The Housing Drama Continues...

So after finding out that I wasn't going to be moving into a new condo or rental apartment any time soon, I made the regrettable decision to have a phone conversation with a negative family member that I purposely hadn't spoken to verbally on the phone in approx. 2 1/2 weeks! Well, I was somewhat cornered into making this call... After figuring out all of my expenses for the week I went online to pay my rent and found out that it was around $75 more than usual. My rent had been raised and all of a sudden I didn't have enough money to pay for my acupuncture appointment. I knew that the appointment was important to keep as the acupuncture and herbs was helping me to cure the cough that I've had for almost 3 months. (FYI It's almost completely gone now). So I contacted this relative through email, let's call her Janice, and asked if she would help me with my acupuncture bill since my rent had unexpectedly increased all of a sudden. She was fine with paying the bill as long as I had a phone conversation with her after the appointment.

So the acupuncture appointment ends and I get on the phone with Janice. The energy was intense as Janice speaks in a very loud aggressive argumentative tone. I made the mistake of telling her everything that had transpired with my other relative "Fred." I told her how Fred told me he would buy me a condo only to discover that he couldn't afford a condo in Los Angeles. Then I told her how Fred told me to look for rental apartments only to discover that Fred couldn't help me with a rental apartments either. So finally Janice tells me that she would match Fred's $300k and help me buy a condo on one condition. I would have to go back to school and earn a degree in something Janice thinks I should do. She's particularly keen on me becoming a dental hygienist. She also told me that I would never make any money in entertainment. It was a very negative discouraging conversation. The type of conversation that reminded me of why I stopped talking to Janice for two and a half weeks. I had suicidal thoughts after talking with Janice and fell into a bit of a depression.

Anyway, before becoming completely nauseated and having to hang up the phone, Janice told me she would help me to fix up my present apartment, which is in very poor condition. However, first I would need to call and speak with the Los Angeles Housing Department and ask some legal questions about what's been going on with my apartment and then I would need to send a certified letter to my landlord/ building management company to complain and request that certain repairs be performed. FYI I have serious water damage under my kitchen sink that has not been repaired in around 4 years. The maintenance worker continues to tell me that he will be back to make the repair and then he never returns. There's been other uncomfortable issues as well... Like 4 months ago when someone planted a rolled up paper bag of live termites in my kitchen cabinet causing an infestation. It took the building over a week to get an exterminator to come. Then my friend had to go to the walk-in clinic for ear problems and the doctor discovered a dead termite in his ear that needed to be removed! Disgusting!

Soon after the termite incident, a maintenance worker knocked on my door and said he had to enter my apartment for an emergency with my sink leaking and causing a flood in the apartment below me. After that one maintenance worker supposedly fixed the problem, another maintenance worker arrived to do something under the sink and somehow one of them managed to forget to connect a pipe under my sink causing more flooding and water damage. I think the 2nd guy actually purposely disconnected the pipe. I also think that same guy is responsible for the bag of termites. Of course I can't say anything about this as I have no proof. Soon after that incident the same maintenance worker showed up at my door to make a repair that wasn't even requested. It turned out he was trying to go to the apartment next to me. The guy had a sneaky energy and I felt like he was up to no good. My male roommate has also told me that he's been approached by the leasing office staff at my building, as well as male and female neighbors, to engage in private conversations to speak badly about me. Basically, to talk behind my back.

So due to the covert level of disrespect and harassment that I've experienced at this apartment complex, I have been somewhat reluctant to pursue the matter aggressively. But I think I finally reached my boiling point, especially after the building performed an inspection of all the apartments around 2 weeks ago and still decided to remain silent and not try to fix the water damage under my kitchen sink. In fact, I was hoping this inspection would change something! The building had given out a list of what they were going to inspect. This list included looking under the sink! I had to leave the apartment that day but my friend stayed home to witness the inspection. Supposedly all they did was check the fire detectors and then one of the male leasing office workers proceeded to crack jokes about me saying I must have a long list of repairs for them to look at. My friend just laughed and didn't say anything and the inspection ended. I asked my friend why he didn't say anything and he told me that it wasn't an appropriate time.

So last week, on Friday, February 2nd, instead of calling to make a verbal request, I finally submitted an online maintenance request and stated the following: "I would like to bring to your attention a very serious matter. I've been waiting since the covid pandemic ( approx. 4 years) for someone to fix the cabinet under my kitchen sink, but every time the maintenance workers say they will come back to fix it they never do. The wet rotting moldy wood under the sink is a health hazard and probably a board of health violation. The exterior cabinet doors need replacement as they are falling apart as well. And I suspect that there's more rotting moldy wood hidden next to the oven that needs to be fixed/ replaced. Perhaps I should've put this request in writing sooner instead of depending on the maintenance staff to remember that it needs to be fixed. But they've seen the issue several times over the past 4 years and have still somehow managed to ignore it. The 2nd issue is that the stove needs to be repaired or replaced. Only 3 burners are in use-able condition but all 4 need to be fixed/ replaced. Also the bottom of the oven is disintegrating and needs replacement. The 3rd issue is that the microwave and cabinet above it need to be removed/ replaced. A rolled up paper bag of live termites was discovered in the top cabinet when the exterminator came. Both the top cabinet and microwave are filled with dead termites that need to be removed. We've kept it all taped up until the matter is resolved. There's quite a few other smaller issues, but let's start with these as they are the most important. Thank you!"

As I type up this article it's Tuesday, February 6th and I still have not received a response to this maintenance request. I usually get left a voice message pretty quickly. I have not received a call, a text or an email in 4 days. So tomorrow, Wednesday, I am planning to email the leasing office to remind them of the maintenance request I made online on Friday, 5 days ago. Thus a paper trail has been initiated!

On Monday I called the LA Department of Housing and I am still waiting for them to return my call. I've had quite a bit of anxiety about the situation to be honest. I don't feel comfortable or safe at my building even though I live with a very scary looking buff tattooed black guy. For some reason everyone at my building seems to like him and hate me. And he's got them thinking that he's on their side. My scary looking friend/ roommate says he does this so he can spy on people and see what everyone is thinking. It's just not a good feeling. So now I'm working on the certified letter that I plan to send to the property management team as soon as I speak to the Department of Housing. I am not having fun. However, I've remained silent for too long. Something must be done now!

Jennie H is a Reiki Master Energy Healer, Co-Founder of Self Saviorz Society California Non-Profit 501(c)(3), Poet, Author and Entertainer with goals to help raise the vibration and consciousness of humanity!