Oh, I love
Hallelujah.
Are you
Good one.
» [clears throat]
» It's fine.
Good evening everyone.
Thanks for coming.
Glad to see everyone's doing well.
» All right, we got to get started. Um,
first thing, can everyone introduce
theirel?
» I'm Amanda.
begin.
>> I'm Amanda Yoda. I am a committee
member.
>> Monica Cook. I'm a real estate agent
against city council, chair of the
housing task force.
>> M the city clerk,
>> Carlen Andress,
>> uh Lamar Council, originally from New
York City and been here for a decade.
Just trying to use my expertise to help
out.
>> Substance abuse counselor, choice
recovery center, reintegration service
coordinator.
>> Sean Ryan, city assistant city operating
council.
» All right. I I'm I'm calling this
meeting of the housing task house
housing stability task force to order.
I'm Kim Wiggins, chair. Thank you all
for being here
and for the work you do every day in the
housing field.
Okay, our agenda,
we're going to recap over the April 10th
um April 10th meeting
reaffirming the expectations of this um
meeting
um professionalism
and focused participation.
Member assignment reports. Presentation
of members updates including assigned
focus areas. Key findings data and or
identified challenges. Blend
preliminary recommendations.
Public testimonies.
Invite speaker
identifying what we bring to the table
next. Actions items and adjournments.
Okay. We're going to start with um two
members want to talk about
the information that was
[snorts]
44
for my last meeting the assignment
everyone had. Want to start with you?
>> Okay. So this information I obtained
from a current um
child protective services worker who's
worked there for 36 years and he used to
do the after hours pager to place
individuals who needed housing after
hours and this was the information that
he provided to me. Um, okay. So, hotels
are typically used only after available
placements at local facilities have been
fully exhausted, such as the Skenctity
Mission, which houses single males. The
Booth Home um houses single women, and
the YWCA houses women and children. Um,
but it's the hotels in the area are not
just specific to Skenctity County. Other
counties can call in like Albany. um to
see if area hotels have um vacancies for
them and it's basically due to capacity
um and they fill up fast. Um and the
hotels that he provided he said the
Imperial Motel is being used to house
single males, occasionally couples and
individuals with sex offender status.
the Empire Motel, the Skenctity in, the
Belvadier, and the Executive Inn are
generally used um to accommodate couples
with children, women with children, and
single females. Um but he did indicate
that definitely the Department of Social
Services has more in-depth stats that
they could definitely provide, but
that's what he gave me on.
Oh yeah. Well, Kim had her own set of
questions that we we asked uh
Commissioner
uh Brandy Hillard Balden about from DSS
and I have my own questions. I wanted to
know specifically because they were what
the point was referenced here. What what
were the basic reasons for evictions?
and she told me the majority of
evictions are non-payment. They also
have landlords, she said that will call
quote on themselves, which is new to me,
uh in order to circumvent the eviction
process. Um and she they would call po
call because they had something that
they knew code would not pass and then
they would code would issue an order of
vacate. That solved their problem. They
got pretend to tell they didn't have to
pay a lawyer and uh and then they would
leave the apartment vacant. And I I for
I neglected to say when we all were in
shooting. So I own a property management
company and my business is housing and
leasing and working with tenants and
landlords. So this is new to me that I
had no idea this was done.
>> I asked the
you
prevalent. Um,
I guess I want the better landlords than
ever. [clears throat]
What role does city code enforcement
play in the inspection of the
facilities? And uh, Miss Helard Bolan
told us that no role played. She said if
there's an issue, we will notify them
and they will come out when needed. This
does not often happen often. So, I
believe DSS must This still doesn't
answer all the questions. How often does
DSS go in there and actually do
inspections themselves? That I don't
know. Are there And I asked, are there
ongoing periodic pest control treatments
at these motel? She said, yes,
>> this is a requirement and we verify
that, but pointing to this
terrific
>> not doing a good job. Um, is there a
point of contract a contact for motel
residents to lodge concerns or
complaints? I'm referring I'm referring
to residents who feel that they've been
mistreated slash disrespected or that
the level of customer service they are
experiencing is not equal to that of
someone who might check into a hotel on
a self-pay basis. and she said yes, they
have two investigators that go out
weekly in the evenings to the motel
hotels to touch base with the recipients
and receive complaints/ concerns that
they may not have been comfortable
sharing with a hotel motel staff. And
she said DSSM follows up on those
concerns to touch base with the
recipient to close the loop. And she
said she follows this process closely.
And those were my questions in addition
to the ones that Kim had. And Kim,
you've got your own stuff that you you
asked her about the hotel utilized, the
stay, the reasons for the causes of
homelessness,
who conducts the inspections.
Um, there are still a lot of questions
to be asked and to be answered.
» I'm going come back around. Okay.
I'm sorry.
>> Oh, you didn't have anything else?
>> Go ahead. Okay. I got something else.
>> Okay. Go ahead. [clears throat]
>> I do. Are you ready?
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, okay. Um I just want to, you know,
just do a little summary of the eviction
data I got from Princeton University.
And um uh they said come back if you um
need more data on the um eviction and um
other legal uh case that's going on in
the uh housing court. It's connecting
city court. Um it covers uh cases from
2017 through 2025. But um let's go over
the key findings.
Uh one of the key findings I found was
the um high volume of nonpaint cases. Uh
the most alarming figure in the uh sheet
is from um December 2017
uh which is um the cases were 1,122
of non-payment cases which these are
cold months and um Christmas uh holiday
month. So that that was disturbing to me
and it was um in 2022
uh the numbers were around maybe two 300
non-payment cases but came October it
rises to 419
and it just constantly rise and um just
saw a pattern repeatedly um um exceeding
200 cases of nonpayment.
Um and this is like indicating that a
widespread issue of tenants unable to
meet their rent obligations
and um other legal uh proceedings were
hold over cases
um
hold over cases were substantial as
well. Uh for instance in December 2022
there were 151 hold over cases.
>> What do you mean by holdover?
>> I have hold over cases. Um when the
tenants uh lease expires then um the uh
landlord wants a possession of the uh
property back sometime the tenants
monthto month and um
>> so there's no lease and
>> sometime sometimes six months lease
sometime one year lease uh from my
experience they only give you month
>> state is only supposed to land
>> um well it's supposed to be one or two
year leases
um but a lot of depend month on month
and [clears throat] they can kick out
the tenant at any time.
>> Okay.
>> And
I'm sorry lost where it's all right.
>> No, because I saw the article 7D and I'm
not familiar with that.
>> I'll get to that. I'll get to that. I'm
sorry.
>> Yeah. All right. In some months, the
hold over cases reached uh over 100
>> uh reflecting ongoing disputes over what
I just said um uh tendency status. um
where the landlord wants his property
back since the tenants lease it has
expired and doesn't want to renew it.
And
just um while I was looking over the
data, the the volume of cases fluctuated
but remained constantly high over the
years, especially in 2023 and in 2024.
The numbers remain high with monthly
non-payments uh frequently exceeding 300
and hold over cases often surpassing 80
and um I saw in August 2025 which is
last year's uh there was cases of 448
nonpayment cases
uh this is uh in August and you know
children trying to get back to school
and um that um you know affects the
children and it's um housing instability
for them as it affects their school
enrollment attendance
and uh even their learning
and um most times it's the causes of
widespread economic challenges affecting
families such as unemployment, low
income and further ex excavated the
difficulties of children attending
school and um there was other cases
Whereas article 7D where the tenants um
well was just a single margin not much
cases cuz uh this is when the tenant
could uh start legal proceedings on the
land but not being a compliance with
like not doing repairs
maybe um um just rent heights for no
reason and not updating the uh property
and um any harassment. the tenant feels
the landlord is doing. Uh there's been
like um only maybe three, four, six
cases. If you go look uh do out in here
in the uh chart, that's probably because
of tenants lack awareness of their
rights, unable to afford uh legal fees
or court course and um just not having
um um a shortage of legal aid lawyers to
defend them and don't have the money to
or pay attorney. And just a recap what I
just uh went over. Uh there was over
100,000 nonpayment cases in uh 2017 in
the month of December
and um
and monthly nonpayment cases just
exceeded 300 which peaked over 400 in
the months of u uh 2022 and 2023.
Those years were uh for non-payment
cases
and and during those uh years you've
seen several months peing over 400
non-payment cases uh consistently uh
present or over 80 hold over cases
monthly indicate ongoing legal disputes
and in August 2025 there was a 448
nonpending cases when kids are about to
attend school and just in Um these figures to be um there's a
pressing problem with tenants and non
with non-payment um uh situations and
sketches and the volume of cases
especially non-payment highlights
ongoing economic and social um um excuse
me uh struggles faced by tenants and
underscores the urgent need for this
policy intervention and support system
to address housing insecurity and at
this moment.
» No problem.
>> Yeah.
Thank you.
» And I had talk. Did you have anything
you wanted to say or share?
>> I got to this. I'm just I'm listening
though. I'm have
>> Okay.
All right. I had spoke to the
commissioner. I spoke to her and sent
her some questions and these were the
answers to my question. Um, I asked her,
"What was the longest that a family has stayed in a hotel shelter
hotel/shelter
before getting housed?" And her response
was, "The longest we have housed a
family is 2.5 years and that was a
family of nine. The second largest was a
family of 10, and that was two years."
And I asked what were the requirements
towards housing stability and job
placement
or and her reply was all re all
recipients of the THAA has to comply
with the regulations as defined by OTDA.
There is not a one-sizefitit all to the
questions as not everyone who gets THAA
temporary assistance and
um temporary assistance to the needy and
elig elig eligible families.
And I asked the second question, another
question, what goals are in place to
help people
help get the people the clients
self-sufficient?
And she says, um DSS set goals for
clients to become self-sufficient. And
we refer to job programming and case
management for apartment searches.
I asked I also asked you know what was
some incentives and they don't have
incentives.
Um, and I asked like what was the cap? I
wanted to know like what is the length
that they give people to get their act
together and move forward or to see if
people making progress to want to move
forward and she said she didn't
understand the question. So, I'll get
back to her on that. Wow.
>> Well, the thing about it is the
requirements are changing with the new
administration in place, right?
>> [clears throat]
>> the six-month rule is going into effect
for housing and for food stamp. So,
OTAA, they have to meet those
requirements now. So, that's something
that's coming into play and a lot of
these consumers
are not may not meet the eligibility
requirement to get the support they need
through DSS and OTAA.
that comes from that you know it change
it will have some sort of effect and it
will change the numbers
>> and I think that goes into effect in
June
>> in June
>> I think so many things are going into
effect I'm losing track of what is what
>> yeah they're also doing a cut with um
the food stamps what people can buy what
they can't buy supposed to be all
healthy stuff no soda
>> no sugary stuff
>> no sugary yeah So, a lot's going to change.
>> I have a question for you. If you were
able to come across it with your data,
did is there any way to tell based on
these data how many of these tenants
have been evicted multiple times like
maybe they were evicted in 2018 then in
2021 and now we 2021 would have happened
because of the THE. But then it's
hypothetically spike and then 2024 are
these numbers are they repeated tenants
that is because there are some just like
the landlord is doing these things.
There are some tenants that have these
habitual behavior and they will pay the
first month rent and the deposit get
into the apartment and live there and go
through the whole process not pay a
dime.
So,
>> kind of like abusing the system and
taking advantage as well. So, there's
that double-edged sword.
>> Well, possibly they just couldn't afford
it. I mean,
>> I I helped a client of mine. Um, he's a cook and, you know, they started
out as with good hours, then all a
sudden they just sliced down his hours,
but he just couldn't make up the rent.
And then he called me to see if I could
reach out to Pedesta House. There's a
lot of red tape. So, we used to high ups
and they were able to pay us back on,
but um started a new job at another cook
place at another restaurant. Same thing.
And this time he wasn't able to um you
know get the assistance with Pedesta
House or any other could say cuz didn't
have the funds and um now he's just uh
living with his friend now.
>> Well, that's that's the thing, right?
Because people are barely making ends
meet, especially with the utility cost
and every other things that's going up.
If you're barely making minimum wage,
how are you supposed to survive when
your rent is double your salary? I
>> I don't know where electric bill comes
where it's a,000,000
or more cuz coming from New York, we we
only pay about 300 maybe not even less
than $300 an electric bill.
that nobody has a large besides the
person who owns a large ambience.
» It would be interesting though to know
how many of these people
>> are, you know,
have been evicted multiple times.
>> But that's now you're getting into names
and personal information. I will look it
up.
Still have that information
>> and they they kept it and now then I
believe in 2019 when everything tenant
protection act was uh passed
[clears throat] that stopped but that you could see that here's
>> the Jones family whatever
>> have been I wasn't really looking for
specific I was just looking for like an
average figure.
>> Yeah. I don't know where that exists.
>> I didn't know if that's something they
checked in the stats.
>> Yeah. I don't think the eviction lab
would have that like people name like
she just
>> still have to keep track of names
ultimately to know who was repetitive.
>> Yeah. They just keep track of numbers.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. I have some um information cuz
Jacqueline wasn't able to be with us
tonight.
Um he did some
talking to her, you know, the clients
that comes to food pantry or whatever
and got some information from them.
And um she was supposed to get us
information about the various hotels and
what people thought. And um 27 State
Street
um hotel is um very drug infested.
um blatant prostitution, drama, lights
almost every day, not clean. The
executive end 759
state
um hotel is very strict. They're doing a
good job of keeping the drugs out and no
visitors allowed,
not cleaning them.
Um,
Empire Empire Hotel 1616 stage fe
um people are told these rule told she
said people are told these rules in the
um they're saying that it comes from DSS
which they know better. Um, women and
children have to vacate
from the property at 10:00 a.m. until
100 p.m. so the hotel can be clean.
Summer or winter makes no difference.
>> Is this the hotel across from the OTB by
itself?
>> Yes.
>> Okay. So, this I see going by I see this
and they are there after 1:00. They're
there at 3:00 in the afternoon, 4:00 in
the afternoon. Dead of winter. I've
witnessed this myself. I always wonder
why they were there.
>> Yeah.
>> But they don't have a community room or
somewhere.
» But has that been reported to DSS? This
is where where I asked if there was a a
point of contact that someone could call
and and let them know that this is going
on.
>> Well, see, then there's also
maybe an enforcement issue. How much can
DSS do? they're paying the bills, but at
the same time,
maybe this might not be within their
scope.
So, it might this is where code
enforcement comes in.
>> Well, the other side of the coin is if
I'm paying for a room and I can check in
at 11:00 a.m. to 4 in the afternoon and
check out at 11:00, then where would it
be written if I were a suffocate that I
had to leave,
>> right,
>> for four hours? I'm paying for that four
hours.
>> I six hours, whatever it was. I agree.
But then
>> they're justifying it behind cleaning
the room and because what we stay at a
hotel, we put up our historic sign.
>> We don't want our room to be clean,
>> right? But if
>> Yeah. But they don't have that.
>> DSS is paying for these
>> residents to be in living at that that's their home temporarily. So I
don't feel that they should be uprooted
from where that where they call that
room to for anybody to clean their room.
They should be given towels. They should
be given sheets and they clean their own
room especially in the winter time.
>> I agree.
» I don't know how much DSS
my question would be was how much can
DSS assist with?
>> They're paying them. They should be able
to some. We have to find out who
>> then they should be got
be there for them.
>> But that's why I was asking if they have
a community room or something because if
you're doing this and I get it, you
know, you want you have to spray for bed
bugs or you have to clean the bathroom
or something like that. And I I
absolutely get it because it's part of
the services that they need to provide.
>> You cannot put people out in the cold,
right? So if you then you need to find
an alternative place or you take a room
and you convert it because you're
cleaning one room at a time and you have
a whole room over so that this family
can go in and wait until the room is
finished. You have to find a workar
around and I'm looking at the spaghetti.
I just don't understand like how are
they able to use the food stamp to
provide a meal for them? That's the part
like it's mindboggling and I know that's
an O to that issue. That's not a but at
the same time it's like
none of this this whole thing doesn't
make sense to me as to how people are
>> you're paying you're using your food
stamp.
>> I think this is fraud. That's what I'm
thinking. But I don't know how they're
able to use
>> noing facilities in your room and now
your food seats are not going to go very
far at the local convenience store.
>> But they're charging the food stamp to
provide spaghetti meals.
>> Yeah, I don't understand.
>> You know, I get that the um they're
getting a voucher.
>> We're going to move on. Um the skity end
at 167. Um no, well, we just had that
conversation right there. Um the um
Skenctity N or 67 N Street. Um the hotel
is clean and is and is inspected two
times a year by DSS.
Um never put the kids out and there is a
8:30 curfew.
No food offer cash or food stamp shoes
for the restaurant or give toilet paper.
So they don't give toilet paper. I guess
they have to buy their own toilet paper,
buy their own food or whatever. And
housekeeping is there once a week. You
said once a week. Yeah. Housekeeping
once a week.
>> Mhm.
The state end 921 State Street, no
problems. Imperial end said it's said to
be the worst.
>> Where is that? Then pero is um upper
stage upper stage state the family
dollar and the
>> libraries.
>> Oh, okay.
>> Um
state and twins is better.
Um, America's best executive end, bed
bugs, skinkity end, reports of bed bugs,
infested rooms so bad that the children
in the room get bit up so badly that the
parents have photos. Heavy drug use,
passing of drugs in front of the
people's rooms, random people banging on
the doors, prostitution and roaches.
Domest domestic violence reports, door
locks broken. When asked for repairs, it
takes too long or not done at all. Wear
wheelchair entrances are blocked.
um lack of toilet paper in the rooms as
well as towels and basic necessities.
People refuse housing because the motel
are so bad and they don't want their
children in that environment around
prostitution and people sleeping outside
the motel doors. Then they are denied
services and no and have nowhere to go.
Some staff target the mental ill.
Persons being persons being placed that
are females are vulnerable. A lot of
people complain that DSS are paying
these motel all this money and that we
get treated so poorly.
>> Let me ask you who who came up with all
this the information.
And that people
>> I wonder where she got there.
>> Yeah.
>> She deals she deals with the residents
and everything that comes to the food
pantry, the community people. So she had
the conversation with several of them
and that was her report on all of that.
Okay. Um we have an invited speaker
here, Miss Latoya James.
That's all you can come stand up.
>> Standing here.
» Thanks for coming.
» I was asked to speak on my personal
experience, but before doing so, I just
want to address some of the things that
you guys spoke about to me. So, um, you
asked where the information come from.
Um, I can speak firsthand that that is
the case in most cases. And I don't know
who you guys speak to in terms of
addressing these issues, but I can say
that they're not being addressed. when
you raise an issue of maybe the
conditions of where you're being asked
to stay, you're often uh belittled or
threatened that if you choose not to
stay there, your family will be, you
know, uh placed under CPS or, you know,
so I feel like for most families, you
don't have a choice. You have a deal
with those conditions with which they
won't address, they refuse to address.
And earlier you asked, how could it be
addressed? funding, not more funding,
lack of it. If you stop the flow to
these to these landlords, whether it be
uh um hotel owners or land slum lords,
whatever they are, if you if these
agencies stop funding them, if you stop
blowing money into their pockets, they
will be more less likely to do the
things that they are. But when when laws
are set in place where they can fall
through the cracks and take advantage of
the population and take advantage of
people in those situations, of course
they're going to do so. And when people
are put in position to make change and
they don't, right? They don't. How can
change be put forward? Stop the funding.
Stop paying them to mistreat the
population in which you pay them to take
care of.
>> Simple as that. I don't think it should
be like a big meeting or or or like it's
not rocket science. Stop funding these
people. If they don't provide the
conditions in which you give, it's fair
exchange because me as a tenant
personally, I felt that if I was paying
my rent on time every month, I was
entitled to repairs. I was entitled to a
healthy space. I was entitled to a
certain level of a certain condition of
life. And that's not the case. the
lawying provided with the cushman to
make sure my landlord held up his end of
the bargain. So when these agencies are
put in place and they want to throw
their hands up and don't play their part
and makes it easier for these people to
victimize populations like ourselves and
more than 50% of the population is
connected are renters. meaning that you
give them a position to take care of to
take advantage of half of the population
whether it's you me your friend your
neighbor it affects all of us so we all
effectively have to do something more
than meeting in these rooms and
discussing or saying I don't know how
you know how you don't know how because
you didn't experience it so I'm speaking
firsthand from someone that experience
it they're not concerned with the bed
bugs or the blood stains or the drug use
or the abuse of or the things that's
going on right side outside of the door
of the hotel or the conditions that
their family is subjected to when you're
asking these agencies for help. It's
unfair. It's beindling. It's saddening.
Right? So, when you I I personally want
to know who are you speaking to when
you're getting these answers? Who are
you speaking to when they say they're
doing something or they're addressing
the issue? Each agency passes the
responsibility to another.
when at any given time if anyone played
their role or did their job, we wouldn't
be sitting here meeting over these
issues.
» I agree with what you're saying. I hear
what you're saying because I feel like
you're just so directed. No, I'm not
[laughter]
from
a lot of your questioning is from
ignorance. It's from lack of experience.
>> You do not know me.
>> No, no. respectfully. I'm not saying
that I'm speaking. Don't take it. Don't
take it.
>> It's not personal. Please, this is not that. What I'm saying a lot of
your questioning is coming from someone
who has not experienced this. So, I'm
giving you a personal insight of why
things are the way they are and possibly
how we can bring forth change. And I
understand where you're coming from, but
as our discussion with the last meeting
is something that I said like you
mentioned is the retaliation and then
the hotels were going to say we don't
want to participate with these agency
anymore. Their rules are too strict.
Where are these
>> why would they do that when these
agencies are the bulk of their income?
In fact, they wouldn't be able to
survive without the income of these
agencies. Did you know that?
>> Did you know the right to not run their
rooms? Amanda, we're going to hold the
questions. We're gonna let her continue.
>> Go ahead, Latoya.
>> Um,
I lost track of thought, but um I think
it just basically boils down to a
necessity, a basic need for everyone to
work cohesively with the same goal,
right? Which is fair housing, fair law.
I mean, and and and above everything,
right? holding these people accountable.
It's about accountability on all parts.
Whether you're being victimized, whether
you're taking advantage of the system,
whether you're the landlord or taking
advantage of your relationships in the
business, whatever it may be, these
landlords seek particularly seek out
people in this population, seek out the
particular group in this population to
take advantage of. earlier when you
spoke about repeated offenders in terms
of um eviction. This this there there
may be numerous reasons for that but a
real reason would be just as he
mentioned struggle right cost of living
is increasing while race pay arm right
most of us don't qualify for the housing
that the very little housing that there
is out there right we do not as you me
you mentioned yourself we do not make
two to three times worth what they're
asking in rent we do not have 750 credit
score right we do not have the landlord
rent because we may have experienced a
slumlord
or a holdover eviction,
meaning you did nothing wrong. You paid
your rent, you did everything wrong, but
the landlord may have realized that he
could get twice as much for that unit,
whether it's from a paying person or a
program who is going to ignore every
wrong that he does and allow him to
victimize
this particular person. Whether it's a
minority, what whatever
your situation may be, it is not right.
It should not be so. And we need to
address that.
Let me speak on for landlords. So, for
them and there is no excuse not to
maintain your property. There is no
excuse. If you pay the rent and you've
got a leaky sink or a hot water tank,
I'm going to fix it. There's that. It is
a two-way street. But on the other hand,
when somebody goes through bad times and
they lose their job, that's awful.
However, the landlord still has the
mortgage to pay in many in there are
lots of good landlords and they are
running a business and you are their
customer. So, what is the answer for the
landlord when
you go into a store and you can't afford
the $300 dress and that's what they're
charging? That's not a good example,
right?
» Contract and that you would pay X amount
of dollars and they would maintain the
property and now the rent is not coming
in and they still have to maintain. They
still have property taxes or perhaps
mortgage. What is the answer then to
having a meeting of the minds between
the landlord and Ken in that case?
I mean unfortunately like there that's a
case by case situation still
there's what he said was your your
friend who was a dishwasher and lost a
job and then another one was
>> unfortunately that's the situation for
most of us but again affordable housing
is the answer to that when when a rent
increases
>> 40 50fold over the last how many years
when incomes have not
>> I understand that
>> you understand what I'm And also as a
landlord, you are, as you said, a
business owner. For you, you're in it
for profit. When we're all just trying
to survive.
>> Well, that's never
>> But I [clears throat] can tell you
mentioned national grid bills. One of my
landlords sent me his national grid bill
for two months was and he only has a
house meter, which is the outside
lights, was over $1,000. So, I'm looking
into that. Imagine
right when you don't repair the window
and my heating is going out of the
window right now. So DSS isn't going to
consider that. National Grid isn't going
to consider that. Right? But because it
passed the inspection, now I as a tenant
who already struggled to make ends meet,
I have to supplement for that. I have to
supplement for the $1,000 that's going
out the window every month because you
neglected your job as a [clears throat]
>> That's true. In some cases, brother
Shannon have to put plastic up because
it is. Yes, you're right. New windows
should be put in on time.
>> All repair.
>> I get shame on me because I assume that
if I paid my rent on time and you didn't
have a hassle out of me that I would
receive the same in return and have a
stable place, conditions where I didn't
have to complain about, conditions that
wouldn't cause um issues with my
children's health. You know what I mean?
when I had when you know and for some
families you know the weird thing is for
some families you have to choose in
between living in those conditions and
going to DSS and living in those
condition that they would subject you to
that's the reality for most families you
have to deal with living with the
landlord that treat you like scum
right getting convincing co to come in
is a whole another story but convincing
them to come in and actually do their
job and hold that landlord accountable
That process in itself is is
challenging,
right? By the time they grieve the
relationship that they have and and use
extensions and you go through the whole
entire court process, you have subjected
yourself and your family and your
children to months, possibly years
of those living conditions.
And also when a tenant doesn't pay the
rent, the landlord is losing several
months of rent because it takes a long
time for the eviction process.
>> So it's not a win-win situation for
landlord and tenant. And that's I think
that's why we're here to try to learn
how we can bridge the gap and make it
better for everybody.
>> Very true.
>> I think one you got to start by
listening to concerns, right?
I'm sure you like as you mentioned you
have your issues but
you guys you have to start by listing
like if I'm expressing what the issue is
you have to start there
I think you'll get a better quality of
um renters we have better to choose from
>> well the city was we were in a meeting a
couple years ago with the mayor trying
to create a program that there would be
landlords that
qualify, for lack of a better word, as
premium landlord. So that you as a
tenant would look through a list of
landlords that have a good reputation,
that are in compliance with code, that
are following the rules. So it's not
such a random search for a tenant, but
just say, okay, well, excellent idea.
>> You have some frame of reference.
>> I think the same should go for some
land, right? If there was more like um
cross communication amongst the
agencies, there would be less um
possibilities for some, right? If one
commun one agency was communicating to
the other like I was having an issue
with this guy, did he pass inspection or
how do he do or what can I do or how can
we address this issue or and in at any
level then I think it would be less
likely for them to
you would have the option I'm quite sure
to find out if there was a rental or you
would if there was a rental certificate
on your property that you were if the
landlord had rental certificates on your
apartment. I can test if many of the um
inspections regardless of the agency are
superficial
on record saying that. So um I've
witnessed my landlord to repairs minutes
before the inspection
>> because they won't if if an apartment
doesn't pass inspection, they won't get
that remarkable certificate.
>> Yeah. But then where's the concern? Is
the concern for my well-being or for
your passing me inspection?
your for your wellbeing
and you would do it whenever needed to
be done and not when the inspector
showed up.
>> But isn't there a requirement for these
um inspections? The tenant has to be in
the apartment.
>> Yes.
>> So it's like you can't do it beforehand.
>> You can't do it on an empty apartment.
>> No, you can do it. If I made a
complaint, you can do typically they're
given 30 days and then they're given in
um extensions in some cases
certificate. If I own an apartment
building and I had a vacant apartment in
and you were ready to move into I can
only get the rental certificate on the
one that's already got a tenant in it. I
they're not going to inspect the vacant
apartment. They wanted name associated
that you got somebody living there
>> and that's when they wanted to inspect
it.
>> That's the photo. You want to move on
and continue to share with us your
experience?
Um so in my experience uh with my
landlord in particular we went back and
forth for over two years um
with repairers I involved
many of them as I said were superficial
when done often they were um ignored
which led to other issues but when he
did do repair they were often
superficial.
or moments before um inspection came. It
was just enough to pass inspections and
regardless of my complaints, various
agencies would say or refer, hey, well,
it passed inspection. Although I would
show videos or photos of current issues
or things happening in real time,
regardless to what my issue were, they
just passed it off to other issu um to
other agencies or gave suggestions that
I should call other people or do other
No one took it personal. No one took the
help or well-being of my family and I
personal. And it was disheartening to me
that at the least no one felt the need
to do their job. Right? I look I thought
as I said earlier if I paid my rent on
time and if I was a good tenant I will
get those services in return. And that
wasn't the case. And when I called on
the agencies put in place to do so they
didn't help me either.
So it became it was on me and what I
decided to do is started I I I I didn't
call I started emailing and documenting
and CCing and and writing letters to
everyone that I thought that would
listen. And it didn't help in my case,
but I realized while speaking to others
that my case wasn't
significant. You know what I mean? It
happened more often than not. And it's
it hurts because it shouldn't, right? My
family and I, we left living with mold
for over two years. And we complained.
We sent pictures. Agencies came in, they
took pictures, they witnessed it and
documented it themselves and did nothing
about it.
We had leaks that led to electrical
fires and eventually, like you said, the
apartment was red taped. And I got I
didn't even mention it during the
meeting earlier. I noticed that was his
intentions all along
>> or to what
>> to have coated and renate the apartment
because I complained on another platform
on how the agencies that I reached out
to that I thought was put in position to
do exactly what I was asking them to do
didn't help. Someone said to me, you
know, well, maybe Latoya, they were
doing you a favor because had they did
go into action or did they had they
taken action, you and your family would
have been homeless. Sad to say that did
end up being the case. However,
I feel like if at any given case dummy
time any agency would have stepped in on
my behalf. Anyone anyone would have
advocated for my kids and I, it wouldn't
have come to that.
Maybe landlords would be less likely to
take advantage of people in situations
like myself because they know that they wouldn't get paid.
And to me, that's the biggest threat.
because that's the only thing you
mention
is the lack of income you won't receive.
>> Right.
>> Well, for a landlord in a business that
is the fact
I respect you for your business, but for
many
families, you understand what I'm
saying? And yes, there are programs put
into place to help. But then when they
are not passionate about doing exactly
that, that's not they they more likely
to do more damage than anything. And
that's that's that's what we're going to
sit here today.
When people don't step up and play their
roles and do their parts, we end up in
situations like this while we're
explaining the obvious.
Section 8, for instance, if a landlord
doesn't pass section 8 and continues to
fail, they have 30 days to correct a
problem. Section 8 will cut the uh the
landlord off. They won't pay.
>> Yeah, but the inspections are done once
a year. No, I I don't I don't know.
Section
>> section 8 inspection is done once a year
and again it's superficial
>> but us attendant can certainly cause
section 8 and I
>> and that's my experience. This is what
I'm explaining to you and it's not until
I started documenting CCing calling out
names telling these people what my
intentions were that I was going to
obtain legal counsel. [snorts] I was
going to take this all the way. And
that's part of the problem here. I I I
think a lot of tenants aren't aware of
their rights. And that's a big issue.
Community awareness.
You know what I mean? That's something
we need to address. Not just knowing
your rights, but having an agency or
someone put in place that will advocate
for you. Because that's what I didn't
have in my case. I didn't have an
advocate. I didn't have someone to tell
me what to do or what mistakes not to
make or what to avoid or what to expect.
Right? It's simply doing the research
and and and I think that's the issue for
most. It's resources. We lack resources.
We're not aware of our rights. We're
notware aware of what we're entitled to.
And and furthermore, I think for
landlords that are not doing their part,
they should be held accountable. Yes,
there should be a process, but a process
in which a tenant has to wait years,
maybe even, you know, for something to
occur or happen, it is not right. And I
think the only way that something could
immediately happen if you stop the
funds,
when you stop the funds, there's no need
for middlemen. There's no need for
talking or conversations. I promise you
if you stop the funding to these
programs and to these as I call them bad
lords right [clears throat]
you you will have no issue I promise you
because majority of their funding is
coming from government programs.
So if the government or the people put
into place to protect these programs or
the population in which they serve at
any given moment put their foot down or
put foot to neck to these landlords
there will be no issue and if you are
the exception to the rule I appreciate
you but that's not what they discussing
here.
>> I think you're right. If the if the
everything pays attention when the money
stopped landlord tenant should all pay
attention.
>> Right. Right. Right. So when everyone
asks what should we do? What can we do?
power. You they either do the right
thing or you stop the funding. There's
no rarity. Period.
I'm good.
» So, what what are some of the resources
that you use to help you out of your
situation that you were successful in?
» Um,
Seriously, I um I reached out to SCAP,
uh Donna and Kevin Zowski and Scap. They
were great, but again, they don't
although they they had good intentions,
they don't have the resources, they
didn't have the manpower. A lot of the
advice and um things they gave me were
in the middle of handling other
situations. So, I just took the
information they gave me and, you know,
ran with it. But like I said, for most people, they're not
they don't have the resources I have and
they they don't have they're not aware
of their rights. They're not aware of
their the programs that's out there.
They're not aware that they're even
being violated in any way. And that, as
I said, is concerning to me because why
aren't these people being held
accountable? I felt like I was screaming
below water and no one heard me. But I
know for a fact I contacted the right
people because I did the research. You
understand what I'm saying? So I I it's
concerning to me the lack of compassion
above everything. You know what I mean?
The lack of uh
it it's just a disservice, you know? I
just felt like no one involved felt the
need to do at the least their job, you
know, or or or or the or
to to do what they were hired to do and
put in position to do.
I think I felt like no one took it
personal and for me it was personal. My
family got suffered for like I said over
well over two years and it was
concerning because again why was he
allowed
to get away with that and I and and like
I said I know my story is not one
it's saddening
and I don't want my family suffer to be
in pain. I I feel like, you know, above
us meeting in this room, things need to
be done.
And tell me how, where, who I speak to
because I'm willing to do that. I don't
want to see another family go through
what my family experienced.
It's unnecessary.
» Thank you, Lorie, for sharing.
>> Appreciate you being here.
Be sure.
I know this.
Okay. So,
we have work to do. This It's a lot. It
is a lot.
Muel, I see it. I want to hear it.
» Like some people in it for the money and
some people in it for a passion too, you
know. Um
I know for me I'm sorry for that.
I think that what I what I'm getting
from it is that it needs whoever's doing
the funding needs to be here. That
person needs to be here from ESS. uh to
speak on their behalf. Uh also also um
you know looking through I work with the
homeless population and people with
substance abuse. You know, I say uh last
year we had 425 people coming home. Only
163 of those people were placed, right?
But 163 of those people were placed due
to
following the requirements that are
given through DSS, whatever that may be,
you know, woman to a woman's program in
the city and coming back and being in
compliance. Um but then I also, you
know, um I also see
the county sometimes goes to Veil
Cemetery and they they get people who might need a park but they don't
know how to live.
>> You know, there's a big difference,
right? And sometimes I see people who
are struggling families and whatnot and
you know, they're doing what they got to
do. they're in compliance or whatever
DSS is having them do and a person got
we could send the person to a 20-day
program and then they come out and got
an apartment and then what happens is
they they damage the apartment because
they don't know how to live in the
apartment and next thing that and that
ruins it.
>> So then I feel like at some at some
point it's just like okay why am I going
to continue to keep fixing this? But
is is it I just feel like if a person is
doing the right thing and being in
compliance,
>> they deserve to live.
You know, it doesn't matter if they get
DSS or whatever the case may be, right?
They're human being,
>> right?
>> You understand what I'm saying? Um and
housing is very important.
>> Yes,
>> housing is very important. But I do
think that like, you know, all the
information is right here, right? Like
for the people that are still in hotels,
right? They're saying what's going on.
So maybe someone from the police
department needs to come here as well.
» Um
yeah, I'm just processing everything.
>> I'm a little bit familiar with New
Choices and if I remember correctly, New
Choices do do inspections for the
apartment periodically, right?
>> Yeah. So we have
>> done like every three or six months. We
have Yeah, we have a um we have three
housing programs. We have shelter plus
care,
>> we have MRT housing, we also have um
transitional housing.
>> Um the transitional housing program is
for those people who um may not have
they might have been doing good, have a
trade and so forth so on their credits
all messed up, whatever. So we created a
program where it gives them an
opportunity to build renters's report um
build their credit score back up and we
support them for anywhere up to 18
months a case by case situation. Um but
I also do see that um I also do see that
so I'm a I'm a I'm a very high I have a
very high value of referrals that I send
out for the sky county amongst all the
other counties drug courts probations
parole CPS
um ATC courts um family treatment court
they all contact me when they have a
situation where someone needs to go away
into treatment right and what I'm seeing
what I what I see is that we have we
have a lot of people in Skenctity County
that are not from Skenctity County,
>> right? And and it goes it goes into
saying is that
Skenne County is the only county
that basically it's easy to get an
apartment out here. So a lot of people
are coming out here just to get housing,
right? And some people aren't ready for
housing. But when you got someone like
you sitting here, family, motivated and
passionate, right? Unfortunately, those
are the ones that suffer,
right? But and also the good landlord
suffer too,
right? So, um,
yeah,
we'll have some stuff for you next time.
>> All righty. Thank you for sharing.
>> I appreciate you.
>> Um, yes, this was a very, very
interesting meeting. I'm excited to move
forward and making some changes. Um
so
our hour is mere and um I just want to
um out of everything that we've
discussed today Monaco to get um more
clarification
on some things. What would what would be
your pick from this?
my pick from
>> the conversations and the answers we
need as far as um
the fair housing laws, the um different
programs. And
>> I would say that it would be nice to
have the commissioner if she was I think
that would be great. I feel that um was
it Jaclyn that gave the sheep? Yes. I
think that that's problematic especially
the legal activity happening at the
uh hotels. So, I feel like
um having the conversation with the
police, are they patrolling that? Are
they doing things? I mean, it just kind
of makes it seem like it's just
happening all out in the open and
everything goes. Um, but I do also agree
about the funding um that when people
aren't in compliance in terms of um if
they're receiving money from DSS, if
they have contracts, if they're
receiving money from section 8, uh, you
know, all of that, that funding should
stop and they should be mandated to do
things. I don't think it should go on
for long periods of time. Definitely
things have to change. that that's kind
of like my out. It's [snorts] not an
easy fix. But
Amanda,
>> there's so much. [laughter] It's like
you can't focus on one thing. You have
to just there's so many different
things that's entwined with everything.
So it's like having the commissioner
here is not
a bad idea but I also think we need to
speak to someone in code enforcement. We
need to understand
what the policy is and how from the
beginning to the end and what what the
mechanism is in that sense from the
landlord perspect what the landlords are
obligated to do and even from like the
tenants what are the tenants rights with
regards to code enforcement.
for me.
>> You're right. It's a huge problem. Well,
I think we kind of have to decide. Are
we're going to focus on hotels, motel,
or apartments? And I realize that that
when people are at depths of despair,
they're in the in these temporary
housing. That definitely needs to be
addressed because that is much different
than than what we were told. That's why
I asked about the point of contact than
my email to her. Uh and if this was
being dealt with on a a closed basis as
they indicated, then some of these
issues you would think would be resolved
about the women and children being taken
out for hours in a day. I mean
I I would like to hear I agree with you.
I would like to hear or Muel from
someone from BSS to answer these
questions
if that that's where we started this
conversation last week was the hotels.
Um and then what I believe too is
education on the local landlord and the
tenants part on what the expectations
are for each and how again we can bridge
that gap. Um
He was the
commissioner told me about that
gentleman Jeff Jackson who owns one of
the hotel motel. She didn't tell me
which one. She gave me his number. I
will be happy to contact him. Yes. Who
knows which one he owns. Um, but he
also, what I was intrigued with is that
he offers courses to those people that
are temporary residents on how to get an
apartment on what a landlord looks for.
I was fascinated by that. I would like
to know more about those classes he
offers, how often, what does he cover.
Um, so I think he would be an
interesting guest if he would consent to
that.
I would follow up and find out more
about North.
>> That's awesome that he's provided that
education.
>> I said it's awesome that he's provided
that education.
>> Education. Yes. That that is amazing as
a a hotel owner that's [clears throat]
housing
>> uh temporary residence that he would do
that. That to me is passion.
» Okay. Um
and once I talk to him if he's agreeable
I'll connect with you to find out what
date you would actually want him to come
if he would come.
>> Okay. We have some tenative dates to
see. I think there's also different
segments of housing because I feel that
yes, there there is a need for
affordable housing and I think there are
people that are gainfully employed but
can't afford certain types of housing
but I also feel that there's people that
don't fit in the category where they can
actually get into apartments. So that's
why
>> because
>> I was made aware that
when they speak about affordable
housing, they're going by the county
medium. They're not basing it on the
city medium.
>> So that's why we're in this situation
also because the housing and stuff
that's coming up now, people still can't
afford it. It doesn't fit the criteria
of our city
» right.
>> Okay. So, [clears throat] um
really you got to reach out to Jeff.
>> Okay. Um
I reach out to these two here.
Amanda, could you reach out to somebody
from section 8?
and we'll see if we can get them in and
we'll use the day that um everybody
based on after this.
Um
the education piece.
Um, Muel, you can find out
or you have somebody somebody that can
come in and talk to us about the
education piece of the housing
or
>> as far as um
we're we're the resource somebody with
resources who can answer some of these
questions along with DSS and
section 8 and
Okay.
Um,
that falls under the
» Lamar.
» Where did you say you got the stats
from?
>> Um, the Princeton University eviction
letter. Thank you. Do
>> you need anything from there? No, I just
want to go look. [laughter] Okay.
Um,
can you reach out to um somebody from
section 8?
>> Yeah, sure.
» Get the commissioner of DSS to comment.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> I think I contacted her before. What?
>> Okay. You contact the commissioner.
» Okay. on the educational piece.
without
we need
ask them see if they can come to our
next meeting to talk about to to discuss
the tenants responsibilities landlord
>> responsibilities okay
>> and how the inspections and things were
no
Okay. I have um
three tenative dates.
Okay. I have 512, which is a Tuesday.
>> May 12th.
>> Oh, May 12th.
>> I have um May 15th, which is a Friday.
» What's the other one?
the 12th and the 15th.
>> Oh, two days. Two days. No, I have I
have 5:22 if there's a discrepancy, but
I would like to come back in two weeks
cuz time is getting near and going to
have to pack all of this up into a
report and I want to get start nailing
stuff down.
>> I prefer the 15th.
I think country
» I think I'll be in ad
» that's a Friday.
>> Yes, I will.
» You could forward me your information
and concerns
before.
Okay. So, we'll talk.
>> Yeah, cuz you're going to be away.
>> I'm going to be away. Yes.
>> So,
>> son's graduation.
>> Nice. Nice.
» Okay.
That was a lot. So, the 15th at six.
>> The 15th at six.
>> The 15th. 15th. That's six.
I would like to say thank you for
everyone that came out tonight. Um,
keep up the great work. It's very
appreciated. It's very needed. And um,
see you in two weeks meeting,
you know.
Yes, that's fine.
[laughter]
>> One second.
Thank you so much.
I don't know what I did, but