls, 'Affordable Penthouse Suites', reserved for residents who remain silent.
     It appears unenforced policies, including live-ins who are allowed numerous parking spaces and threatening behaviors, are just some of the benefits, exclusive for Management's privileged households.  Of course, an annual MassHousing inspection never reveals these serious, unfair, and unsafe housing issues.  Do you think Management's request to raise your rent will really be approved by MassHousing once again?  Probably so.
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  In Massachusetts, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is the allocating agency for tax credits. Can you name every individual involved in the ownership of Rockland Place Apartments, unofficially doing business as Spring Gate?  Are partners and investors receiving 4 percent or 9 percent (LIHT) Low-Income Housing Tax Credits?

Another Murder in Rockland

     Within walking distance of Rockland Place dba SpringGate Apartments, another person was murdered.  Fifty Concord Street is a 5+ unit, 3-story, multi-family residential building and is considered another trouble spot in Rockland, Mass.   Some residents in the neighborhood complained of drug activity and frequent police visits prior to the shooting. 
     It's troublesome when landlords claim to do background checks on all their tenants, yet continue to rent to violent people and druggies.  Some landlords may avoid putting felons on a lease by playing the ignorant game of, "But we didn't know our tenant had a live-in, so how could we possibly know to check his/her criminal history?"  These deceptive business practices and unenforced policies easily creates a nuisance neighborhood.
      Rockland police and investigators looked over paperwork at the building where Tina C. Gonsalves was fatally shot yesterday. Investigators believe a wounded man also was a victim of the shooting.  The woman was taken to South Shore Hospital for surgery after being shot in her apartment around 7:40 a.m. yesterday and died just after 2 p.m., Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz’s office said.  An unidentified man was dropped off at a different hospital, ....... (Read more by clicking here.) http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/07/09/woman_killed_man_wounded_in_rockland_shooting/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Massachusetts+news

America for $ale / Heavy Hitters

 Disgusting!  ..... (I can still say that, right?) ......
       The National Association of Realtors represents the nation’s real estate industry. While the bulk of its issues tend to deal with property management and control, the group also lobbies members of Congress and the administration on virtually every issue facing business, including health care reform, bankruptcy legislation and tax cuts. One of its biggest issues in recent years has been a move toward deregulating the financial services industry. For years, real estate agents have successfully warded off attempts by banking interests to delve into the sale and management of property. *One of the keys to the group’s success: It supports Democrats and Republicans almost equally.
    According to the Center for Responsive Politics Barney Frank (D-MA) is at the top of their list.  **http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/recips.php?id=D000000062&type=P&cycle=2010&sort=A&state=MA

~~In My Humble Opinion~~

     As American consumers, we are losing our rights and protections.  When corporations and lobbyists contribute money to political campaigns, laws quietly and slowly change to favor corporations.  As Americans, we deserve the right to know who we're really doing business with.
     Nowadays, it's not enough to simply know a company or partnership name.  Those names are too easy to come by, and too easy to change.  Villains and perverts hide behind, and use, several different business names; they dba, invest, create mergers, hold shares, and partner.  A business person, clerk magistrate, judge, or lawyer, with a history of unethical practices, should not be left empowered.  Certain employment positions make it easier to anonymously harass, take advantage of, and even stalk individuals. Through corruption, inaccurate credit reports and light reprimands for wrongdoing, the consumer remains disempowered.
     Some regulations and laws are known to aid and protect wrongdoers.  For example, when twisted corporate property owners/management remain in charge of a subsidized property, they have easy access into a person's personal life and cause great harm. Liberties and protections for American consumers should always be a main focus of concern whenever any amendment is made to any regulation or law. Consumers need effective enforcements, fairness, and justice; not more loopholes in more laws to benefit the perverted.
     Now, more than ever before, Americans need to remain aware.  We need to have the right to know every individual's name behind every business name and affiliation, especially when a business has access to our personal information.  We need to be aware of who we're really doing business with, who we further empower with our money.  Without this information, we remain vulnerable.  Without this, American citizens lose their right to freedom and choice.

Laundering Drug Money

Wachovia isn't the first bank to launder drug money.  And, as usual, when it comes to dirty deeds committed by influential CEOs, their punishment is mild for the seriousness of the crimes committed.  Wells Fargo, Wachovia and their affiliates are invested in many 'affordable' HUD-subsidized housing complexes where cocaine and other drugs are frequently sold.
*http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-29/banks-financing-mexico-s-drug-cartels-admitted-in-wells-fargo-s-u-s-deal.html
Though 'affordable' housing complexes or HUD-financed projects are known for drug distribution, I didn't realize I lived in such a place until after I reported an assault on their darkened multi-family property in Rockland, Massachusetts.  I had no idea one of the punks in the drug gang was a police officer's son, who was previously involved in a murder.  Upon my reporting the incident to authorities, the response of the subsidized corporate property manager and local police was peculiar.  And, to make a very long story short, the manager from Cornerstone Corp. insisted she could do whatever she wanted to do. 
     Mr. Paul Rhuda from Cornerstone falsely accused me of slandering him all over the internet at a rent increase meeting; representatives and employees from this same corporation caused at least one of the fires inside my apartment and was later promoted; they had much of my personal property destroyed and stolen; threatened to ruin my credit history; and made my life hell in various ways for at least 10-years.  It's no coincidence that there are other good tenants in other 'affordable housing' complexes with similar experiences, i.e. RoxSe Homes, Lincoln Village, Clarendon Hill Towers, Mass.

** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoT_5Txwp5w&feature=related

***http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H4is0OGmSU