NEW DAYS

Manhattan View

7a.m.

February 27th

 High winds all day and many downed trees in the region.
Real Cold
4:30 p.m.


February 29th 2020
6:30 a.m.
Here comes the sun and
the last of fickle February
Still Cold.
.
A New York City Story
I have a friend being harassed by her 'notorious' Landlord who put a homeless man in one of the apartments. The unfortunate man was recruited from a shelter through the Landlords lawyer and has been in occupancy for many years, with rent paid by the City directly to the Landlord. This man collects street garbage (not precious useful items- actual garbage including rotten food) and hauls it to his rooms. Roaches and rodents have free reign. He wanders the streets day and night, sometimes just sleeps in the hall and has taken an active dislike to my friend whom he terrorizes whenever he encounters her. He even told her he would 'get' her someday when she least expected it, 'throw a brick and kill her'. The man needs services and oversight he is not receiving. No amount of complaint via many agencies has solved the problem, so she has to just avoid contact. It's often inconvenient since she has to pass his dwelling to get to hers. Recently, after a long day and night of helping another friend of hers through his hospital emergency, she arrived home only to find the homeless neighbor haunting the halls. She was exhausted, but had to wait him out before getting to her own home. You should understand that this 'strategy' is one of the common strategies used by some landlords who want to rid themselves of established, less affluent tenants when they take over a property. Hard to believe, but any one who follows the rental trends in our City will have no trouble seeing the terrible truth of predatory Landlords and their determined greed. There are countless newspaper stories and a even a list of "The Worst Landlords", but it has not eradicated the problem. Sure, there ought to be a law and there are many, However, enforcement is not a priority in fact. Ours (and many others) is a Real Estate weighted body politic friends. It's a planet wide situation as those aware of current mass forced migrations around the world know. Anyhow, my dear friend has begun formal police reports and will continue to create the paper trail for every incident until her situation finally has a hearing and effective solution.
.
I experienced a similar situation when our current landlord took over these buildings in 1996 and I did lodge police reports after being directly threatened by a man who moved in below me claiming he was best friends with the new landlord. It took time, but eventually we had a hearing in front of a Judge and signed resolution to desist papers. Though my situation was somewhat contained, I still did not feel truly safe as I had to pass his door coming or going and avoided him at all costs to my own plans. However, not long after, this planted 'tenant', who had been collecting rents from some of the apartments, stopped giving the money to his Landlord 'friend' and was using it instead to fund his coke habit. He was removed.
 
Related
I heard this swell short story at The Moth Radio Hour performed by a woman who stood up to harassment
(eight minutes)
LISTEN
https://themoth.org/stories/quiet-fire

4:30 p.m.

~*~

March
by Nora Hopper

I am the bringer of the swallow.
I bring with grass the woodland hollow —
I open up the folded mallow,
I hang the willow with green laces.
In marshy places
I set the shining golden faces
Of kingcups, with the gorse to follow.
I am the life of daffodils
Deep in the valley on the hills
I am the wind that sways the grasses;
I am the love ‘twixt lads and lasses,
Love that is sweet and swiftly passes;
I dust with golden meal the sallow;
I am deep water and the shallow —
I am the blossom on the mallow.
 

(Calendar painting by Valerianna Claff)