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About This Author
I am SoCalScribe. This is my InkSpot.
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Blogocentric Formulations
Logocentric (adj). Regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics).
Sometimes I just write whatever I feel like. Other times I respond to prompts, many taken from the following places:
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For the past two weeks (and during my vacations!) the other tenants in our apartment building and I have been fighting with the building ownership over the fumigation happening this weekend. We're supposed to leave vacate the building at 8:00AM on Friday, and can't return until 4:00PM on Sunday. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal, but the ownership has been unresponsive, combative, and downright unfair during this entire process.
I'll spare everyone the sordid details of a fight that's been going on day in, day out for two weeks now, but the basic gist of the argument is that the ownership has promised security personnel will be on-hand to watch the building while it's tented (and wide open to the public), but won't disclose the name of the company so we can verify their credentials... of particular importance, since fumigation robberies are a problem in our city. They refuse to even acknowledge the question, and now refuse to speak to tenants directly. They disregard emails and phone calls with questions, and only speak through handed-down mandate from the on-site property manager (who is not authorized to make decisions without the approval of the ownership). They won't even answer questions about the chemicals being used, which are of particular concern to several tenants, who have asthma, skin conditions, and other medical concerns about residual poison in the apartment after the fumigators have left.
The lodging accommodations that were offered only come with standard check-in, and check-out times, which means we'd have to vacate the apartment at 8:00AM, and then drive around (with our pets and perishable food items) for four hours, until we can check in to the hotel at noon. And we'd have to check out by noon, then drive around (with our pets and perishable food items) for another four hours, until we can return to our homes. When some other tenants and I brought up this issue, our offer of lodging was outright rescinded and our follow-up communications ignored.
And perhaps the most ridiculous of all, several tenants (including us) received threatening letters from the ownership's attorney, threatening that we would be evicted, and sued for as much money as they could possibly get from us, if anyone even thinks about holding up or causing problems with the fumigation. (Even though no one's ever even implied that they wouldn't vacate.) One tenant even got a letter claiming that, in asking repeatedly for the name of the security company and raising concerns about the building security, they were setting up a false claim of loss and damages to "stick it to" the ownership.
WTF? 
I think it's totally ridiculous that the ownership of our building is exhibiting a blatant disregard for tenant convenience (and rights!), and acting like they're the ones being inconvenienced by us, when we're the ones being told we have to leave our homes for four days, without reasonable accommodations or basic questions answered about security for our homes and belongings.
My wife and I have lived in this building for almost five years, paid nearly $70,000 in rent, don't complain about our neighbors, other neighbors don't complain about us, and we do our own maintenance whenever possible, to avoid inconveniencing the ownership with every little thing that goes wrong. But if this is how we're going to be treated in return, I think it's time to move on and find a new place to live.
We're also investigating our options with Fair Housing, because we're pretty sure the ownership has violated some law, somewhere.
This whole situation has become completely ridiculous. All the tenants have ever asked for are reasonable lodging accommodations that coincide with the times we're supposed to vacate our apartments, reasonable questions about the building security answered, and reasonable questions answered about the chemicals being used and their safety. And apparently, those concerns, in the opinion of the ownership, are outrageous, inconvenient, and not appropriate to bother them with.
Anyway, rant over. I just can't believe how out of control this situation has gotten, when all we want is a place to stay and our questions answered. Definitely time to move. Just as soon as I have a job.  |
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