Saturday, June 29, 2019

Housing Full of Turmoil

Safe, decent, and fair housing is non-existent along Martha Drive and Hannah Way in Rockland, Massachusetts.  There are no words to fully describe the disturbing and chaotic living conditions on this violently offensive, tax-credited property, mismanaged by various corporate partnerships through Boston Capital and numerous U.S. government agencies.  There is no excuse, whatsoever, why the violent disturbances, fights, drunkenness, and drug parties continue to be allowed and financed with our tax dollars!  It's not only unhealthy for children to be raised in such an environment, it's also severely distressing for disabled and elderly residents who need to live civilized and peacefully.

It's not uncommon to pass a staggering drunkard in one of the common areas of this nuisance housing complex or to hear groups of 8 and 9-year-old children slamming doors, yelling, and stomping through hallways that echo at 9 and 10 o'clock at night while parents party away in their subsidized apartments.  It's not even unusual to hear vulgar language from a 4-year-old child shouting out in common areas to their grandparents or other elders, "Fuck you, bitch!"  No, it's not uncommon at all; it's a regular pattern in an impoverished resident's life.

In buildings such as 160A and 187 Martha Drive,  45D and 86 Hannah Way, it's not uncommon for select residents to be overhoused at Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apartments.  It's almost an every day occurrence to hear at least one violent domestic disturbance from multiple buildings.  Select tenants are being allowed to continually disrupt this community!  Civilized tenants, who can't afford another place to reside, are held captive by fights, blasting bass beats and loud music, drug parties, and violent disturbances at all hours of the night.  And, don't you just love it when those motorcycles ride behind the residential buildings and in the backyards where children play?


Security cameras and security guards are next to useless in getting management to deal effectively with the ongoing chaos. Why?  Why do these corporate landlords and corporate managers support this turmoil and have no effective resolutions?  Why do they tend to retaliate and encourage harassments toward low-income tenants who report such violations?  Why do they allow unstable, drunken tenants to gain access to other tenants' confidential and financial  information?  Why is this nuisance property receiving tax credits?  Could it really be that a Boston Capital executive was once working for our United States government and helped to create the rules on low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC), rules they continue to be in non-compliance of, yet benefit from?


It doesn't look like HUD, SMOC, Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Rockland Board of SelectmenRep. Maxine Waters and other career politicians really want to help lift these people out of poverty when these disturbing behaviors and lease violations are allowed to continue on this property.  Bad tenants need to shape up or ship out.  Politicians, who collect a paycheck from our tax dollarscertainly DO approve of this illegal behavior from residents, live-ins, and management companies when they continue to grant such landlords tax credits and other government funds.    How dare these numerous government agencies not hold these limited partnerships like First Hartford Corp., Mr. Wm. M. Connolly, Neil H. Ellis, Cornerstone Corp., Boston Capital, etc. etc. accountable for mismanaging such properties and violating occupancy agreements and fair housing laws!  It's been going on for too many years now.

Taxpayers have been indirectly supporting fraud, waste, abuse, derelicts, partiers, and irresponsible corporations for way too many years. Voters and citizens need to contact politicians and government agencies to demand these management companies, partnerships, and corporations be held FULLY ACCOUNTABLE for running such nuisance properties on taxpayer funds.  Let them know you are against government agencies granting funds and tax credits to mismanaged places like Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apts., when NO ONE is being held ACCOUNTABLE for compliance with laws and occupancy agreements. 

Please contact the following people, corporations, and gov't agencies to voice your concerns and disapproval of government and taxpayer funding of nuisance properties like the one in Rockland, Massachusetts. Let them know you expect higher standards, fair housing enforcements, lease compliance, and better use of your tax dollars than to fund nuisance, noisy, and drunken properties like Rockland Place dba Spring Gate Apartments!

1. South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Inc. (SMOC)
     7 Bishop Street, Framingham, MA 01702  -     Twitter Account: @SMOCMA
     Tel: 508-872-4853 or 508-620-2335  

2.  Dr. Ben Carson, Secretary of Housing, Housing Urban Development (HUD) 
      Twitter Account: @RealDrBenCarson

3.  Department of Housing and Urban Development
      Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Federal Building
       10 Causeway Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02222-1092
       Tel: 617-994-8200 / Fax: 617-565-6558 / TTY: 617-565-5453

4.  Department Housing and Community Development
      100 Cambridge Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114
       Tel:   617-573-1100  Listen for phone menu options for DHCD divisions
       TTY: 617-573-1140

5.  Boston Capital, Mr. John P. Manning, Co-founder
      One Boston Place, Suite 2100, Boston, MA 02108-4406      Tel: 617-624-8900

6. U.S. House of Representatives
     Washington, DC 20515
     Tel:  202-224-3121 / TTY:  202-225-1904

BAD LANDLORDS IN FEDERAL HOUSING COMPLAINTS

Hundreds of landlords have been fined and/or debarred from doing business with the federal government as a result of failing to provide safe and decent housing for the poor, while enriching themselves on taxpayer-funded subsidies.
Tenants have been forced to live in terrible housing, and neighborhoods have suffered from housing eyesores. HUD calls this a double crime: one against both tenants and taxpayers.
To report a bad landlord to the Multifamily Housing Complaint Line call toll-free at (800) MULTI-70 (800) 685-8470) / TTY (800) 432-2209.
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Rockland’s elected officials and how to reach them
U.S. senators: Edward Markey, 617-565-8519 / 202-224-2742/
                         Elizabeth Warren, 617-565-3170
U.S. representative: William R. Keating, 202-225-3111 /  508-771-0666
State senator:  John Keenan, 617-722-1494
State representative: Rhonda Nyman, 617-722-2210
Selectmen: Vice-Chairman Deborah A. O’Brien, Lawrence J. Chaffee, Chairman Edward F. Kimball, Michael Johnson, Larry Ryan, 781-871-1874 ext. 100




Monday, June 10, 2019

Heroin Seized in Section 8 Housing

It's certainly not the first time heroin and other narcotics have been seen, sold, and abused in government subsidized housing along Martha Drive and Hannah Way in Rockland, MA. Though this particular news story is from March 2016, illegal drug deals in this housing complex have existed since the mid 1980's while this property continued to receive housing tax credits and other government funds. 

*  https://www.necn.com/news/new-england/Heroin-Cash-Electronics-Seized-During-Drug-Bust-in-Rockland-Massachusetts-372931501.html

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Monday, March 11, 2019

SMOC Rental Assistance Programs

Program Description/Services

SMOC: South Middlesex Opportunity Council Rental Assistance provides rental subsidies to income eligible families in 37 communities. Each month designated payments are made on behalf of tenants directly to their landlords. Rental assistance vouchers allow families to rent in the private market and apply a subsidy to their rent. With this assistance, residents are able to pay approximately 30-40 percent of their income toward rent, with SMOC RAP paying the remainder. Each rental unit is inspected annually for compliance to HUD quality standards and Department of Housing and Community Development requirements. When necessary, the program acts as mediator and liaison between tenants and landlords. Call (508) 620-2335 for more information.
Wondering why some residents at Spring Gate Apts. in Rockland, MA apply for fuel assistance when tenants don't need fuel assistance; all utilities, including fuel, are included in rent payments.  Please remember, there are Massachusetts residents who are truly in need for such a program, but when the program is misused and abused, people in genuine need suffer.

Do you have further questions about your type of housing in Massachusetts?  If so, read the Department of Housing and Community Development Administrative Plan here:   **https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/07/ny/sec8administrativeplan.pdf

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Correction!

I just read something interesting from Ben Carson's Facebook page and realize Dr. Ben Carson will NOT be leaving H.U.D.(So there's hope yet!)  You can FOLLOW him at the link to his Facebook page. 
https://www.facebook.com/realbencarson

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Corruption is a Difficult Fight

Dr. Ben Carson started with HIGH HOPES for the H.ousing U.nder D.rugs program. (The following article at the highlighted link is an interesting read.)

*https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/04/13/ben_carson_im_going_to_turn_hud_from_most_corrupt_federal_department_to_most_honest.html?fbclid=IwAR0l6AF0PdYasOmr2dAhNIZ845SkP8MdacTmp0wFfYoVSJFzlKahzFB-4DY

But now it looks like ethical Ben Carson may be stepping down from his position when his 4-years as Secretary ends. Can't really blame him; it's a corrupt housing program that is known to support corporations who deliberately violate fair housing laws and human rights of vulnerable tenants.  Truth be told, HUD is a gov't program that enriches some dirty corporations who pay some empowered people to look the other way when violations occur.  Sad to say the HUD website has been filled with deceptive statements about SAFE, DECENT, and FAIR HOUSING ever since Bill Clinton was President, and probably before then.  

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Greed vs. Those In Need

Let's face it, most housing for low income people is unsafe, indecent, and disempowering.  Between flimsy walls, abusive management companies, extensive paper work and more, a residents life becomes an open book.  Some investors even publish comments about specific tenants should they speak out about unfair treatment or bad conditions!  Besides that, living at bad 'affordable housing complexes' further diminishes most people's self-esteem and rarely advances anyone in life, especially when a housing complex is out in the boondocks with extremely limited transportation.

In order for people with disabilities, the elderly, and the impoverished to be better able to obtain affordable and decent housing and advance their lives, people of all diversities and income levels need to come together and brainstorm outside the usual box.  There needs to be better alternatives than what is available now. These alternatives should include responsibilities where the unfortunate population could learn how to create a budget, how to invest, along with other opportunities to advance lives.  According to the New York Times article, listed below, less landlords are renting to families and individuals with Section 8 vouchers. Landlords feel as though they're not getting enough money and don't want the red tape. 
  * https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/12/us/politics/section-8-housing-vouchers-landlords.html

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Whose Pockets Are Being Lined?

I just finished reading a very interesting article written by , entitled The Corrupt Politics of Low-Income Housing.  If you want to know the truth behind low-income housing, this article, published by 'reason, free minds and free markets', is a MUST READ. 

'The rent is too damn high—so each year Congress appropriates billions of dollars to address the nation's collective housing needs. The programs vary from loans to tax credits to straight-up subsidies, but a common feature is that federal taxpayers pony up the dough and then a motley collection of state-level politicians, financing agencies, and housing authorities decide how it's spent.'

 Click the link below to understand why and how corruption gets out of control in this type of taxpayer funded housing. It's outrageous! 
 * http://reason.com/archives/2018/01/15/the-corrupt-politics-of-low-in

Wells Fargo Rips Off Customers + Breaks Laws

U.S. House Committee on Financial Services:  July 2, 2018 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, in response to the Federal Reserve’s approval of Wells Fargo's capital plan to increase dividend payments by 10 percent and spend up to $24.5 billion on stock buybacks, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services, made the following statement:

“I am troubled by the Federal Reserve’s recent decision to approve Wells Fargo’s capital plan to handsomely reward its shareholders, including the megabank’s senior executives, despite engaging in a never-ending list of illicit activities. In recent years, the bank has opened 3.5 million fraudulent credit card and deposit accounts; engaged in illegal student loan servicing practices; charged inappropriate checking account overdraft fees; conducted unlawful mortgage lending practices, including overcharging veterans for refinanced loans; charged customers for auto insurance policies they did not need, which resulted in some customers losing their vehicles; and improperly sold complex financial products to retail investors.

“To date, no one has gone to jail for these crimes. While the bank was ordered to pay $1.5 billion in fines, these fines amount to the cost of doing business. Wells Fargo still racked up profits of $21 billion in 2016, $22 billion in 2017, and nearly $6 billion in the first quarter of this year, as the largest bank to benefit from the Republican tax law.

“I was pleased when the Federal Reserve, under former Chair Yellen, issued a cease and desist order in February to cap the megabank’s size until it cleans up its act. However, the Federal Reserve’s recent decision undermines that tough action and sends a terrible message by agreeing to let the bank pay out 141 percent of its expected annual earnings, the largest payout of the six largest U.S. banks. The bank’s executives should not be rewarded when the bank repeatedly rips off its customers and breaks the law.”

The Federal Reserve’s approval of Wells Fargo’s capital plan was conducted through the agency’s 2018 Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR).

In 2017, Ranking Member Waters introduced the Megabank Accountability and Consequences Act, which requires federal prudential banking regulators to fully utilize their authorities to shut down megabanks that repeatedly harm consumers and hold culpable executives accountable.

In 2017, Waters also released a Democratic staff report detailing a pattern of abusive business practices by Wells Fargo, as well as a Democratic staff report documenting the successes of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under Director Cordray, including penalties imposed on the bank for secretly opening fraudulent accounts. 
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