Several tenants have told me, over the past few months, that they have had difficulties getting job interviews and housing outside of the Kenmore and that they feel that their ADA rights have been violated. There's a way to make a complaint about this - it's apparently a slow process, but it's probably worth it. I'm posting the info below - and you can also follow a link:  https://www.ada.gov/filing_complaint.htm

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How to File an ADA Complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice

You can file an Americans with Disabilities Act complaint alleging disability discrimination against a State or local government or a public accommodation (private business including, for example, a restaurant, doctor's office, retail store, hotel, etc.). A complaint can be filed online using the link below, or by mail, or by fax.

To file an ADA complaint online:

Online Complaint Form | (en Español)
Instructions for submitting attachments are on the form.

To file an ADA complaint by mail:

US Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Civil Rights Division
Disability Rights Section – 1425 NYAV
Washington, D.C. 20530

To file an ADA complaint by fax: (202) 307-1197

Please keep a copy of your complaint and the original documents for your own records.

Common Questions About Filing a Complaint

1. How can I file an ADA complaint with the Department of Justice?
2. What information should my ADA complaint include?
3. What accommodations may I request if I cannot prepare my own ADA complaint because of my disability?
4. What happens after my complaint is received?
5. How can I find out the status of my complaint?
6. What happens if my complaint is referred for possible mediation?
7. What happens if my complaint is opened for investigation?
8. How will the information in my complaint be used?

1. How can I file an ADA complaint with the Department of Justice?

If you believe that you or another person has been discriminated against by an entity covered by the ADA, you may file a complaint with the Disability Rights Section (DRS) in the Department of Justice. You may submit your complaint online or by mail or fax. (Letters and packages sent to the DRS by U.S. Mail are delayed for security screening.) All new complaints are subject to processing and review.

2. What information should my ADA complaint include?

Provide the following information:

1. Your full name, address, the telephone numbers where we can reach you during the day and evening, and the name of the party discriminated against (if known);
2. The name and address of the business, organization, institution, or person that you believe has committed the discrimination;
3. A brief description of the acts of discrimination, the dates they occurred, and the names of individuals involved;
4. Other information you believe necessary to support your complaint, including copies (not originals) of relevant documents; and
5. Information about how to communicate with you effectively. Please let us know if you want written communications in a specific format (e.g., large print, Braille, electronic documents) or require communications by video phone or TTY.

You may use the ADA online complaint form for any ADA complaint, but you are not required to do so.

3. What accommodations may I request if I cannot prepare my own ADA complaint because of my disability?

If you are unable to write because of your disability and are unable to submit a complaint online, by mail, or fax, the Department can assist you by scribing your complaint by phone or, for individuals who communicate by American Sign Language, by videophone.

Contact the ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY) to schedule an appointment.  Please be advised that it may take two weeks or more for Department staff to contact you. 

4. What happens after my complaint is received?

After the complaint is received and reviewed, we will inform you of our action, which may include:

1. Contacting you for additional information or copies of relevant documents;
2. Referring your complaint for possible resolution through the ADA Mediation Program;
3. Referring your complaint to the United States Attorney's Office in your area for investigation;
4. Referring your complaint to another federal agency with responsibility for the types of issues you have raised.
5. Investigating your complaint; or
6. Considering your complaint for possible litigation by the Department of Justice.

We cannot investigate or litigate every complaint. If we are unable to take any action on your complaint, we will send you a letter telling you this.

5. How can I find out the status of my complaint?

We review each complaint carefully. Because we receive a large volume of ADA complaints from people throughout the United States, our review can take up to three months. If you have not heard from us by the end of this three-month period, you can find out the status of your complaint by calling the ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY). A member of our staff will contact you to tell you if your complaint has been received and if it is still under consideration for possible action.

6. What happens if my complaint is referred for possible mediation?

The ADA Mediation Program is an important part of ADA compliance.  Using professional ADA-trained mediators throughout the United States, mediation is a confidential, voluntary way to resolve ADA complaints fairly and quickly.  Types of complaints most appropriate for this program include barrier removal, program accessibility, effective communication, and modification of policies, practices, and procedures.  If we determine that your complaint is appropriate for mediation, we will contact you and the entity you complained about to find out if you are both willing to participate in mediation. 

7. What happens if my complaint is opened for investigation?

If your complaint is opened for investigation, an investigator or attorney will be assigned and will contact you to obtain additional information.

During the investigation, the attorney or investigator will not necessarily make a determination about whether or not an ADA violation has occurred. If he or she believes there is a pattern or practice of discrimination or the complaint raises an issue of general public importance, DRS may attempt to negotiate a formal settlement of the matter, or may file a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of the Unites States. We do not act as an attorney for, or representative of, the complainant.

8. How will the information in my complaint be used?

The personal information will be used primarily for the Department of Justice’s authorized civil rights compliance and enforcement activities. DRS will not disclose your name or other identifying information about you unless it is necessary for enforcement activities against an entity alleged to have violated federal law, or unless such information is required to be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, or disclosure is allowed through the publication of a routine use in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a. To further the Department’s enforcement activities, information DRS has about you may be given to: appropriate Federal, State, or local agencies; Members of Congress or staff; volunteer student workers within the Department of Justice so that they may perform their duties; the news media when release is made consistent with the Freedom of Information Act and 28 C.F.R. § 40.2; and the National Archives and Records Administration and General Services Administration to perform records management inspection functions in accordance with their legal responsibilities.

Providing DRS with the requested information is voluntary except that failure to provide such information may result in DRS being unable to process your complaint.

For other questions, call the ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383. ADA Specialists are available to answer questions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Eastern Time). On Thursday, the Information Line is staffed from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Selected Topics

Olmstead
HIV and AIDS
Employment
Barrier-Free Healthcare Initiative
Regulatory Development
Project Civic Access
ADA Business Connection

Resources

Federal ADA & Section 504 Resources
Reports & Updates
Section 508
ADA.gov Archive 

Titles of the ADA

Employment (title I)
State & Local Government (title II)
Public Accommodations and
Commercial Facilities (title III)

Department of Justice ADA Responsibilities

Technical Assistance 
Enforcement
Mediation
Regulations 
Certification of State and Local Building Codes

Sign Up for Email Updates

Site Map

Contact Us

Department of Justice Links

Department of Justice Home Page
Civil Rights Division Home Page
Disability Rights Section Home Page
Freedom of Information Act 
En Español
Privacy Policy

Fwd: Are You Ready To Apply For Affordable Housing?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Affordable Hsg Online <info@apartmentsmart.com>
Date: Sunday, May 20, 2018
Subject: Are You Ready To Apply For Affordable Housing?
To: Emily Brown <emilyholiday@gmail.com>

Get Ready to Apply to a Waiting List Applying for affordable housing can be complicated, and these guides have been written to make that process easy to understand. Check your email tomorrow for the latest news on Waiting List Openings. >> Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Guide The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is the most well known and sought after housing program in America. Program participants pay 30% of the household's monthly income towards rent, and the rest is...continue reading here. >> Public Housing Guide The Public Housing program provides affordable rental apartment communities and scattered homes and apartments (known as "scattered sites") that give rental assistance to participants. Called the Total Tenant Payment (TTP), program participants pay either...continue reading here. >> Source of Income Discrimination Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher holders across the country find it difficult finding a suitable rental home. Many of these failed rental searches stem from landlords who have blanket policies against accepting Section 8 voucher holders. In most areas, landlords are...continue reading here. Contact Your Congressperson On February 12, 2018, the Trump Administration released its Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Summary. The White House is proposing an $8.8 billion cut representing a massive 18.3% cut. Take a minute to tell your Congressperson to fully fund America's affordable housing needs by completing the short form here. Your message will go directly to your local Congresspersons. >> Contact Congress Here Affordable Housing Online is not affiliated with any apartment community, public housing authority, or the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). We are a news and information source, and do not manage any affordable housing programs. Follow Us On Social Media Don't forget to join our social media community. Just click on the icons below and Like, Follow, or Subscribe to our social media posts. View in browser Copyright © 2018 ApartmentSmart.com, Inc. and Affordable Housing Online, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email alert because you opted in at AffordableHousingOnline.com, an ApartmentSmart.com site. Affordable Housing Online, 1813 Sweetbay Drive, #9E, Salisbury, MD 21804, United States Update your subscription — Unsubscribe

--

"You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better." - Anne Lamott

YouTube!

Kenmore Hall has a YouTube channel now - go to YouTube and open the Kenmore Confidential channel. 

If you (or anyone you know) wants to share a story or be interviewed, send an email to kenmoreconfidential@gmail.com 

videos about the building...

There's a new YouTube channel called Kenmore Confidential. Videos about the building are being posted on a regular basis. Open YouTube, and type Kenmore Confidential in the search bar. Check it out!

The Sky Is Falling...

On April 11th, maintenance staff at Kenmore Hall started removing the ceiling tiles throughout the lobby. A memo had been posted the evening before informing tenants that part of the lobby would be off-limits during the morning hours on the 11th, 12th and 13th. By Friday the 13th, most of the tiles were gone from the ceiling throughout the lobby, and what's visible in the dropped ceiling area is a nasty, dusty collection of wires and pipes. This mess was left exposed over the weekend.

A similar memo went up referring to a closure for the lobby on Monday, April 16. 

A tenant allegedly saw maintenance workers shaking an assortment of dust and dark dirt loose from the exposed areas - and then the area being swept but not mopped - around 8:15 Monday morning. And we haven't seen any memos about WHY the ceiling tiles have been removed, what kind of work is being done, and when the tiles will be replaced...

But I wonder if the Department of Buildings is aware of the situation. Kenmore Hall still has two active Stop Work Orders in place: one is for electrical work, the other is for plumbing work, and I'm just curious because, you know, there are all those wires hanging out - and what appear to be plumbing pipes...

In late July, 2017, the rear of the Kenmore Hall lobby was modified so that tenants couldn’t use it - a “temporary” shed was erected, allegedly to accommodate tools and equipment needed for modifications to the elevators. According to a memo that was posted on bulletin boards throughout the building at the time, the shed was only going to be up for a week.

As of April 18, 2018, the shed is still blocking off the rear of the lobby, and work on only ONE of the elevators has been completed.

Work is currently underway on a second elevator. Elevator #1 (the one that work has been completed on) is not accessible to tenants; only staff is allowed to use it. This means that - in a building with over 320 units and tenants - only two elevators are available for tenant use. On many days, during business hours, tenants have to make due with just ONE elevator. At other times, the two working elevators often “hang” on one floor or another midway up the building while some inconsiderate tenants hold the doors while they chat with neighbors, or worse yet, put objects like bicycles or bags in the doorway of the elevator to hold the elevator while they purchase loosie cigarettes or drugs from their neighbors.

Obviously, this creates an intolerable situation for other tenants who need access to the elevators. It’s impossible to anticipate how long tenants will have to wait to be able to get to the lobby or the floors they live on. It’s frustrating to be delayed getting to appointments because of this. It becomes a very serious issue if a tenant has called an ambulance due to serious illness and the EMS workers cannot get to them in a timely manner. In addition, the building has many disabled tenants who use wheelchairs; they clearly do not have the option of using the stairs, but when only one elevator is working, this often translates into additional delays for many while the wheelchair user gets to their destination and frees up the elevator (only one or two slim people can get on while the elevator is occupied by a wheelchair user). This is not meant to be a criticism of anyone using a wheelchair, by the way: the elevators are very small.

H.S.I. staff and management hasn’t seen fit to let tenants know how long the situation with the elevators is going to continue. And tenants are expected to continue putting up with paying full rent even though building services have been reduced for an indefinite period of time. Anyone else see a problem here?

Fwd: Kenmore Confidential

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenmore Confidential <kenmoreconfidential@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Apr 17, 2018 at 4:16 PM
Subject: Kenmore Confidential
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com

https://youtu.be/nBxOvsG4U34

Check out Kenny Clown

Fwd: You fought — and you won.

This is a very important issue for tenants across the city (especially since HSI likes to threaten tenants who don't cooperate with trivial bullshit - the "go to" threat is eviction). I'll post any similar announcements for Manhattan events.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IMPACCT Brooklyn <info@impacctbk.org>
Date: Friday, April 13, 2018
Subject: You fought — and you won.
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com

Learn more about your Right to Counsel!

You fought for the right to a free attorney in Housing Court... and you won. Learn more about your new Right to Counsel at a special town hall event! Wednesday, April 18 @ 7 p.m. St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf 260 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY 11225 Food, Childcare, and Translation Provided New York City's new program offering legal free representation for New Yorkers facing eviction is being rolled out by ZIP Codes starting with 11221, 11216, and 11225. RSVP below to find out more! Right To Counsel Town Hall LOCATION 260 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY 11225 DATE AND TIME 04/18/18 7:00pm - 04/18/18 8:00pm I'll be there! Maybe I can't make it In partnership with... Help #KeepHousingFair! Send a message that our communities rely on economic, racial, & cultural diversity to thrive! In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, sign our #KeepHousingFair petition demanding our leaders commit to fully fund programs that prevent housing discrimination and strengthen all members of our communities. Your support helps IMPACCT Brooklyn continue its work in the community. Donate ‌ ‌ ‌

IMPACCT Brooklyn | 1000 Dean Street, Suite 420, Brooklyn, NY 11238 Unsubscribe emilyholiday@gmail.com Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by info@impacctbk.org in collaboration with Try it free today

Having trouble breathing?

Here's a short (less than 5 minute) episode of Kenmore Confidential about air quality inside the building.

It's just a draft... the issue may be revisited later in more depth and with better production quality.

Here's the link: Kenmore Hall's Toxic Air Quality

Kenmore Confidential is launching a series of podcasts and videos this month on YouTube. Here's where to see more:

Kenmore Confidential (click on this link)

Got a story about life in Kenmore Hall that you'd like to share with the public? Got a beef with H.S.I.? Can you document / show proof that what you're talking about is true? Kenmore Confidential is recruiting tenants to participate - and help change the lousy conditions in the building.

Contact them by email at kenmoreconfidential@gmail.com.

MOLD

Tenants have been expressing concern about mold in the building again lately. I've posted plenty of information about mold over the years (all you have to do is scroll down through the blog to find it) - but here's a handy shortcut: here's a list of the molds you need to be worried about. 'Just so you know, mold is everywhere in our environment, and many of them are harmless - or even beneficial (we wouldn't have wine, yogurt, cheese or even penicillin if it weren't for mold, ok?) The molds listed below can cause a wide range of symptoms that can become BIG problems if left untreated, though:

• Stachybotrys
• Penicillium (not penicillin)
• Aspergillus
• Alternaria
• Cladosporium
• Helminthosporium
• Epicoccum
• Mucor

Get tested by an allergist for this group of molds. It's a start toward seeing how sensitive you are to them. Some people have said that they want to see a toxicologist about this, and that may be the way to go, but my hunch is that it's going to be very difficult to get an appointment with a toxicologist right off the bat, especially if you're working with Medicaid or Medicare - but if you see an allergist first, and get an allergy panel done, that's a step toward getting a REFERRAL. 

You can go online and find recommendations of local allergists using ZocDoc or a similar website, or ask your insurance carrier about who's in your networik. Here's on allergist who's pretty good:

Dr. Mary Lee Wong

Beth Israel Medical Center, Allergy and Immunology Department, Office 3F, 

10 Union Square East New York, NY 10003

212-420-4013     212-844-8108  

Of course, getting treated for mold poisoning is going to be fairly futile unless you're also able to get the mold cleaned out of your immediate environment, because of the issue of being constantly exposed to the mold. Look into getting your "apartment" tested for mold as a first step. Getting it cleaned out is going to be challenging because H.S.I. doesn't take this issue seriously. However, that may have to change dramatically in the near future because of this;

The New York City Council recently voted to pass the Asthma-Free Housing Act (Intro385C), a bill that allows renters to live safely in homes free of mold, pests, and indoor health hazards. Councilwoman Rosie Mendez (D-2) worked for ten years alongside advocates, including New York Lawyers for the Public Interest as part of the Coalition for Asthma Free Housing, to pass the bill that mandates landlords clean up dangerous asthma triggers inside city apartments. 

   

The Asthma-Free Housing Act (Intro 385C) requires New York City landlords to annually inspect and correct indoor allergen hazards, including mold, pests, and underlying symptoms that may cause hazardous conditions, such as water leaks and pest entryways (holes and cracks), in the homes of residents diagnosed with asthma, COPD, or lung cancer.