<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by star-trekkor66:
We bought a house in May of 1999 in New Jersey. We specifically asked the realtor if the apartment buildings on our block were section 8 buildings and were told that they were not. We quickly learned after the closing that both apartment buildings are section 8; had we been told this in advance we would not have bought the house. We are having quite a bit of trouble with the tenants of the building (drugs, prostitution, litter, noise, etc.). We have tried to contact the owner of the buildings via phone (only an answering machine and no one has ever returned our phone calls) and mail (again, no reply). We even went to the address that is listed as the building owner/management but no one is EVER there. The building superintendant knows about the activity and does nothing about it (he is in fact, part of all this). All the homeowners on this block are very upset about what has happened to this block over the past 20 or so years. About 15 years ago, there was a similar building that the neighborhood coalition had condemned and torn down. The results of this was that everyone on the block was sued and some of them almost lost their homes (the homes on our block are very large, old Victorians). We were told that the building that was torn down was in a state of dis-repair and the activity in that building was much worse that what we have now. One of the section 8 buildings on our block had the glass doors smashed out last winter and the owner has STILL NOT replaced the glass. The building next to my house is starting to get to that same condition but isn't as bad as the other building. My question is, what can we do to make the buildings lose their section 8 status. Having the buildings condemned and torn down isn't the answer and we are at a loss. On any given weekend, the stench of marijuana is so strong that we smell it in our home and we routinely find crack vials and used condoms in front of our home (other neighbours find these in front of their homes as well). In addition, the tenants stay outside until all hours of the night with their music so loud that we cannot sleep and they are constantly throwing garbage out of their windows into our back yard and onto the sidewalk in front of our homes. We have called the police regarding the drugs and the prostitution as well as the noise but they seem un-willing to help us. We are lucky if they drive by (on the rare occation that the do drive by, they very rarely ever stop to check out our complaints even though the activity is right there on the street and not being hidden). We have even had a rash of burglaries on our street (someone cut through a chain, went into our back yard and stole a garden hose and reel, a neighbour near the other section 8 building had someone go from the roof of that building onto her roof, down her fire escape and enter into her bedroom window, the Priest across the street from me had one of his windows smashed by someone trying to break in...it goes on and on). What are our recourses on this. Please help!!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You are not at a loss by a long shot. You just have not taken things to the next level. Resolving these types of issues can not be done by apathetic and passive types of individuals. You must be an advocate and even an activist for a better neighborhood.
Contact and file written complaints to every single government agency that has jurisdiction. Also send complaint letters to City Council members, Mayor, Governor, State Senators and Representatives etc. Remember it is election year. Contact the Building and Health Departments an request inspections, local police (keep calling 911 so they are forced to respond and make reports), DEA, State welfare office, Child Protective/Social Services Agencies HUD, Section 8 Office etc. Depending on what Section 8 program the building is on, you may have to call either the State or Federal government.
Take a moment to think of all agencies that would have jurisdiction, regulation and control over the property and establish constant communication with them. Establish a Neighborhood Watch program in partnership with the police. Hold monthly community meetings and invite all those agencies mentioned above to provide a status report. Get a petition signed by all the neighbors and deliver it to offices of the Mayor and Governor. Contact all print (newspaper, magazines etc.) and electronic media ( tv news stations, radio stations, internet etc.) and keep telling your story. Make your own website and flyers. Include headlines and shocking photos for all to see. Form your own group and appoint an official spokesperson for the group. Call a news conference. Invite all newspaper, magazine and television reporters to come out and take a neighborhood tour. Have them bring their notebooks, still and video cameras. Be on the nightly news and in the newspapers. Keep the heat on until progress is made and the matter resolved.
Maybe the group could band together and hire an attorney to file a complaint (may be a class action) and sue the property owner, management company and Section 8. The legal action would force the start of communication with the owner. It is quite possible that the property owner may not know what do to and may work with you to resolve the problems.
You may have a claim against the Realtor for misrepresentation and the Seller for nondisclosure of material facts. On the other hand, you knew what kind of neighborhood you were buying property in. And you could have made a few calls and completed your due diligence. Once call made to the local police department giving the street address and neighborhood, and you would have known the facts. A red flag would have come up.
It does not matter if the building is Section 8 or not. I have seen many projects similar to that which you have described, which are not Section 8 projects. Your more important and nondiscriminatory question of the Realtor and Seller should have been," is there illegal and criminal activity going on in the neighborhood including but not limited to burglaries, drug dealing and usage, prostitution etc.?" Knowledge of this information is more important and crucial than a Section 8 status. Of course you already knew the type of building and neighborhood it was just by the look and elements.
