After reading Mr. Meyers' article in the Nov/Dec issue of Bethesda Magazine, I felt compelled to contribute my two cents.... So, I shot off an emotionally charged letter to him. Well, very shortly I received an email from Ms. Lisa Shroder - Managing Editor, asking if I would allow them to publish it as a 'Letter to the Editor'. Of course, I said "YES !!!!!"
Truth be told, this is not the first time I've been published. About 7 years ago, I spoke as a resident before our Mayor and Council on issues relating to housing, and the lack thereof. Unfortunately, I can't recall exactly what I said, but I'm sure it was along the lines of: 'Please provide more affordable housing for us little people here in the County.....' That act of public dissent got me published in our local 'Gazette'.
Currently, there are various housing agencies tasked with the almost impossible mission of finding homes for those of us 'under-privileged' who make less than $40,000.00 a year. The waiting lists are astronomically long - sometimes even years.
I myself waited two years to get to the top of the Rockville Housing wait list. There are many parameters which needed to be met first. They make us jump through ALOT of hoops to get to where we are. Everytime I watch 'Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory', I think about the hope and desperation his family felt when they were trying to win that ticket. It's not unlike how I felt before I was told there was finally a house available for myself and my kids. It's the same feeling I'm sure other people feel when they're approved for the Section 8 Voucher. It feels like getting a 'Golden Ticket'..... No exaggeration.
But, did the Mayor and Council listen to me? No. In fact, since then the situation has gotten worse. Don't get me wrong - luxury townhomes, and deluxe McMansions continue to rise in Montgomery County (along with the cost of living), but the dearth of decent, affordable housing continues it's steep decline.
I've personally been 'relocated' at the City's behest twice in the last 10 years, for their convenience - but at my own expense.
That's what I alluded to in my 'Letter to the Editor' (Jan/Feb Bethesda Mag); Until there is equitable treatment and opportunity regarding housing and job opportunities here in Montgomery County - there won't just be 'White flight', there will be 'universal flight' (yes, I just made that up).
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
NEGLIGENT
When I found out that there was a toxic moat next to my home because of the waste leaking from a clogged and overflowing sewage drain; with the industrial park being the probable cause, I freaked.
As an Army Veteran, I had been 'schooled' on how sneaky our government could be. There were the covert Agent Orange sprays our Vietnam War soldiers endured senselessly; Not to mention the Tuskegee Syphilis experiments.... I thought about Erin Brockovich, and John Travolta in 'A Civil Action'. By the end of my first week of knowledge, I had convinced myself that the disgusting living conditions here had to have been intentional. During my aggressive letter-writing campaign last September (in an attempt to rectify the situation), I'm pretty sure I called my landlord (as well as the Mayor) "evil". Do I regret that? NO; Because it was apparent that the standard of living here had sunk to such an all-time low that apathy, complacency, disrespect and laziness had become 'the norm'.
My son and I have been struggling to understand it.... But, I reminded him where I grew-up (Westchester, N.Y.); And the fact that my Dad would IMMEDIATELY clean-up our basement after rainstorms.... There was simply no question or doubt about that..... So, for my landlord (and Rockville City) to be so negligent as to allow a sewage drain to pollute this property for over two years was - and still is - incomprehensible to me (us).
As an Army Veteran, I had been 'schooled' on how sneaky our government could be. There were the covert Agent Orange sprays our Vietnam War soldiers endured senselessly; Not to mention the Tuskegee Syphilis experiments.... I thought about Erin Brockovich, and John Travolta in 'A Civil Action'. By the end of my first week of knowledge, I had convinced myself that the disgusting living conditions here had to have been intentional. During my aggressive letter-writing campaign last September (in an attempt to rectify the situation), I'm pretty sure I called my landlord (as well as the Mayor) "evil". Do I regret that? NO; Because it was apparent that the standard of living here had sunk to such an all-time low that apathy, complacency, disrespect and laziness had become 'the norm'.
My son and I have been struggling to understand it.... But, I reminded him where I grew-up (Westchester, N.Y.); And the fact that my Dad would IMMEDIATELY clean-up our basement after rainstorms.... There was simply no question or doubt about that..... So, for my landlord (and Rockville City) to be so negligent as to allow a sewage drain to pollute this property for over two years was - and still is - incomprehensible to me (us).
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
X-MAS LIST
As soon as I found out there wasn't really a Santa Clause, I stopped making my annual Christmas List. But, I decided to write one this year, knowing I'm still not going to get what I want. So, here goes:
Is that too much to ask?! I don't think so, either....
I would even go back to making a plate of fresh cookies for Santa, if I thought that'd help.... *sigh*.....
- A stable home to raise my child
- In a good neighborhood
- Free from mold
- Complete with non-deficient electrical wiring
- Out from under the 'administration' of HUD / RHE
- Away from drugs and drug dealers
- Which is affordable
- Safe
- nice
- and clean.
Is that too much to ask?! I don't think so, either....
I would even go back to making a plate of fresh cookies for Santa, if I thought that'd help.... *sigh*.....
Sunday, December 25, 2011
PLEA
This is my open invitation - a plea of sorts to YOU.
I know for a fact there are people out here who know what I'm talking about, they have 'inside information' which can corroborate my claims of fraud, waste and abuse at Rockville Housing Enterprises. Or, you have something which helps verify my assertions of toxic waste dumping in the 'moat' located at 687 Lofstrand Lane. You won't come forward because you're afraid of being found out, losing your job - or experiencing retaliation in some other form. Rest assured that if you provide information - and want / need anonymity - I'll go out of my way to make sure you get it. You can even send me information anonymously - so there'll be NO CHANCE of me revealing who you are, because I won't even know !
But, there has to be someone with a conscience who can help myself and my family get out of this situation we're living in right now; Because - I gotta tell you - it's a little like I'm 'Alice In Wonderland' (where up is down, in is out, big is small and small is BIG). But, maybe a better analogy might be 'The Twilight Zone....'; Cuz everytime I say something, I get disputed. I'm always wrong, or else I'm just making things up whole cloth... It's become exasperating.....
I recently found out that the reason most of the other tenants aren't complaining like I am is because RHE is basically emotionally blackmailing them into silence... *Sigh*...
So, now I'm begging: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP US !! We can't continue to live like this much longer !!
I know for a fact there are people out here who know what I'm talking about, they have 'inside information' which can corroborate my claims of fraud, waste and abuse at Rockville Housing Enterprises. Or, you have something which helps verify my assertions of toxic waste dumping in the 'moat' located at 687 Lofstrand Lane. You won't come forward because you're afraid of being found out, losing your job - or experiencing retaliation in some other form. Rest assured that if you provide information - and want / need anonymity - I'll go out of my way to make sure you get it. You can even send me information anonymously - so there'll be NO CHANCE of me revealing who you are, because I won't even know !
But, there has to be someone with a conscience who can help myself and my family get out of this situation we're living in right now; Because - I gotta tell you - it's a little like I'm 'Alice In Wonderland' (where up is down, in is out, big is small and small is BIG). But, maybe a better analogy might be 'The Twilight Zone....'; Cuz everytime I say something, I get disputed. I'm always wrong, or else I'm just making things up whole cloth... It's become exasperating.....
I recently found out that the reason most of the other tenants aren't complaining like I am is because RHE is basically emotionally blackmailing them into silence... *Sigh*...
So, now I'm begging: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP US !! We can't continue to live like this much longer !!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
SLANDER
In the e-mail back and forth between myself and the Mayors office this past year, a local worker at the Department of Environmental Protection took offense at my implication that he had been lax in his duties. In fact, he sent me a threatening e-mail message suggesting I get my facts straight before I continued "slandering" him. Interesting......
Of course - after being sick for a year, and worrying what toxic poisons myself and my son had been exposed to - I WAS VERY concerned with "slandering" his name. I shot him back this email:
"Mr. Martin:
You may be right, I may have confused you with Steve Davis. I've been tossed around so many times to so many different people, that I may have lost track of whose who...
However, the technical definition of "slander" is: 'A malicious, false, and
defamatory statement or report: A slander against his good name, Law: Defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing, pictures, etc....' To my knowledge, I haven't
made any verbal false statements. And I'd go so far as taking soil samples, and having them tested by professionals to prove my previous assertions, if need be. Whether it was you or Steve Davis - by your own admission - you were tasked in some way, shape or form with ensuring the health and safety of Rockville residents, and ensuring that businesses are compliant with environmental standards. Also by your own admission - you "haven't been to the site"; Which is disappointing, to say the least.... I would think that by now you might be a little bit curious as to what I've been referring to for over a month. That - by anyone's standards - is negligent...."
Just so we're clear: Inclusive of all my blogs - I've not once made a malicious, false and/or defamatory statement or report against anyone involved in this situation. I have concrete proof to back-up my assertions, and I can put my money where my mouth is - so to speak. There are other - more serious accusations I could make, but won't - because I don't have the proof needed to be able make them. As soon as I do - I will.
Of course - after being sick for a year, and worrying what toxic poisons myself and my son had been exposed to - I WAS VERY concerned with "slandering" his name. I shot him back this email:
"Mr. Martin:
You may be right, I may have confused you with Steve Davis. I've been tossed around so many times to so many different people, that I may have lost track of whose who...
However, the technical definition of "slander" is: 'A malicious, false, and
defamatory statement or report: A slander against his good name, Law: Defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing, pictures, etc....' To my knowledge, I haven't
made any verbal false statements. And I'd go so far as taking soil samples, and having them tested by professionals to prove my previous assertions, if need be. Whether it was you or Steve Davis - by your own admission - you were tasked in some way, shape or form with ensuring the health and safety of Rockville residents, and ensuring that businesses are compliant with environmental standards. Also by your own admission - you "haven't been to the site"; Which is disappointing, to say the least.... I would think that by now you might be a little bit curious as to what I've been referring to for over a month. That - by anyone's standards - is negligent...."
Just so we're clear: Inclusive of all my blogs - I've not once made a malicious, false and/or defamatory statement or report against anyone involved in this situation. I have concrete proof to back-up my assertions, and I can put my money where my mouth is - so to speak. There are other - more serious accusations I could make, but won't - because I don't have the proof needed to be able make them. As soon as I do - I will.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Occupy HUD
I noticed a strange thing..... Of course I have a Facebook page (who doesn't, these days?), and out of curiosity I wanted to see if HUD had one... So I checked, and you know what? They DO ! But that's not the strange thing I was talking about. The strange thing I was talking about was the fact that over some months, people would post complaints or questions, but the complaints / questions were never answered by anyone at HUD. So, it's like - it IS their webpage, then again, it ISN'T.
My Dad used to say to me: "Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall... !" Now I know what he meant.
So, I decided to start my own Facebook page called: 'Occupy HUD'. It will be a venue to allow people to vent and ask questions in a public forum, exchange information as well as puts HUD on notice that we're now talking to each other - which can be a dangerous thing.....
Plus, it'll assuage my guilt at not doing something more proactive to contribute to the 'Occupy' Movement.
So, go - post, ask, vent, inform and best of all, know that you're not alone.
My Dad used to say to me: "Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall... !" Now I know what he meant.
So, I decided to start my own Facebook page called: 'Occupy HUD'. It will be a venue to allow people to vent and ask questions in a public forum, exchange information as well as puts HUD on notice that we're now talking to each other - which can be a dangerous thing.....
Plus, it'll assuage my guilt at not doing something more proactive to contribute to the 'Occupy' Movement.
So, go - post, ask, vent, inform and best of all, know that you're not alone.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
COMPASSION
Compassion - or lack thereof. That's what this blog is gonna be about. I just finished talking to a woman who was brutally assaulted in my home four years ago. Before I lived here. This was before the cameras were installed. But, it wouldn't have mattered anyway - because - even now - there are still no cameras in the rear of the property.
At the time of the assault, this woman was friends with the woman who lived in my home. They were talking and laughing in the kitchen, when - suddenly - they heard a noise out back. It was a man either playing with or trying to steal her patio furniture. When she opened the door to ask him what he was doing, he forcefully pushed past her and stormed into the house. While there, he beat her and her friend up with a gun, and grabbed a little girl who was also visiting. The woman who was telling me this story says that her skull was cracked open during the assault, requiring 38 stitches, and to this day she still has dizzy spells and gets headaches. She's never been the same since.
They fought him off, and called the police. However, the police botched the investigation, and no one was ever caught or prosecuted for the crime.
These poor women were forced to continue living here for years afterwards, because it didn't occur to anyone at Rockville Housing Enterprises to offer them a compassionate transfer to another property. They're cold, callous, insensitive, greedy and ruthless people. These are the same people who forced someone to move the same week her mother died; Because it was financially beneficial to THEM.
Do you think anyone at RHE told me the history of my home? Of course not. Why? Because - once again - it wouldn't have been financially beneficial for them to do so.
At least I understand the cameras better, but I'm so mad right now, I could spit.
At the time of the assault, this woman was friends with the woman who lived in my home. They were talking and laughing in the kitchen, when - suddenly - they heard a noise out back. It was a man either playing with or trying to steal her patio furniture. When she opened the door to ask him what he was doing, he forcefully pushed past her and stormed into the house. While there, he beat her and her friend up with a gun, and grabbed a little girl who was also visiting. The woman who was telling me this story says that her skull was cracked open during the assault, requiring 38 stitches, and to this day she still has dizzy spells and gets headaches. She's never been the same since.
They fought him off, and called the police. However, the police botched the investigation, and no one was ever caught or prosecuted for the crime.
These poor women were forced to continue living here for years afterwards, because it didn't occur to anyone at Rockville Housing Enterprises to offer them a compassionate transfer to another property. They're cold, callous, insensitive, greedy and ruthless people. These are the same people who forced someone to move the same week her mother died; Because it was financially beneficial to THEM.
Do you think anyone at RHE told me the history of my home? Of course not. Why? Because - once again - it wouldn't have been financially beneficial for them to do so.
At least I understand the cameras better, but I'm so mad right now, I could spit.
BOTTLE
It rained yesterday. Pretty much all day. So, by nighttime our property was a dusky, soggy, smelly mess. I wish I could bottle the smell for all of those people at HUD and City Government who claim daily that there's nothing wrong with this property. All of them have a vested interest in continuing their denials, and none of them actually live here. In fact, you couldn't PAY THEM to live here.
They know there's a toxic cloud over this property. A stench so bad it's almost indescribable. My complaints have spurred an EPA investigation, a State investigation as well as a local investigation. But, I don't expect anything to come of them because - if you do the numbers - to find an environmental problem, that would mean displacement and/or closure of an entire neighborhood, a school and at least three local parks - as well as numerous businesses. That's the unfortunate math. Much better to deny, deny, deny............
So, selfishly - I'm willing not to continue 'rocking the boat', so to speak. All I'm asking is that my son and I get relocated to a more suitable home environment. However, when I've spoken to my landlord about that possibility, they say they have no more properties in their dossier to move me / us to. Which is a lie. One of many they think I believe.
As an alternative - I put my name on their Section 8 waiting list, but was told that it could take anywhere from 5-7 years to come to the top. Mine and my sons health may not survive 5-7 years. I'm not being melodramatic, I'm being realistic, and truthful.
Therefore, as long as I'm here, I'll continue to document our experiences, and try to publicly shame them into 'finding' more appropriate housing for us. Why? Because I think we've 'done our time' - so to speak, in silently suffering various and numerous indignities associated with living in RHE/HUD supported housing. We're done.
They know there's a toxic cloud over this property. A stench so bad it's almost indescribable. My complaints have spurred an EPA investigation, a State investigation as well as a local investigation. But, I don't expect anything to come of them because - if you do the numbers - to find an environmental problem, that would mean displacement and/or closure of an entire neighborhood, a school and at least three local parks - as well as numerous businesses. That's the unfortunate math. Much better to deny, deny, deny............
So, selfishly - I'm willing not to continue 'rocking the boat', so to speak. All I'm asking is that my son and I get relocated to a more suitable home environment. However, when I've spoken to my landlord about that possibility, they say they have no more properties in their dossier to move me / us to. Which is a lie. One of many they think I believe.
As an alternative - I put my name on their Section 8 waiting list, but was told that it could take anywhere from 5-7 years to come to the top. Mine and my sons health may not survive 5-7 years. I'm not being melodramatic, I'm being realistic, and truthful.
Therefore, as long as I'm here, I'll continue to document our experiences, and try to publicly shame them into 'finding' more appropriate housing for us. Why? Because I think we've 'done our time' - so to speak, in silently suffering various and numerous indignities associated with living in RHE/HUD supported housing. We're done.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
FORM LETTER
AAaaaaahhhhh.... Yes, the dreaded form letter. You complain to (fill in the blank), pour your little heart out... draft, redraft - final draft - until you're satisfied that your complaint letter expresses just the right amount of despair and dissatisfaction... And you get back - THE FORM LETTER.
It usually goes something like this:
' Dear Mr. / Miss. So and so... Thank-you for your feedback. Your input is appreciated. Please rest assured that we value your opinion.... Blah blah blah......'
Sincerely,
Customer Service
Ha ha ha... This would be laughable if we were talking about a defective CD from XYZ Electronic company...., but - wouldn't you expect a more personal, informed response from the Deputy Assistant Secretary of HUD in reference to ADA Violations??!
However, that's exactly what I got when I complained to HUD recently about my Housing Authorities' nasty habit of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by continuing to house my son and I in deficient homes. A form letter, with a threat thrown in for good measure. You already know about the 'moat', so I won't bore you with that again, but wait - let me tell you how we got here in the first place....
Once Upon A Time (2005-2010), my kids and I lived in a cute little house subsidized by HUD. It was just right. Until it was WRONG. Soon after we moved in, my sons asthma began to worsen, and we had persistent colds... Then, there was the smell. No matter - when you pay $300.00 per month rent you can hardly complain, right? So, we suffered for years in silence. Then, I started noticing alot of black mold in the bathroom. No amount of scrubbing, disinfecting, bleaching would get rid of it.... I blamed myself for a long time. Then, talking to my neighbor - who'd lived in that neighborhood since forever, he confirmed that ALL of the homes in our area were infested with mold inside and out, to a certain extent. It had something to do with the type of soil the homes were built on.... Blah, blah, blah...
Of course, I kicked into high gear and began to educate myself on mold, and it's negative effects on asthma sufferers. I panicked. I tried to get my PHA (Public Housing Agency) to feel my pain, to no avail. They acted like I was a lying drama queen, and tried to ignore me. However, I'm not the type of person to be ignored. With my son's Pediatrician egging me on, I pressed the issue.
Me: "There's mold in my home"
Them: "No, there's not"
Me: "Yes, there is"
Them: "No, there's NOT"
Me: "Yes, there IS"
Them: "Well, how can you tell? Maybe you just need to clean better.... "
Me: "It's clearly visible"
Them: "No, it's not. You just need to clean better.... "
And on and on it went for months. I appealed to Mr.Lee Palman, Director of the DC HUD Office. Unfortunately, he was unavailable for comment. Always.
Me: "Tell you what - why don't you get someone more objective in here to test for mold spores, and prove me wrong?"
Them: "No."
Me: "Yes."
Them: "No."
Me: "YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Them (finally): "Ok."
So, these guys come in with all their bells and whistles, sampling this, and testing that... Turns out - I was RIGHT. There was over $6,500.00 worth of toxic mold damage to my home. I was sick, but vindicated.
Do you think that changed anything? No. When I asked what they had in the way of plans to remediate the mold damage? The Executive Director of the PHA literally laughed in my face and said: "Nothing". I was told to GET OUT, in no uncertain terms. In fact, they filed for eviction against me, because - they said - since I liked to complain so much, and I was so unhappy - I could move next to a toxic moat, across from a landfill on a dead-end street and see how much better I liked it there (He, hehe, snicker snicker..... ).
And, so - here we are. Thanks for your response.... :-/
It usually goes something like this:
' Dear Mr. / Miss. So and so... Thank-you for your feedback. Your input is appreciated. Please rest assured that we value your opinion.... Blah blah blah......'
Sincerely,
Customer Service
Ha ha ha... This would be laughable if we were talking about a defective CD from XYZ Electronic company...., but - wouldn't you expect a more personal, informed response from the Deputy Assistant Secretary of HUD in reference to ADA Violations??!
However, that's exactly what I got when I complained to HUD recently about my Housing Authorities' nasty habit of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by continuing to house my son and I in deficient homes. A form letter, with a threat thrown in for good measure. You already know about the 'moat', so I won't bore you with that again, but wait - let me tell you how we got here in the first place....
Once Upon A Time (2005-2010), my kids and I lived in a cute little house subsidized by HUD. It was just right. Until it was WRONG. Soon after we moved in, my sons asthma began to worsen, and we had persistent colds... Then, there was the smell. No matter - when you pay $300.00 per month rent you can hardly complain, right? So, we suffered for years in silence. Then, I started noticing alot of black mold in the bathroom. No amount of scrubbing, disinfecting, bleaching would get rid of it.... I blamed myself for a long time. Then, talking to my neighbor - who'd lived in that neighborhood since forever, he confirmed that ALL of the homes in our area were infested with mold inside and out, to a certain extent. It had something to do with the type of soil the homes were built on.... Blah, blah, blah...
Of course, I kicked into high gear and began to educate myself on mold, and it's negative effects on asthma sufferers. I panicked. I tried to get my PHA (Public Housing Agency) to feel my pain, to no avail. They acted like I was a lying drama queen, and tried to ignore me. However, I'm not the type of person to be ignored. With my son's Pediatrician egging me on, I pressed the issue.
Me: "There's mold in my home"
Them: "No, there's not"
Me: "Yes, there is"
Them: "No, there's NOT"
Me: "Yes, there IS"
Them: "Well, how can you tell? Maybe you just need to clean better.... "
Me: "It's clearly visible"
Them: "No, it's not. You just need to clean better.... "
And on and on it went for months. I appealed to Mr.Lee Palman, Director of the DC HUD Office. Unfortunately, he was unavailable for comment. Always.
Me: "Tell you what - why don't you get someone more objective in here to test for mold spores, and prove me wrong?"
Them: "No."
Me: "Yes."
Them: "No."
Me: "YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Them (finally): "Ok."
So, these guys come in with all their bells and whistles, sampling this, and testing that... Turns out - I was RIGHT. There was over $6,500.00 worth of toxic mold damage to my home. I was sick, but vindicated.
Do you think that changed anything? No. When I asked what they had in the way of plans to remediate the mold damage? The Executive Director of the PHA literally laughed in my face and said: "Nothing". I was told to GET OUT, in no uncertain terms. In fact, they filed for eviction against me, because - they said - since I liked to complain so much, and I was so unhappy - I could move next to a toxic moat, across from a landfill on a dead-end street and see how much better I liked it there (He, hehe, snicker snicker..... ).
And, so - here we are. Thanks for your response.... :-/
Thursday, December 15, 2011
THE EMPEROR
There once was a fairytale, invented and retold throughout the years - authored by Hans Christian Anderson. It was called: 'The Emperors New Clothes'. Basically, it was a story of how this vain, rich and powerful Emperor was duped into believing that a new suit was being specially made for him of the finest threads, and woven using the rarest fabrics.... Except, there was no suit. The Emperor was told by the sneaky Weavers that only a person of astounding stupidity would not see it's beauty and style... So, after taking most of the Emperors money and 'finishing' the suit - (which of course the Emperor couldn't see, because it didn't exist); He paraded through the town - naked. Why did he do this? Because he was too proud and foolish to admit that he had been duped. You might say the moral of the story is: Be careful when you go along with the status quo, because the end result is that you could end up looking stupid yourself. People just look dumb when they blindly adapt to their peer group, especially when it's obvious to themselves (and everyone else), that the group is WRONG.
At the end of the story, while all the towns-people are giggling and snickering behind the Emperors back (because no one had the guts to state the truth), finally - a little boy innocently shouts out: "Hey ! The Emperor is NAKED !"
At the risk of sounding vain myself - I AM that little boy. I'm saying that it's totally inappropriate for a government agency (HUD) to attempt to police itself, and that no one wins as a result.
As it stands, when residents try to appeal to their local HUD Field Office about their PHA (Public Housing Authority), the local Field Office defers to the PHA. Try going over the Field Office to the Regional Field Office. But, they defer to the local Field Office (who, then - in turn blindly defer to the PHA). Starting to see a pattern here?! It's the government legal equivalent of mumbo-jumbo, clickety-clack....
Which might not be a problem, if we weren't talking about people's lives. Childrens stability, and parents' peace of mind. As long as no one accepts responsibility, and local PHA's are allowed to operate like rogue agencies; Innocent citizens such as myself will suffer. There's gotta be a better way....
Everybody is looking at everybody, and everybody ends up looking STUPID. Meanwhile, the problems still aren't solved, and residents are still dissatisfied. This type of 'responsive' non-response will no longer be tolerated in this current, political environment.
At the end of the story, while all the towns-people are giggling and snickering behind the Emperors back (because no one had the guts to state the truth), finally - a little boy innocently shouts out: "Hey ! The Emperor is NAKED !"
At the risk of sounding vain myself - I AM that little boy. I'm saying that it's totally inappropriate for a government agency (HUD) to attempt to police itself, and that no one wins as a result.
As it stands, when residents try to appeal to their local HUD Field Office about their PHA (Public Housing Authority), the local Field Office defers to the PHA. Try going over the Field Office to the Regional Field Office. But, they defer to the local Field Office (who, then - in turn blindly defer to the PHA). Starting to see a pattern here?! It's the government legal equivalent of mumbo-jumbo, clickety-clack....
Which might not be a problem, if we weren't talking about people's lives. Childrens stability, and parents' peace of mind. As long as no one accepts responsibility, and local PHA's are allowed to operate like rogue agencies; Innocent citizens such as myself will suffer. There's gotta be a better way....
Everybody is looking at everybody, and everybody ends up looking STUPID. Meanwhile, the problems still aren't solved, and residents are still dissatisfied. This type of 'responsive' non-response will no longer be tolerated in this current, political environment.
OWS = US
I hear people disrespect the Occupy demonstrators, which bothers me to no end. They say disparaging things like:
"Get a job !" To which my answer would be "I did. I held a steady job for 10 years."
"Take a shower !" C'mon, that's just ignorant and insulting. Really?!
"Ya'll are a bunch of hippies !" To which I would reply - some things like love, peace and happiness - or at least the hope for them - should never be outdated...
"You all are just a bunch of lazy bums with nothing better to do !" There were times when I worked, volunteered, attended school AND single-parented all at the same time.
But, consider this: Artists contribute immeasurably to our economy on a myriad of different levels. Some of them happen to be writing and singing about societal change. Yeah, they (we) may seem 'hippy-dippy', but without them (us), the world doesn't turn on it's axis as smoothly as it should. Some of our best and most pivotal times as a society were changes brought about as a result of sit-ins, marches, petitions, chants, mottos, anthems and declarations... And, yes - sometimes we tore each other down during the process - which didn't stop it - it only served to delay...
Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs said it best:
"Get a job !" To which my answer would be "I did. I held a steady job for 10 years."
"Take a shower !" C'mon, that's just ignorant and insulting. Really?!
"Ya'll are a bunch of hippies !" To which I would reply - some things like love, peace and happiness - or at least the hope for them - should never be outdated...
"You all are just a bunch of lazy bums with nothing better to do !" There were times when I worked, volunteered, attended school AND single-parented all at the same time.
But, consider this: Artists contribute immeasurably to our economy on a myriad of different levels. Some of them happen to be writing and singing about societal change. Yeah, they (we) may seem 'hippy-dippy', but without them (us), the world doesn't turn on it's axis as smoothly as it should. Some of our best and most pivotal times as a society were changes brought about as a result of sit-ins, marches, petitions, chants, mottos, anthems and declarations... And, yes - sometimes we tore each other down during the process - which didn't stop it - it only served to delay...
Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs said it best:
TIME
Everyone waits with bated breath the year-end issue of TIME Magazine. That's when they normally pick and publish on the cover their 'Person of the Year'. This year, instead - they chose a whole group:
Finally ! Public recognition for people like myself who play by the rules, do what we're told - in hopes of reveling in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Except, there is no pot of gold - because - when we get there - we find that it's been looted. Looted by others who thought it was ok to take shortcuts, NOT play by the rules - look the other way as others dipped their hands into the proverbial cookie jar.
But, I'm speaking in parables.. Here: Let me be more specific: In my recent 'Whistleblower' blog posting, I detailed how the State Attorney General denied my request for Whistleblower protections, and instead referred me back to HUD to investigate itself; Which was laughable. Well, I received notification from them (HUD) yesterday that - in fact - their official, investigative findings were that (drumroll please): THEY were right, and I was WRONG :-O
Surprise, surprise.....
That's why I'm a "protester" a "whistleblower" a "trouble-maker"... Call me what you will - but, at the end of the day - I intend to be the bane of the existence of the current HUD administration for their total apathy, lack of compassion, professionalism and accountability regarding their role in the ruination of my financial life.
'Time magazine has again turned to a concept for its latest person of the year, choosing "The Protester” in recognition of a year in which unhappiness with politics and the economy was given voice in streets around the world, most notably in the Mideast.'“Is there a global tipping point for frustration?” asked the magazine’s top editor Rick Stengel in a statement Wednesday. “Everywhere, it seems, people said they’d had enough,” Stengel stated. “They dissented; they demanded; they did not despair, even when the answers came back in a cloud of tear gas or a hail of bullets. They literally embodied the idea that individual action can bring collective, colossal change. And although it was understood differently in different places, the idea of democracy was present in every gathering.”
Finally ! Public recognition for people like myself who play by the rules, do what we're told - in hopes of reveling in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Except, there is no pot of gold - because - when we get there - we find that it's been looted. Looted by others who thought it was ok to take shortcuts, NOT play by the rules - look the other way as others dipped their hands into the proverbial cookie jar.
But, I'm speaking in parables.. Here: Let me be more specific: In my recent 'Whistleblower' blog posting, I detailed how the State Attorney General denied my request for Whistleblower protections, and instead referred me back to HUD to investigate itself; Which was laughable. Well, I received notification from them (HUD) yesterday that - in fact - their official, investigative findings were that (drumroll please): THEY were right, and I was WRONG :-O
Surprise, surprise.....
That's why I'm a "protester" a "whistleblower" a "trouble-maker"... Call me what you will - but, at the end of the day - I intend to be the bane of the existence of the current HUD administration for their total apathy, lack of compassion, professionalism and accountability regarding their role in the ruination of my financial life.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
PIG
I can't attribute this saying appropriately, despite my internet research - but it popped into my head as I watched Painters paint railings in my neighborhood this week:
'You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig'.
Meaning: You can't disguise the true character of something by trying to cover it up.
And, it made me chuckle. Because everyone is so busily invested in trying to make this neighborhood appear healthy... Everything is 'normal', nothing is wrong, nobody is culpable; Which makes the residents all happy. Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth. Before I started complaining about the 'non-existent moat' next to my house in September, a little girl who lived here got bitten by a rat and was hospitalized for three weeks with infection. She almost died. But, we have nice, shiny new white railings.
The Soto Leeson Laundromat next door is still allowed to spew their noxious fumes at my front door, and my landlord is using mafia-like tactics to strong-arm me into signing another year-long lease with them. However - we have nice, shiny new white railings...
Squirrels drop dead around here like snowflakes fall, but at least we have nice, shiny new white railings....
The 'moat' has been drained and covered over (literally and figuratively) with Hay, but we have nice, new white railings.
I guess I should be grateful for that.... Hey, that pig doesn't look so bad after all... Put a string of Pearls on her, and she'll be ready for the Prom yet !
'You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig'.
Meaning: You can't disguise the true character of something by trying to cover it up.
And, it made me chuckle. Because everyone is so busily invested in trying to make this neighborhood appear healthy... Everything is 'normal', nothing is wrong, nobody is culpable; Which makes the residents all happy. Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth. Before I started complaining about the 'non-existent moat' next to my house in September, a little girl who lived here got bitten by a rat and was hospitalized for three weeks with infection. She almost died. But, we have nice, shiny new white railings.
The Soto Leeson Laundromat next door is still allowed to spew their noxious fumes at my front door, and my landlord is using mafia-like tactics to strong-arm me into signing another year-long lease with them. However - we have nice, shiny new white railings...
Squirrels drop dead around here like snowflakes fall, but at least we have nice, shiny new white railings....
The 'moat' has been drained and covered over (literally and figuratively) with Hay, but we have nice, new white railings.
I guess I should be grateful for that.... Hey, that pig doesn't look so bad after all... Put a string of Pearls on her, and she'll be ready for the Prom yet !
A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM
There's this stupid woman in my landlords office who keeps saying this thing to me, which I find infuriating: "It's a voluntary program". Like, your bank is gonna tell you - "Oh, you don't have to pay your mortgage this month, it's a voluntary program...", (While they file foreclosure on you).
Does that make sense? No, not to me, either. When she says that - I think to myself a couple of things: #1: She's not very smart, #2: She must not be a parent, #3: That's a typically insensitive comment coming from that office, which shouldn't surprise me, except it does...
I'm brought back to that saying we used to chant during my activist days: 'Housing is a RIGHT, NOT a PRIVILEGE' !
I was telling my son the other day - this "new" 'Occupy' movement is NOT new, tent cities were set-up on the Mall in Washington DC during the sixties to protest basically the same sorts of things... Dissatisfaction with our government, and how it was being run; As well as to draw attention to the disgusting lack of affordable housing in this Country. So, this is all deja-vu for those of us who have been keeping track of our history.
Currently, the Occupy Wall Street Movement has morphed from local parks to abandoned and foreclosed homes, their rationale explained in a recent USA TODAY article:
'...Such occupations of foreclosed homes constitute trespassing, because the bank owns a property once the homeowner defaults on the mortgage.
"Some people say this is illegal," Patricia Malcolm, one of the march leaders, told the crowd outside the house at 702 Vermont St. "But let me ask you: How legal was it to take us out of our homes?"
Matthew Smucker of Occupy Wall Street also defended the move: "Peaceful civil disobedience is a proud American tradition in the face of large injustice. … The illegal behavior to be looking at is the illegal foreclosures by banks...."'
We're right, THEY'RE WRONG, it's not OUR fault - it's THEIR fault ! And, meanwhile - people are dying out in the cold streets every Winter. Now - how much sense does that make?!
Does that make sense? No, not to me, either. When she says that - I think to myself a couple of things: #1: She's not very smart, #2: She must not be a parent, #3: That's a typically insensitive comment coming from that office, which shouldn't surprise me, except it does...
I'm brought back to that saying we used to chant during my activist days: 'Housing is a RIGHT, NOT a PRIVILEGE' !
I was telling my son the other day - this "new" 'Occupy' movement is NOT new, tent cities were set-up on the Mall in Washington DC during the sixties to protest basically the same sorts of things... Dissatisfaction with our government, and how it was being run; As well as to draw attention to the disgusting lack of affordable housing in this Country. So, this is all deja-vu for those of us who have been keeping track of our history.
Currently, the Occupy Wall Street Movement has morphed from local parks to abandoned and foreclosed homes, their rationale explained in a recent USA TODAY article:
'...Such occupations of foreclosed homes constitute trespassing, because the bank owns a property once the homeowner defaults on the mortgage.
"Some people say this is illegal," Patricia Malcolm, one of the march leaders, told the crowd outside the house at 702 Vermont St. "But let me ask you: How legal was it to take us out of our homes?"
Matthew Smucker of Occupy Wall Street also defended the move: "Peaceful civil disobedience is a proud American tradition in the face of large injustice. … The illegal behavior to be looking at is the illegal foreclosures by banks...."'
We're right, THEY'RE WRONG, it's not OUR fault - it's THEIR fault ! And, meanwhile - people are dying out in the cold streets every Winter. Now - how much sense does that make?!
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