(In the event it is of use for whom it is of use, this is another chapter in gentrification of Elm.

To be clear, that the building was bought and sold, and the new owners see a gold mine in it is not the problem, it is the total lack of truth, openness, and respect of the tenants and how the sale happened and the sudden need to get out that is.

This has been, is, and will continue to be happening to many people in the city, and, unless they are complicit in selling the city from under its citizens, city leadership needs to get a handle on this now.)

It was 7:30 am this recent Saturday morning that anyone in my apartment building, attempting to sleep in on the weekend, was rudely awakened by a buzz-saw taking down every bit of vegetation in the garden-like courtyard outside my windows and removed. Within two hours all that was left in the courtyard was dirt and the concrete walkways.

The letter from the new owner stated specifically that the 12-18-month renovations would begin on November 1. We were still a few days ahead of the November I deadline to be gone and the commencement of renovations, so this was yet another “misstatement” by the building manager in a line of many such as his assuring us it was imperative he meet with each and every one of us to talk and make the moving as easy as possible transition, but never did.

Almost immediately after we go the notice the building had been sold, a big red dumpster was dropped off in the parking lot taking up three spaces at least and it just sits there, unused, as a reminder we are to leave.

Among things specified in response to my second request for clarification, which contained the specific mention that this was my second such request, on promises made in the original letter, it was explained that the new owners would help with the moving costs  at an amount far less than what a move would cost in first, last and/or security deposit with assurances of paying the cost of moving possessions as far as ten miles out of the city, a promise faith in which is severely undermined by no previous promises being fulfilled.

We are still waiting for the meeting that was so important.

The assistance in helping to find a new dwelling consisted in suggesting that we look on Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, along with some others that tenants had already been looking at as some had used them in the past as I had.

I was happy in the apartment and, after a life of living and working in various parts of the country and having had to deal with many controversial things as a Union, Gay Rights, Civil Rights activist who was involved in advocating for the voiceless, marching on picket lines and demonstrations, getting involved in the politics that would produce the right legislation and conditions for those to whom I lent my voice and my skills, was ready to just lay low and dabble in activism as an ally.

When the notice to quit arrived and due to some suspicious activities, I began speculating on my blog which led to articles being written by various news outlets on my building’s situation as what is happening with this one building is a much bigger problem than just this one building. These led to a meeting of community groups to deal with housing now and in future as gentrification will make it a continuing problem, and this resulted in the gathering of people who could offer housing assistance or at least information to the soon to be ousted tenants on the sidewalk next to the parking lot of the apartment building.  

On the afternoon of the day following this helpful gathering, I received a phone call from the new owners’ building manager asking how things were going.

I explained that there is a housing crunch, that I have every email related to all my attempts to find housing so I have proof I have been looking, that, on average, there are 34 applicants seeking each apartment, that telling us to go to Zillow et al did not constitute real help just a sloughing off, and that I would not be out by November first but would continue looking and adding to the proof I am doing that.

Although he wished me well, he did insist that they had been helping people find housing claiming they had already moved several people, although no one has been seen moving out of any apartments, but unfortunately, they could not help in actually finding an apartment, but would be there to help in the move.

The call was dropped, and not being pleased with the brush off  I was receiving before the call drop, I immediately texted the building manager so he would know I had not cut off the call in anger and knew he did not as well.

I texted,

“Somehow, we got cut off. I will inform you of any progress.”

The response, apparently offered as evidence of how hard he is working to help in finding a new place, was a “helpful” link to an apartment on Zillow, one to which I had already applied and the application for, the receipt of the application, and a follow up from Zillow were already in my file of all saved apartment search documentation.

This was not help.

I responded,

“This does not help. I applied early this morning and am #34 on the list. Got any pull? If you do, I’m out of here sooner.

Now, considering this gentleman is the agent for a property management company that is part of a larger real estate empire building enterprise, one would assume there would be connections with other real estate professionals as there are most likely realtor associations unless this conglomerate is so distant that it has no local connections only connections to widely spread real estate holdings.

The response seemed to validate the latter suspicion.

“I don’t have any pull. I would encourage you to continue grinding and hopefully something works out. We will let you know if any other units come up that we can try to reserve for you.”

Besides this being an illustration of the total lack of a real intent to be of any help it seems to go against what was written in the letter of introduction from the owners’ agent that contained the promises of help for a smooth transition.

“WE have worked with dozens of tenants in similar situations and are confident that we can provide you with viable options to assist you in relocating during the construction period or remaining at the property if you choose to do so. It is important that I sit down with you and explain all the options so that we can figure out a plan that works best for you.”

The letter may say that they have worked with dozens of tenants, but there is no mention of the degree to which they did work or how successful they were. If this present situation is any indication of what working with the tenants was, it was just to recommend apartment rentals sites and advise them to be of good cheer.

The word that there was an option to stay during construction was immediately canceled by the notice to be out by November First. This is not how a choice is offered and made. While they had kept the sale of the building and all the negotiations that preceded it by months secret from the tenants denying them a less panicky search to find housing most likely to keep the building with tenants as a tenanted building has more value than an empty one so a higher price can be demanded, the tenants were led to believe in writing that they had time to look and move, only to have this immediately replaced with an order to quit in 30 days.

And, while all this time with the promise of much needed and very important meeting to speak to all tenants for our and the company’s good, the building manager did have the time to stop by briefly to speak with the workers removing the vegetation having yet the time to speak to tenants unless we call him or email knowing it may take a few before a response is received.

The further disregard of the tenants was in the fact that three days before what the tenants had been told in writing was the start day of construction, November 1, they were rudely awaken at 7:30 am by chain saws and little Cat plows with no one having informed us of this change in schedule.

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