Carol faces court tomorrow

What: Eviction Court, Carol Vialdores and her Community vs. Billion Dollar Corporation, AIMCO
When: Thursday, May 6th, 2pm
Where: Daley Center, 50 W Washington, (Rm 1302)

Yesterday, IHDA director, Tony Hernandez met with Northpoint/Aimco managers to review their records regarding Carol's eviction case and others, and well as conditions issues. They were led, by management, on a short tour of the property. Today, they are still saying that they have no grounds to intervene as the paperwork is in order. Of course it is. It's management's record. It doesn't show things like retaliation for challenging management over conditions or respect issues, or for tenant organizing. In fact, given that we knew management would take IHDA only to the properties they wanted to show, we gave him the address to Teresa Singleton's old apartment; you have seen the pictures of black mold, broken door, window and sink--she was evicted last month after she withheld rent pending repairs. Aimco told him they couldn't take him there because she still has possession of the apartment. Bull! She was ordered to vacate as of April 5th! They know; they evicted her! Even if that were true, why couldn't they then know on her door, and ask to come in? She isn't there of course; she's now in a homeless shelter.

So, IHDA and HUD insist this is up to the courts, not them. We disagree. The fact is that these private management companies have no incentive to maintain conditions or to treat tenants with respect or to work with them over any issues there may be. They are guaranteed money through HUD and there is a long list of folks trying to get into subsidized housing. Business is booming for them.

So if it's not up to them, why do we have IHDA or HUD at all? What do they think their job is, and to whom are they responsible? See, we thought the whole idea was that there be at least some kind of social safety net for when poor people, including kids, meet low wage work, unemployment, high child care costs, and a private housing market that leaves a lot of poor folks out, (and is currently foreclosing on a family every 22 minutes).

Actually, we believe in the HUMAN RIGHT TO HOUSING. We believe that everybody deserves a safe, decent place to live. We believe that a billion dollar corporation doesn't need to spend our tax money paying lawyers to put Carol and her kids on the street!

What do you say? Please say you'll be there with Carol in court tomorrow. Let's let show billion dollar corporation AIMCO that they messed with the wrong tenants and the wrong bunch of human rights activists and I mean you.

What: Eviction Court, Carol Vialdores and her Community vs. Billion Dollar Corporation, AIMCO
When: Thursday, May 6th, 2pm
Where: Daley Center, 50 W Washington, (Rm 1302)

Please join us in front at 1:30, so we can prepare, (Carol stickers and Anti-Eviction armbands), and go up as a group by 1:45.