AUGUSTA, Maine — Citing substandard conditions in low-income housing in the Norway area, Maine State Housing Authority officials are promising to make changes to how such housing units are inspected.
The changes, recommended by an internal MSHA audit, are being taken following the publication of a series of investigative articles last fall by the Norway-based Advertiser Democrat that exposed substandard living conditions at MSHA-subsidized low-income housing units in Norway and Paris. Portland-based Avesta Housing administers the state’s Section 8 program in the Oxford County area.
MSHA officials, calling the conditions “disgusting,” subsequently barred the owner of the housing, 90-year-old Madeline Pratt, from participating in the Section 8 program.
In a prepared statement released Friday evening, the authority indicated it plans to phase out outside contracts for Section 8 housing, including Avesta, and to bring the program in-house.
It will start by administering the program in Oxford and Androscoggin counties, the statement indicated.
“We are undertaking bold changes that are required to address this problem and will follow through on the recommendations outlined in the [audit] report,” MSHA Director Dale McCormick said in the statement.
MSHA plans to increase the number of inspections of Section 8 housing, to conduct quarterly inspector meetings, and to require inspectors to log complaints in a system that will be reviewed monthly by MSHA officials.
Other planned changes include:
- Formalizing ongoing education about the program for Section 8 participants, including tenants, landlords and other officials.
- Providing tenants with a questionnaire that will ask if they feel threatened or safe in their homes.
- Organizing housing fairs statewide to help spread relevant information.
- Partnering with municipal fire, police and code enforcement officials to ensure the health and safety of tenants.
MSHA’s internal auditor, who reports directly to MSHA’s board of commissioners, found that “without exception, everyone involved stated that they were ‘shocked’ by the living conditions” at Pratt’s properties in Norway and Paris, according to the release. It said the same people responsible for overseeing the Section 8 program in the area blamed a program housing inspector employed by Avesta for letting the poor conditions go unaddressed.
MSHA said in the release that, according to the auditor, tenants may have tried to contact Avesta about the conditions, and MSHA employees may have tried to provide general information to Avesta about inspection and reporting procedures. But, according to MSHA, the auditor noted that MSHA “should have taken a step back to look for a pattern in those reports that possibly could have identified a lack of oversight that could lead to substandard living conditions.”
MSHA added that since the Advertiser Democrat published its series, the state agency has issued repair notices for the failed housing units and given new Section 8 vouchers to affected tenants who wish to move. It also has staged a housing fair to provide information and access to Section 8 tenants and landlords and provided tenants with information on their rights and how to contact MSHA with their concerns.
And, didn’t I just read an article stating that Avesta was building more such housing in Maine?
No, I think you are referring to the new $265,000 per unit low income luxury apartments. The apartments mentioned in the audit were old existing housing and not new luxury, low income units.
But they’re both Avesta!!!
Just exactly what is a low income “luxury” appartment ? I understand the word luxury to mean above and beyond necessary. Please don’t tell me that we taxpayers are providing housing that is sometimes more fancy than our own hard worked for homes.
Your kidding right? When the average home in Maine costs $150,000 and you spend $265,000 per 1,000 sq. foot apartment…you have to ask that question?
I own two homes, one on a lake and the other with commercial and I would gladly sell either for $265,000. We need someone more realistic at MSHA.
An investor can own section 8 subsidized apartments. They are phasing out the contractors that do work for MSHA and will do the inspections themselves. Avesta screwed up and now are going to lose money and some power.
Ah yes, Dale McCormick. One of Baldacci’s appointees. Has anyone considered FIRING her yet?
I agree it is time for this career politician and liberal activist to leave. She has done too much harm to Maine and its taxpayer’s. It is time for new blood in that office and for that office to get much needed reforms that are long overdue. We should in these reforms those who collect handouts should have time limits on this as well.
Have you ever conducted an HQS inspection? I have conducted thousands of them, and of course, some of them failed. But they were corrected. The problem with what is shown above, is that a re-inspection for compliance was not done. If the landlord did not comply with the HUD standards, then the subsidy should have been stopped, and the family asked to move.
It’s not time for “new blood” in the office, because the office’s mission is and will be the same. Do you honestly think because there is a new Director of the Maine State Housing Authority, things are going to change?
You don’t get it do you? These urban landlords have entered into a contract to pay low cost loans to provide housing for eligible applicant’s. They get their rent via subsidy, and are obviously required to pay the loan. What happens is, the landlord doesn’t maintain the building or screen tenants prior to leasing.
It’s not MSHA’s fault that this is happening……it’s the tenant’s and landlords fault. It’s my opinion that both should be tossed from the program.
Most subsidized housing money stems from the federal government, almost all of it does.
I certainly don’t want THIS governor getting his hands into that money, nor do I want any other Tea Party incised idea in anyone’s head. This money is very, very manipulatable, and they know it. Tha’ts the reason why the Maine State Housing Authority was designed to be somewhat separated from the political elements, hence the “quasi-state governmental” status.
If you do something differently, you would be setting us backwards towards the 1930’s to 1950’s era, we don’t need to be going backward when everything around us is going forward. Nonetheless, this landlord did not own up to his HAP (housing assistance payment) contract he signed with an agent of HUD. It is the landlord’s responsibility to maintain the Housing Quality Standards, if he has to evict to maintain those standards, then so be it. What happened, is that the landlord……wasn’t there…..he was getting his rent, he didn’t care, until an inspection was done……it was THEN he blamed the tenants, the tenants in which he or she, signed a lease with. And that lease stipulates the condition of the tenancy, but not his obligation to the HAP contract. The HAP contract is not signed by the tenant, the tenant doesn’t have anything to do with it other then being eligible to live there. In fact, the tenant’s name isn’t even mentioned in the HAP contract. Yes, without any doubt, the tenant(s) are culpable, but the landlord is equally, if not more culpable.
The reason why the landlord is at fault is because he or she signed a HAP contract; within that contract are protections for; unpaid rent, and damages. If he had evicted these tenants, he could have brought those or this unit back up to HQS standards, and have been reimbursed for his costs. The landlord didn’t care, and that’s the bottom line.
And frankly this is a good deal for landlords and they make money doing it. THe ones that cheat should be tossed and fined as tehy have committed fraud. There is fraud everywhere, and it needs to be eliminated, but the blame needs to fall on the people doing the fraud. In cases like this where goevernment funds are involved, the penalties should be higher for the perps. You don’t fire the owner of Sears because everything costs so much due to customer shoplifting do you? I have worked wiht Maine housing in the past, and they are well run and a good agency.
If you’ve conducted “thousands” of inspections, then you must be aware of the drill at Capehart. When an apartment becomes available, the BHA maintenance crew goes in and totally renovates before a new tenant comes in. This includes, sheet rock, paint, flooring if needed, fixtures, etc. In a very short time, many of the units are as disgusting as the picture in this article or worse. All these people have to do if there is a problem is call maintenance, yet I’ve seen toilets that have stopped working, and continue to be used until…well you can imagine. Roaches run rampant, to the point where maintenance can’t go in until an outside contractor fumigates.
There is no need of this when all it takes is a phone call to take care of a problem. BHA keeps refrigerators, ranges, hot water heaters, toilets, etc. all in inventory, to replace as needed. Maintenance people are on call 24/7.
So tell me then, when these people are offered help with a decent place to stay, why do they behave this way? Not all, I realize, but many. It is not always the landlords fault.
“So tell me then, when these people are offered help with a decent place to stay, why do they behave this way? Not all, I realize, but many. It is not always the landlords fault.”
They act this way because they didn’t do anything to EARN this housing “they deserve” it
They act this way because of the way they were raised, no respect for anything.
Its’ all part of the entitlement mentality, I deal with it every day. This rif-raf is enough to make a man want to choke someone.
Oh I know exactly why it is.
I just wanted to see if rusjan would admit that it’s not all the landlords. In many cases the landlords can see the people ruining the apartment and can do nothing to get them out. I wouldn’t want to go in and make it decent again either.
The landlord has signed a lease with the tenant. He can evict for lease violations. All he needed to do was contact MSHA of the violation, give notice of eviction and proceed with damage claims with MSHA. He didn’t do this, because he wanted his rent check. He signed the HAP contract.
It would have been 30 days and they are out. If they didn’t pay their portion of the rent, it would have been 7 days. Either way, the tenant is not protected by the subsidy for lease violations.
And, by the way….if a tenant has broken a lease and damages have to be paid, no further assistance is considered until that is paid back. If you would read my posts, I clearly indicate that these are tenant damages. Non assisted tenants do damage as well, they don’t pay their rent, and get evicted. You two just seem to like to stereotype low income people.
Obviously,your not a landlord! It is impossible to evict someone in 7 days,not even close.First of all,they have to be 7 days late before you can give them their first notice.Then,you have to give them 7 more days before you can attempt getting a summons and getting them served,which will take at the very least another 7 days.Then,it has to be sent to the Sheriffs office.Then,they have to serve the tenant,and if the service is not completed 7 days prior to the next FED hearing,you get to start all over again.When you finally get lucky enough to get these timelines met,you then hope that the Judge doesn’t see anything wrong with the service,or,you guessed it,Start all over again.Depending on which area your in,the FED dates are 6-8 weeks apart! So,if you just miss one,you know the earliest you can get back to a judge is 6-8 weeks.Only a Judge can evict,period.And yes,I am a landlord.And a damn good one,fair and honest,treat people with respect until proven that they no longer deserve it.Oh,and 1 last thing,I have 11 apartments,going on my 16th year,and I am at this moment going through my First full eviction!
I agree completely they need some skin in game . I am all for giving hand up but it cant be a way of life
They do these things because they have never been taught to respect the property of others and feel that they are “entitled”
Beyond all the maintenance problems, what about things that the tenants may not have control over and the landlords may not necessarily be aware of – such as potentially dangerous electrical systems? …. details such as ungrounded 3-prong outlets in bathrooms…. What about radon levels? … lead paint? A responsible tenant sweeps the floor and breaths lead dust (I’ve seen it happen.) I hope they do periodic checks for carbon monoxide. It seems to me that the inspectors would share at least some of the responsibility. As to why some tenants behave badly, I have no idea ….
Private landlords have to be approved for section 8 housing. If there are out of code items, then that is the fault of the inspector who approved it.
As far as Capehart goes, everything is totally up to code.
I have told my landlord many times that the electrical outlet in the bathroom keeps snapping, but do they fix it… NO! one of these days it’s going to catch fire. good thing I got renters insurance! we have reported many problems with the apartment, but apparently they just don’t care. they are losing heat through the cracks in the window sills but they don’t want to put plastic up, God forbid they do that! it isn’t always the landlords fault, but when you do get a decent tenant in there and the landlord doesn’t want to fix anything, now thats a problem.
Perhaps your landlord doesn’t understand that a snapping electrical outlet is an indication of a problem. Call the fire dept. – not as an an emergency call – just ask very kindly if someone from the fire dept. could come to check on the outlet. If they think it’s a problem, let them contact the landlord. In the mean time, don’t use that outlet. As for the window sills, Duct tape does wonders, and you can probably put up at least some of the plastic yourself; your home will be more comfortable. Keep a record of problems and contacts with your landlord. Make sure that you have both carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Buy them yourself if need be. (Don’t be stubborn – waiting for the landlord to provide them) The fire dept can give you advice as to where to put them. Stay safe and warm this winter.
Don’t use duct tape…it will ruin the wall or molding. There are products you can buy to fill in the cracks around the molding…just go to the hardware store and ask.
Good point. Thanks.
Buy??? Buy??? Surely you don’t mean spend the beer money on weatherstripping. Are you crazy man?
The Bangor Housing Authority deals directly with HUD, and is also considered the owner. This particular landlord does not deal directly with HUD, it deals with MSHA who acts as HUD’s agent. Big difference. And yes I have conducted thousands of the inspections, most were primarily tenant based section 8, not property based, though I have done those.
I paid 1 damage claim. Which is what this landlord should have done, he should have seen the unit, he needs to collect the tenant’s portion of the rent, and I’m sure he had to have reason to go to the property. Yes this is tenant damage, but yet it is also the landlord’s neglect, and MSHA not enforcing it’s failed inspection.
Dale McCormick is a far left liberal activist. McCormick has been paying $314,000 for a measly 1,000 square foot apartment. This alone is reason to FIRE her on the spot.
It doesn’t matter whether it is Dale McCormick or Joe Bloe, you people would complain about who is in charge of whatever agency in the state. It is just something you do; if you want to hit a dog, you will find a stick. Your dogs are any state agency that you don’t agree with and your sticks are your not knowing the facts of what is necessary to run the state.
First of all, he can’t fire her, neither can you or I. Secondly, Le Page wants control of the money, specifically, the LIHEAP and associated weatherization funds. Thridly, do you think firing Dale McCormick is going to stop the Section 8 housing quality standards problem. The problem in this article is caused, mainly by the landlord’s inability to act upon violations of the tenants. And not using the money he gets to maintain the HQS standards, which he contractually obligated to do.
I’ll guarantee that I can find other directors who have spent equal or if not more amounts.
I can also guarantee that I can find MSHA needs assessments and new construction units that have never been full. It’s not just one person, contractors love to go over budges.
And I just got this email yesterday..
———————————————-
From Carolyn
Put me in charge
This was written by a 21 yr old female who gets it. It’s her
future she’s worried about and this is how she feels about the social
welfare big government state that she’s being forced to live in! These
solutions are just common sense in her opinion.
This was in the Waco Tribune Herald, Waco, TX Nov 18, 2010
Put me in charge . . .
Put
me in charge of food stamps. I’d get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash
for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho’s, just money for 50-pound bags of rice and
beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If
you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.
Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I’d do is to get women
Norplant birth control implants or tubal ligations. Then, we’ll test
recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine and document all tattoos and
piercings. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, smoke or get
tats and piercings, then get a job.
Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military
barracks? You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of
repair. Your “home” will be subject to inspections anytime and
possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360,
then get a job and your own place.
In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each
week or you will report to a “government” job. It may be cleaning the
roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we
find for you. We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and
your blasting stereo and speakers and put that money toward the “common
good”.
Before you write that I’ve violated someone’s rights, realize that
all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules.
Before you say that this would be “demeaning” and ruin their “self
esteem,” consider that it wasn’t that long ago that taking someone
else’s money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self
esteem.
If we are expected to pay for other people’s mistakes we should at
least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The current
system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.
AND While
you are on Govt subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes that is
correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest. You will
voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a Govt
welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job.
Now, if you have the guts – PASS IT ON…
Not that I disagree with much of this otherwise, but the only people who should say “Get a job” are the ones who are offering to hire someone.
She sounds like a modern version of Hitler and she’s only 21…wow.
What does this have to do with Section 8?
You are outta your mind. This Nazi chick doesn’t ‘get it’ – at all and neither do you!
You are preceisely what ‘No Child Left Behind’ was intended to address.
Frankly, the problem is with the currant welfare mentality and recreational $ ex. Way too many people have been allowed to become dependent on the state. For example, all a young woman needs to do to qualify for government subsidized housing is to get pregnant out-of-wedlock. Maybe restricting all male non-relatives from these housing projects would be a good start. For the long-term however we have to find ways to discourage out-of-wed lock consensual $ ex. Certainly teaching kids to use condoms is not working and is making them even more $ ex u ally active, and once the program ends, more out-of-wed lock pregnancies take place. We also need to teach our children the value of reserving $ ex for their future partner in marriage. Society needs to understand that the cost of not doing anything to change this $ ex-crazed mentality that it has evolved into is heavy and can only become worse. Finally, and I know this suggestion will get some readers upset and going off on a tangent, but I will mention it anyhow: We must do everything within reason to ensure that every child has a mom and a dad committed to each other in permanent bond of love and, yes, self-sacrifice.
I’m not even going to bother. You say the same thing over and over. Those changes are morality based societal issues. You cannot legislate morality, nor can a bill in the legislature fix societies problems.
“Thou shall not kill” precept is found in the bible, last time I checked. Likewise, with “Thou shall not steal” or “Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife”. Can’t legislate morality, you say? I say we had better if we want to save our society from self-destruction. For starts, we need to recognize the important role religion plays in America. America has reached the point where religion is tolerated. That’s not a good thing.
You don’t know what you’re talking about-despite the ’22 Likes’.
The absentee landlord is an elderly woman.
What you describe is not how the Section 8 Program operates. Normally, inspections, which are more for the benefit of the tenant are not farmed out to private contractors – outside of municipal government.
And the term is ‘quasi-puiblic’.
Furthermore, many of these tenants are disabled and have difficulty with all kinds of Activites of Daily Living (ADLs). Already, recipients have seen social support service funds slashed in recent years.
A landlord is a landlord, and that elderly woman wasn’t so elderly that should couldn’t cash the checks.
And I know exactly what I’m talking about, you obviously do not. The Section 8 HQS inspection is done once a year. It is done for one reason and one reason only; that is to ensure HUD that it’s Housing Quality Standards are being met. It’s not doing it in the tenant’s behalf, it’s doing it to make sure the landlord is complying with the HAP contract that he or she signed. Thats it, nothing else, believe what you want, I don’t care.
I do find it interesting how the Treasurer is writing articles on the Maine State Housing Authority? Perhaps Dale McCormick should write one about, oh let’s say DHHS?
My criticism is that you are not familiar with the details of the story and referenced the fact that you kept referring to ‘He’, just as one example.
It’s doubtful that this elderly woman actually views the properties she owns, which means she has entrusted the matter to someone whose own interest is in maintaining their contract with a minimum in additional expense – on paper.
And the inspections are indeed for the tenant, primarily. If the landlord does not comply with an annual maintenance repair requests, then the town is somewhat obligated to relocate the voucher holder, assuming there are no intentional property damage complaints.
Likewise, towns prefer to maintain their existing voucher numbers rather than see them migrate to another town as it determines, in part, their future funding for these needed programs.
And despite what you may believe, these ‘welfare recipients’ do contribute to the local economy in significant ways – especially with ‘their food stamps’ and other ‘freebies’ they purchase, increasing commerce between local businesses, and adding to tax revenue just like anybody else’s expenditures do.
Ideally, this is what we, as a society, have determined is in the interest of Public Health, Safety, and Welfare and our conscience. While I submit improvements are always welcome, I wouldn’t want to see that safety net disappear.
We didn’t arrive here in a vacuum. It’s in our own, still recent, American history.
Again this is an example of democrats helping the poor.By greasing landlords.
Lepage is going to fix this mess. He’s going to shut em all down and kick the bums out into the streets.
OH Yippee, more people to walk the streets and break into homes, and cause hate and discontent, GO LEPAGE!!! Makes me even more sure that I will be moving out of maine before the year is over.
Please go before November!
Here’s your hat, What’s your hurry?
No one has the authority to fire her or control her. That is what the big controversy is about at MSHA. The Board of Directors has no control. The governor cannot remove her except in an impeachment-type venue. Perhaps if some of the money she spent on those other close to $300,000 each apartments had been spent on inspection of these things would be different.
Obviously, the leadership of this ‘authority’ needs to be out and looking at criminal investigation the same as the former leadership of the Turnpike Authority. It is OUR taxpayer money being misused.
MSHA needs a new head like DHHS did!!
“are being taken following the publication ” says all you need to know, they got caught or they wouldn’t have done anything!
Why are you not attacing the crooks that did the crime at Avest? There are annual compliance reports that must have been falsified. If the owners are committing fraud and the renters do not complain, what do you expect Maine Housing to do? If they had to inspect every property in Maine on Section 8 housing, they would need dozens more employees and people would complain about that. Maine Housing does good work and the staff is very professional. it is clear you have never had any dealings with them.
They were hired by MSHA! They are still involved in the Portland MSHA viasco.
I am a section 8 landlord. They do (or are supposed to) inspect every property in Maine!
A big thanks go out to the Norway-based Advertiser Democrat for doing something the property owner and State officials apparently were unwilling or unable to do. Reporting lack of concern or incompetence may be the only real method of reducing the horror shown in this photo. Keep up the good work.
I have worked with Dale McCormick in her various capacities for many years. I know her to be an enlightened, professional, compassionate, responsible individual. Dale is responsible for undertakings at MSHA but, she must not be the scape goat for Avesta who failed to supervise their employee who allowed people to live in these apartments. Dale’s abilities are evidenced by her direct actions noted within. I do not work for Dale nor am I tied to her in any way but, I do know that I trust and respect her decision making and inviting accountability. Just look at her record as a State Senator, as State Treasurer, and at MSHA. She has no history of being anything but an effective representative for her constituents and the State of Maine.
Sometimes Good and well intentioned folks need to make the adult hard and realistic decisions.
Dale McCormick is nothing but a political hack who has been given jobs far beyond her abilities thanks to a political patronage system. She and her ilk would never have been exposed if not for the fact that the other side won the election. Maine government is chock full of people like her and Maine is poorer for it.
She can’t be fired. She was a last minute Baldacci appointment, good for four years. The Gov. is trying to get control of MHA through legislation. If it passes, then maybe she could be fired.
He might want to critique his own position before he takes on more. It will never happen.
Conditions can be video’d and cell phone into a central inspections office for resolution. Detailed contracts between the tenant and the owner/manager can fix responsibility for repairs & maintenance.
Does the buck stop at Dale’s desk or her pocket?
When something breaks in my house, can I get a voucher to fix it? No? Oh that’s right, I own my house and pay my own bills.
So don’t those landlords. MSHA doesn’t own those, a private landlord owns them. One who agreed that he would assure the standards, and in return, make money and pay off the loan.
Try to understand what you are talking about prior to saying what you don’t know. There are two types of Section 8 housing: Tenant based and Property Based, This is a property based, meaning that the subsidy belongs to the apartment, (the landlord)…….not the tenant.
Wrong and wrong, again.
The cost of Section 8 rental subsidies are split between the tenant and HUD via local housing authorities.
Tenants do not live cost free. Their monthly income minus expenses determines how much they pay out of pocket, by pre-determined percentages, toward the total rent as well as how much is subsidized to the landlord.
The landord still owns the property, finnaced with low interest loans, and gets all of the monthly rental income due on any given unit, no matter who the tenant is. For those units leased under Section 8 voucher agreements they just get it in two monthly checks from two sources, instead of one.
How are they going to administer a statewide program from Augusta? How much more is this going to cost?? Not to mention that their own internal auditor said they should have seen a pattern in the reports to show a lack of oversight. What culpability does MSHA have in all of this?
I have seen these apartments renevated. Brand New cupboards, flooring (tubs run over, no one cares) fresh coat of paint on new replaced sheetrock. Just 2 months later, cupboard door ripped off, several fists thrown thru sheetrock, plus a fresh coat of crayon. Going in and out of these homes, I’ve even seen chickens (live ones in the cupboards, not kidding!!)
So true, Section 8 tenants, or some of them at least feel that they can live like pigs because they don’t have to pay the full rent. It makes me ill, I have been on the waiting list since my children were 8, both are over 18 now, and graduating from college, so the need for the housing help is gone, but I would have really been appreciative for the help. My apartment or housing that I leave always are cleaner and in better condition then when I moved in. I guess in order to get Section 8 you need to live like a pig. Guess I will never qualify then. Oh well, I would rather have my dignity and continue to respect the property of others than get any kind of help.
I’ve seen that in non-section-8 housing too so it isn’t just the people in housing. There was people living in one of the apartments in the building that I live that were so dirty that it made the whole house stink! You are grouping people on housing as dirty people!!
Amen!
Is MSHA responsible for the filthy toilet too? Perhaps some of it is how the tenant lives!
Here’s another “Possibility” based on presented information that is much more likely. The property owner simply couldn’t care less about their building OR for that matter, the human beings living inside. The story never mentioned anything about kicking tenants out for their lack of maintenance but it CLEARLY does state the owner has been banned from renting to the state. That’s a pretty big detail that is hard for intelligent people to ignore. But as we see here there are plenty of haters willing to simply make up a story to fulfill their own fantasies. The lack of caring that some people have (Even like yourself talking here) for others is remarkable and in large part results in the situation we see here.
My guess is most wouldn’t go a year without sweeping the floor. Something just doesn’t seem right with this picture. I can’t believe anyone would keep walking over that mess.If they did both landlord and tenent should be thrown out.
Is it all that surprising that the tenants do not take care of things that they do not pay for?
Did you read the caption under the picture? The ceiling FELL IN over a year ago and hasn’t been repaired. I don’t think that ceilings fall in because of a neglectful tenant…and if the place is so bad that the ceiling fell, I am sure that the toilet is old and stained. If you look at the picture closely, it is a rust color around the top of the bowl…that is not filthy, it is a stain.
You people should really watch yourselves…it is not just people who made poor decisions who end up in subsidized housing…you could very well find yourself there one day.
If a piece of your ceiling fell in I’m certain you’d at least pick it up within a year. I’m not siding with the landlord because the place certainly is a dump. To leave that mess untill it’s moldy when you’re living there is just as bad. As for the stained toilet bowl, you use it, you clean it. Water stains all of them if never touched.Tell me one landlord that cleans toilets.
These places remind me of the housing Jack DeCoster had for the immigrants working for him. They were brand new trailers, but in no time trashed beyond recognition. They get their paychecks and party, party, party…
What I see is the effect of hard water on old porcelain. Unfortunately, I’ve seen dirtier toilets.
It does not state that this particular unit was rented at all. Isn’t it possible that the unit is currently vacant?
i had apartments that I rented to section 8… I got inspected all the time I was always doing improvement to my apartment because of it… who is inspecting the se places now?
SLUM LORD!!!!! and SLUM TENANT!!!
The landlord in this case is 90 years old, that is crazy, MSHA should have never approved her to accept Section 8 until they were sure that repairs and maintenance could be done. Would you be able to do the needed repairs if you were 90?
There are always 2 sides to every story. Undoubtedly, there is some unacceptable housing being used for the section 8 program. However, my experience with section 8 housing, as a landlord, was a nightmare. I provided clean, modern and safe housing for a few years. Often, the damage to the housing was way beyond normal wear and tear, rent payments were consistently late and numerous legal evictions resulted in months of lost rental income every time.
As far as I’m concerned, qualified section 8 tenants can live in the $200,000 low income units in the old waterworks building in Bangor. I will never participate in that horror show again.
Every time you sub out services to a for profit this will happen. They bid low and then cut everything possible and tehn some they can to make the most money.
Avesta Housing is a non-profit agency.
The CEO’s salary is $128,811/yr. Ah yes, doing well by doing good….
While they are at it, someone should be inspecting the tennants also.
Maybe, since parents can insure their adult children until they are almost middle aged, these people needing Section 8 should be given a bus ticket and sent home to their parents. Maybe this time the parents can teach them to be responsible,
Dale McCormick is another holdover of ineptitude from the failed Baldacci administration.
She is passing the buck and BDN is covering for her.
MSHA did follow up inspections of the same apartments that Avesta said were OK, and 40% of them didn’t pass.
This was months ago.
They, at MSHA may have been SHOCKED, but they still did nothing to address the problem.
I was on Section8 for a time when my kids were little. My place was always inspection ready. It was always clean, organized, well cared for and NEVER EVER damaged by me, the kids nor anyone else. My landlord was always asked before I made repairs, on my own whenever I could, or painted. I kept the woodwork and walls repainted and clean, the walls, floors, etc scrubbed. NO ONE smoked in my house. The stove looked unused due to being kept clean as did the refrigerator, washer and dryer. My bathroom was super clean as I am a clean freak. As my kids friends would say, “Your mom is always cleaning up, I wish my mom did.” The kids friends learned from them and me HOW to clean, be responsible and to be grateful for the place they have.
We were not rich, are not now, but Section 8 helped us when we needed help. Try raising 7 kids when you are young and widowed without help. My kids were taught you put more into a job than you are paid/ or it is worth and that includes where you live. MY kids were taught you always honor your word, a contract, lease, boss, teacher, your elders, etc. They were taught and learned to be self responsible. Our rent was ALWAYS PAID on time and in full whether we were in Section8 and after we moved on from the program. Today, I own a small home thanks to help from MSHA. We were and are grateful.
If someone needs help don’t put them down for asking. We all need help sometimes. And please, don’t lump all of us who have been in need into one ugly group. It is rude, uncalled for and extremely hurtful. Just because of a few bad tenants on Section8 does not mean the rest of us who utilized it are all the same.
I agree. i have been in section 8 housing before when my son was little and my house was always clean and i always paid my rent on time. I still rent but am not on section 8 housing anymore, but I have to say the rents that i had while on section 8 were better maintained by the landlord then the one i live in now. we ran out of heat and hot water 9 times in november and december because he didn’t fill the tank. as soon as we can get our own house we are moving out of this hell hole. i will never rent from this landlord again because he doesn’t take care of his buildings.
Thank you FrankC , this letter comes from a girl that seems to realize that her hard work pays off for someone else !
With all the money they recieve in subsidies to make up for what the tenants pay or don’t pay, they should be able to keep things maintained. They don’t. They take the extra money and don’t do any upkeep. But like areyoujokingme said….who is responsible for cleaning the toilet.
Renters should be responsible for negligence in destroying the property. When holes are put in the walls — water damage due to over running the bath, garbage piled up because no one wants to walk to the dumpster (I ride through a low income developement everyday on the way to work and see garbage bages thrown out in front of the doors or piled on the side of doorways — then they get ripped open and I’m assuming whoever does maintanence on the building eventually cleans it up) When do the renters have responsibility to the place? Some of these appartments are better then what I’ve been able to afford, but I have to pay a security deposit and if I ruin it I pay for it. If its the landlords neglect than they should have to make good. But, if the renters are destorying the property then maybe its time they lose their section 8 and go live in the real world — of accountability.
I agree. Look at all the “new housing” that gets built for low income and they dont’ have one penny invested in it so they don’t give a crap about how they take care of it or don’t take care of it. Like the Reservation Housing for Natives. If they had to earn money to pay for the things the rest of us do, they might, just MIGHT learn respect and responsibility.
Inspect all you want and repair all you want it does not help. People with entitlement rights have all the rights. The state pays their rent and even their deposit so why should they care and most tenants do not care. To houltonbon: how can a landlord afford to maintain apartments when the rent subsidy per month is $320 for a 2 bedroom apartment in northern Maine?
Kick the tenant out huh? That is part of the problem.I can’t know for sure what has taken place in this particular instance,but “kicking” a tenant out is very,very hard.All it takes is a few lies,help from Pine Tree Legal,and they can stay a loooong time with out paying any rent.Then the Landlord is not going to do any repairs in that unit until he/she gets some income from it. There is no way that the tenant doesn’t bare some reponsibility for the upkeep of their home.Lastly,google “Landlord Rights” and see what you come up with? The answer……NOTHING!!!!!!!!
I thought with section 8 the housing had to be inspected at least once a year, I know in Houlton they do, that should be manadtory,and even in Houlton they pass some pretty disgusting housing… if they wouldnt live there why should they expect others to…make them live there for 7 days and see if changes are made then…..
There should be a mechanism in place so that if these tenants trash an apartment they are thrown out. We don’t need more government intervention to make this right. They were already involved in overseeing the operation and did not do their job. What makes you think making them more responsible would do any good?
Clean out the state housing dept. Paul Go get um. Its time these people in the high paying jobs of these depts. anwers to the tax payers. They are not GODS. Like the Maine Turn Pike was.
It wasn’t disgusting when the inhabitants moved in. I think that if an inspector finds a disgusting mess, the occupants ought to be evicted, just like a normal tenant. Get them out, there ought to be consequences to poor behavior.
The state ought to go after many landlords in this state. It is a crime what they are charging for rent for a dump. Landlords are taking advantage of the poor and that is one of the four sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance. I agree tenants need to take care of property and I believe landlords have a right to inspect their property and should kick them out if they damage the rental.
What is wrong with people, landlords taking advantage of low income people and renters destroying property that isn’t theirs, shame on you all.
It should be pointed out that many rents become trashed not by landlords but by section eight tenants who could not care less. The state washes their hands of this, and courts offer no protection. The media usually shows the rents in their battered states after the section eight tenants have left.
just more examples of democrats spending on the poor.Wonder what palm got greased on this one.
Here’s the link to the original story in the Advertiser Democrat, which the BDN has seemed to think unnecessary to provide to its readers:
http://www.advertiserdemocrat.com/featured/story/025-42-news-2011-housing-draft2-267wo-photos