RENTAL HOUSING AND OTHER SCAMS DURING COVID-19

In this post, I hope to bring to light just a few of the rental scams that are taking place during the COVID virus. Low-Income, Government, Affordable, or Workforce housing (whatever name they are running it under now) is littered with scams from the private property managing companies, the landlord(s), to the government housing agencies designed to protect and help the financially challenged to obtain sanitary, up-to-code, reasonable priced shelter allowing all the conveniences of electricity, running water, heat in the winter and free of vermin, and other health risks.

They want the windows to be of a size that a full-grown adult can crawl through in case of a fire, and can be reached from the floor. There are to be doors that lock, windows that prevent the weather from coming in, adequate hot water, and heat. This is all to be provided when you rent, plus the environment is to be free of health and physical bodily risk of injury.

Many of the apartments, and houses, that I have rented on and off of the Home Choice Section 8 Voucher program have rarely met all of these simple criteria. I have rented a duplex, the entire two-story duplex for two years until I realized that the house shook every time a train came through town. The train tracks were half a mile from the house. One month after leaving the house, the current tenant told me that the upstairs toilet fell into the basement. No wonder the house shook, yet I paid rent for two years faithfully.

I rented a trailer house in Southwestern Montana, only to have the Landlord enter and exit the home as he felt, make passes at me, and try to control who my visitors were. When I reported this to the local police department, they would not do anything, housing only gave him a slap on the wrist and I got my deposit back. Overlooking the fact that I was forced to help complete repairs such as replacing the sceptic tank, snow plowing during the winter when he was not on the property, tearing up an old deck, cleaning out past tenants debris from the shed I was paying rent on. I won't mention the fact that I did not have a working bathroom or kitchen that month, and driving to a gas station two miles away to utilize the toilet was not the best option.

I have had to fight to correct a mathematical error made by the Montana Department of Commerce, Housing Division that cost me seven hundred and fifty dollars, instead of returning the money to me, they had the property management put a credit on the books for me, forcing me to remain in an apartment with broken sewer lines under the concrete floor, with a smell so putrid that it permeated my clothing and still after four months of sitting in boxes in a shed, smell of mold, mildew and something else remains, despite the year and five months of washing before being put in a box. I moved from this apartment at the beginning of the Covid-19 Montana Stay at Home Order.

I was forced into that, Montana Department of Commerce, Housing Division Inspected twice and approved apartment during the 2019 Government Shut Down in January of 2020 (one of the coldest months of winter in Montana). Many rental units are placed on Craigslist, many of the pictures you see may or may not say a picture is of a similar unit. Do not trust the pictures, your unit may not be pictured as it may not be cleaned properly, or have had repairs made that were required from the previous occupancy. 

The Housing Inspector will overlook some things as it is difficult to find a unit that meets the criteria in every way. Housing Inspectors believe they are doing the right thing so families can find homes. This is untrue as it only encourages bad landlords to allow their properties to rot down around the tenant's ears. Ask for all maintenance reports covering two years, ask for the former tenant's name so you can call and check the property manager's references as well as the owners. Run a background check on those companies and owners to find anything that they may neglect to tell you not only about their business practices, but if they are the types of individuals you want to pay your money too.

They run background checks on tenants in order to protect their investment, well you are handing over your dollars to supply the means to keep the property up so make sure your money is being used properly. Landlords blame the tenants, tenants blame the landlords and property management companies. I blame code enforcement and housing inspectors, the buck is to stop at them as they are there to make sure the unit is habitable and worth the amount of money required to rent the place. If it does not meet standards, it should be turned into code enforcement and not allowed to be rented until the landlord complies.

Code enforcement should not allow buildings with outdated electrical and plumbing continued to be rented. The landlords will never update these items, nor clean heating ducts, furnaces, air conditioners until they are forced to comply with the codes and stop splitting hairs in the courts where most tenants can not afford to bring their complaint.

New Normal Includes Homelessness

Is this the new normal for the majority of American's?

Homeless During Covid

Who is America Great For?

Working Poor

One perspective of what is becoming of America's working poor

Have You Ever Wondered What Normal Wear and Tear Means?

Normal vs. Excessive Damage
Normal Wear & Tear:
Landlord's Responsibility Excessive Tenant Damage:
Resident's Responsibility
A few small nail holes, chips, smudges, dents, scrapes, or cracks in the walls Gaping holes in walls from abuse, accidents, or neglect. Unapproved paint colors or unprofessional paint jobs. Dozens of nail holes which need patching and repainting.
Faded paint Water damage on wall from hanging plants or constant rubbing of furniture
Slightly torn or faded wallpaper Unapproved wall paper, drawings, or crayon markings on walls
Carpet faded or worn thin from walking Holes, stains, or burns in carpet. Food stains, urine stains, and leaky fish tanks are never "normal".
Dirty or faded lamp or window shades Torn, stained, or missing lamp and window shades
Scuffed varnish on wood floors from regular use Chipped or gouged wood floors, or excessive scraps from pet nails
Dark patches on hardwood floors that have lost their finish over many years Water stains on wood floors and windowsills caused by windows being left open during rainstorms
Doors sticking from humidity Doors broken, or ripped off hinges
Warped cabinet doors that won’t close Sticky cabinets and interiors
Cracked window pane from faulty foundation or building settling Broken windows from action of the tenant or guests
Shower mold due to lack of proper ventilation Shower mold due to lack of regular cleanings
Loose grouting and bathroom tiles Missing or cracked bathroom tiles
Worn or scratched enamel in old bathtubs, sinks, or toilets Chipped and broken enamel in bathtubs and sinks
Rusty shower rod or worn varnish on plumbing fixtures Missing or bent shower rod or plumbing fixtures
Partially clogged sinks or drains caused by aging pipes Clogged sinks or drains due to any stoppage (hair, diapers, food, etc.), or improper use
Moderately dirty mini-blinds or curtains Missing or broken mini-blinds or curtain
Bathroom mirror beginning to “de-silver” (black spots) Mirrors caked with lipstick and makeup
Broken clothes dryer because the thermostat has given out Dryer that won’t turn at all because it’s been overloaded, or the lint trap was never cleaned out.
Worn gaskets on refrigerator doors Broken refrigerator shelf or dented front panels
Smelly garbage disposal Damaged disposal due to metal, glass, or stones being placed inside
Replacement of fluorescent lamps - or any light bulb designed to last for years of continuous use


HUD has a list (Appendix 5D) of various items, and their life expectancy:

Item Life Expectancy
Hot Water Heaters 10 years
Plush Carpeting 5 years
Air Conditioning Units 10 years
Ranges 20 years
Refrigerators 10 years
Interior Painting - Enamel 5 years
Interior Painting – Flat 3 years
Tiles/Linoleum 5 years
Window shades, screens, blinds 3 years (https://www.landlordology.com/normal-wear-and-tear/)

MONTANA SOCIAL DISTANCING IS A WAY OF LIFE

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I am so grateful I live in Montana, though we have a few cases of COVID-19, we are fortunate enough to have the ability to get outside and breath the fresh air, take in the sunshine and wash all the stagnant air out of our homes and lungs.

Social Distancing at it's best in Montana.

My daughter invited me out to their place before they shut down the schools here in Montana. If she hadn't I know I would not have felt comfortable going outside and I would be scrubbing down every wall, surface, nook and cranny with a toothbrush and straight Lysol cleaner.

Our Management Company issued a rather strongly worded letter about their expectations of the tenants during this time. I can understand the concern for their maintenance people and the need for them to be able to pay those people and others who work for the company.

I would like to take the opportunity to let Landlords know that just because this virus started halfway around the world, some of the deplorable buildings that you continue to rent out with broken sewer lines, uncleaned units before moving new people in, painting over the muck left behind by former tenants all can lead to a virus here in America.

The need to follow proper codes, procedures, and maintenance on buildings is paramount to stopping the spread of many types of health issues. We have Building codes in place for a reason, to protect those who live, work, and play within them.

If we continue to look the other way on these issues just because there are limited units available for our nations low-income, working, elderly, vets, and families we are inviting another health crisis for our most vulnerable populations who have no choice but to continue working unless they find themselves in the hospital or the grave just to meet their rent obligations.

WHAT DID TRUMP DO TO YOU?

I was asked today "What did Trump do to you?. My reply was he made it unaffordable for me to get a job.

Now, I ask you does that sound like something an American President who touts job creation would do? The answer my friend is not blowing in the wind, but YES!

Thanks to the HUD Secretary Ben Carson and his rules to take more than 30% of personal income, and forcing people to take jobs that actually end up costing them money because the rent went p due to the increase in income. If you can not work the whole 20 or 40 hours of that job, it does not matter because you will be forced to pay out on those hours you could not work, but HUD thinks you can.

It does not matter if you work full-time or part-time, it will cost you money in the long run, the money you won't have even if you go to work.

If I were to work my usual seasonal, part-time job, which is supposed to be 20 hours, but due to a herniated disk, fibromyalgia and some other stuff, I am not capable physically to always work 20 hours. I have tried my best, laying on the floor, standing up at my desk and still dialing that phone. I still have to pay out on those hours I did not work the 30%. If I work 14 hours, I payout for 20, if I can only work 9 hours that week, I payout on 20 hours.

All income is figured as if you will work the entire year. If you only work six months out of the year, they average your gross income for 12 months and you pay 30% of that you don't even have to work the hours, but you will be required to pay for them. It costs me $300 a month out of my fixed income to work that 20 hour a week job, plus everything but $20 a month from that job to pay the increase.

I don't mind paying my fair share, but that is just it. It needs to be fair. If I am going to pay out over $500 a month for rent, then I better be able to wash my clothes in clean water and not sewage water backing up into the washer. I should be able to open and close my front door without having to lift it up into and out of the casing, causing damage to my rotator cuff.

HUD does not enforce their own rules, Montana State HUD inspectors overlook issues because there is no low-income housing, Montana slum lords continue to let perfectly good buildings (if taken care of) to rot down around tenants ears because no one is holding them accountable.

What good are city codes when no one enforces them when businessmen pass off these public housing buildings three months before HUD tells them to start repairs so they don't have to repair them and the next businessman in the ladder can milk the rentals for a while until he has to pass it off before being required to make repairs?

As I type this, there is a cracked sewer line under my apartment. When the furnace kicks on and the temperature is just right, I think I am standing by the outhouse on a hot summer day. Fond memories, I think not!

They tell me if you can't afford it don't do it. Well someone should tell the slumlord the same thing or make him fix his buildings.

Trump made it impossible for me to get work, and have enough money after paying all the bills and rent left over to eat, buy a tank of gas or even buy new underwear. What did Trump do to me?