Okay, you're facing some issues where you feel as though you want someone to represent you, right? You're in a place that's an uninhabitable environment, and you're life has become turned upside down? Is that right?
Well, you're on the right track trying to keep it all together ( and please do - as a lot of people are being hurt right now ) - because when people are out to damage you and your reputation, you're going to be up against a lot of things. The people harassing you or attacking you know who they are, and they should feel bad about the ways they are willing to treat you, and will continue to treat you if you let them! Stand up for yourselves and fight! No matter if your voice shakes! Do what you feel is right, no matter what that right thing is, and if you feel it in your gut - you had better run with that thing because no one in this world cares for you to get your voices and stories heard, or get you any kind of representation as badly as you do, because you're disenfranchised and you're simply being hurt by what seems like tyranny - where you're calling out for your systems and these outlets for one character that cares that these places are actually hurting you - and it seems as though giving up is the only thing that you've got left to do - but PLEASE FIGHT! Fight for yourselves! Fight for these people who's concern you could share with their own concerns.
Just please don't give up the fight. Fight for your rights, and fight for your lives! These people want to hurt people and continue to make money on the backs of the bruise - and they will too - if you all continue to let them!
You want an inspection. You call building code, email building code and trying to get someone competent to come in and take a look at the issues that are protruding into the environments here. From my findings, these issues that are building-code and environment issues aren't being addressed properly by the city or your county where you live. Instead you're being placed into a fiction of care where you're being told, "I'm sorry, we don't have an inspector for Mounds-View right now, and we are looking for third party inspectors to come in the mean-time of finding one." And, to me - this is just not good enough. What are people supposed to do?
Just keep on dealing with issues that aren't caused by their character, but the place? If I was the owner of this place, I'd be making sure these holes were covered, and I'd make sure to get a proper inspection to see to it that people weren't living with these issues we have been.
When I call - I get a run-around with how they don't have anyone in the city I live in, nonetheless there is building code in your city and you should ask for that by name. The PDF file that shows all their codes and definitions so that you can see them first hand. You should also read through, "Landlord and Tenant: Rights and Responsibilities" and make sure to write everything down that you feel affect you. These things are important for your own knowledge about these matters. Furthermore, when you're dealing with issues that you know are happening to you based on the conditions you're living in - you should know you have rights - and you should press to secure those rights in court. Don't settle for these conditions when you know what you've been moved into is wrong and how you've been allowed to move into these conditions having no inspector ever come out to see the conditions as they are before moving more people into these kinds of places.
Here is an Example of Code from the city of Mounds-view: http://www.ci.mounds-view.mn.us/vertical/sites/%7B9DACB450-86B3-4304-946D-6016EF70E9E3%7D/uploads/1000_-_Building_and_Development_Regs.pdf
Please don't ever let someone else move into the apartments where you lived knowing that other people are going to find the same kinds of things happening to them. It's sickening to know how many people can become affected without anyone ever getting any kind of legal actions taken where their lives are being subject and places through treatments that are cagey at best and don't feel like you're living a life - or even able to. It feels more like you're in a prison where you can't get out of, and the people all around you don't seem to care. It's just maddening and quite sad what people are facing through living in these kinds of developments. Though everyone might not feel the same ways, and just want to have a place to raise their families - other people in your same buildings could be going through hell right now due to unstoppable vermin and other pests that are now causing you to lack concentration, and can even cause you to lack sleep - start having nightmares and not be able to eat properly. It's hard to stomach much anything when you feel like throwing up.
Worse yet, when calling for an inspector and these people seem like they are just a tight-knit little crime family - who knows - when it feels as though you're going insane based on never being able to sleep, and always having vermin crawling around - it's not as if after the fact people can just go live natural lives. 12 mice caught alone last year, and ever since then we've been dealing with lice and other bugs like dust mites, ants, beetles and other unknown bugs; like I've said it's just gross here. It's just so hard to contain when you feel you know it's coming from the lack of building being up to code - and it's causing health issues, it's enough to call quits already with doing business with these people.
"There simply should be a city inspector you can call. But, calling the inspector is a bit like calling the cops where both have a little bit of discretion as to when they act in matters. It might help to call your city council member to put pressure on the inspector if the inspector is shirking her duties?"
Here is a link to Moundsview Council online; http://www.ci.mounds-view.mn.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B345B54E7-C988-4D6B-8DEF-1165B3F16ADB%7D
Inspector or not, one way to go is with the Rent Escrow procedure which does not require the inspectors involvement. Although you're looking for an inspector to get involved, it doesn't matter to me how I can stop doing business and further speedy up an angering eviction process - I'm needing an inspector to come out to see that these conditions are not being maintained or being kept in good habitable conditions for some of the people here.
This is a patched up hole underneath the heater in our kitchen where you can see where a hole was before I had to cover it with steel-wool and drywall as I know it's hard to chew through for the mice. I've contacted the building management about the issue but nothing is done to fix anything. And, instead of getting anyone to care - I get sequestered care with how it comes to helping us with the issues that have taken over our lives. Our livelihoods are being placed on hold - and that's just okay - right?
Copied from city-code: 1005.02
Subdivision 2 states in section 101.2 "Legislative Findings: The City Council finds that the existence of dwellings which are substandard in one (1) or more important features of structure, equipment, maintenance or occupancy adversely affect public health and safety and lead to the continuation, extension and aggravation of urban blight. Adequate protection of public health, safety and welfare therefore requires the establishment and enforcement of minimum housing standards."
Is this urban blight? I really don't know?
In subdivision 3 it sates in section 101.3 "Intent and Purpose: Every portion of a building or premises used or intended to be used for residential purposes shall comply with the provisions of this Code, irrespective of when such building was constructed. "
Subdivision 9 states in Section 106.3 "Violation and Penalties: Any violation of any provision of this Code shall constitute a misdemeanor. Each day the structure is in violation of this Code shall be deemed a separate offense. In addition to the punishment specified in this Section, the City may enforce this Code by an appropriate form of civil action and may enjoin violation of this Code and compel obedience thereto by mandatory orders and writs and cause the abatement of everything existing in violation thereof and cause the premises to be vacated, if occupied in violation thereof, and to remain vacant until the court shall find that the violation has ceased, and for these purposes, any court of competent jurisdiction may render, enter, make and issue any and every appropriate judgment, decree, writ and order and cause the same to be executed."
Subd. 12 states in Section 106.5 "Execution of Compliance Orders by Public Authority: Upon failure to comply with a compliance order within the time set therein (and no appeal having been taken), or upon failure to comply with a modified compliance order within the time set therein, the criminal penalty established hereunder notwithstanding, the City Council, after due notice to the owner, may by resolution cause the cited deficiency to be remedied as set forth in the compliance order. The cost of such remedy is a lien against the subject real estate. Such a lien may be levied and collected as a special assessment in the manner provided by Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 429, as amended. It may be levied for any of the reasons set forth in Minnesota Statutes, Section 429.101, subdivision 1, and specifically for the removal or elimination of public health or safety hazards from private property. It is the intent of this Section to authorize the City to utilize all of the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Section 429.101 to promote the public health, safety and general welfare."
And you can see this guy was still kicking - I can't stand mice! But, here - they live rent free and cause you to live in hell.
Subd. 14 Section 109.2 states "Notwithstanding other provisions of this Code, whenever, in the opinion of the Code Official, there is imminent danger due to an unsafe condition, the Code Official may order the necessary corrective actions to be completed without following the procedures required in Section 107. A good faith effort shall be made to inform the owner, the owner’s agent or the occupant that the action is being taken."
The fact is, is these kinds of bugs are all the time:
Subd. 15 Section 109.2.1 states "After the corrective action has been taken the costs of such action have been determined, the Code Official shall serve the owner, the owner’s agent or the occupant with a notice of the action, which shall contain a description of the emergency circumstances; the corrective action taken by the City; the cost incurred in correcting the emergency; the City’s intent to assess some or all of the costs against the corrected property; and a statement that the owner, the owner’s agent or the occupant may request a hearing with the City Council to review the Code Official’s actions and the possible assessment of costs. The request for hearing shall be in writing and submitted to the City Administrator within ten (10) working days of the date of the notice."
Subd. 16 Section 109.5 states "Costs of Summary Abatement: The cost of the corrective actions associated with the Summary Abatement is a lien against the subject real estate. Such a lien may be levied and collected as a special assessment in the manner provided by Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 429, as amended. It may be levied for any of the reasons set forth in Minnesota Statutes, Section 429.101, subdivision 1 and specifically for the removal or elimination of public health or safety hazards from private property. It is the intent of this Section to authorize the City to utilize all of the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Section 429.101 to promote the public health, safety and general welfare."
These are health and safety concerns where your welfare is not being cared about.
Water intrusion to water damage to black mold, it's all here.
These are pictures of more water damage and a lot of the water was just left for us to clean - and nothing was ever done to discover where the water is coming from - or do anything more beyond just leaving us in these kinds of conditions in hopes to getting no legal action ever started. With the concerns that we have - it's enough to press for these concerns.
Subd. 20 Section 202 States in General Definitions (b.) "Imminent Danger: A condition which could cause serious or life-threatening injury or death. Including but not limited to; heating systems that have damaged heat exchangers; rusted or plugged flues; inadequate venting; lack of temperature or pressure relief valves. Electrical systems that have damaged or deteriorated equipment; utilize the improper use of extension cords. Plumbing systems that are unsanitary due to leaking waste systems; cross connection of potable water supply; lack of adequate water supply. Walls, ceilings, roofs, foundations, and floor systems that will not safely carry imposed loads. Refuse, garbage, human waste, dead vermin or other animals, animal waste, or other materials causing unsanitary conditions. Infestation of rats, insects, or other vermin."
[BANG!] And, there it is. There you have it. There is the code itself that you are living in unsafe living conditions - so now you know that it's imminent danger according to "these codes."
The fact is that these things wrap around this building, and get into the building and even notifying these people about the holes and the mole holes - they don't do any maintenance for you to get a quality and safe living condition - instead of giving you a very unstable and unhealthy living condition, and if you don't press for your safety - other peoples are going to be moved into these places without their safety in mind as well. It's enough to make sure that you aren't going to go crazy in the event because you have to stand up to the people who are allowing you to live with these conditions. If you're unable to sleep because of issues like I've had to deal with - you'd want to press for your concerns as well, and meet them up with fact information for people to see where you are being left into vulnerable places where nothing is being done about the issues that are happening, and when you're calling around daily for help, and it's seeming bare. You give up, and you cave in and while these things are also happening around you, it's hard to even type up a message like this one while it feels like you are detrimental with bugs crawling all over your skin.
And, because of these issues my mom has been going in and out of the hospital. I'm concerned for the safety of the people here while this thing is not being investigated even where I have proof in the matters. It's truly enough to get under your skin - maybe even literally for all I know.
Here is black mold in my bedroom - causing me to feel as though I can't breathe!
It truly sucks! I just want to sleep, and I can't find a small tiny spot in my place where I can sleep, or crawl and die at, because it feels like wishing to die. It feels so bad, and so horrible that I don't feel it's appropriate to want to talk about, but I've been hacked - I was scared that if I didn't make this public that I would have to fear more for my life then I already am. I just wanted these abuses to end, and I was out to find the people to make that happen - and it was leaving me in urban blight, hopeless and looking for a way out! I have nowhere to go! I just want to fall asleep - and really sleep, not just sleep for 20 minutes at a time, or even a few hours if I'm lucky. But, what I fear - are there are bugs crawling in and out of me while I sleep as I've felt them jump in my ears and crawl in places you don't want to know about.
Either way, I've been abstinent and I keep myself clean because I can't stand this place, I've shaved my head and my whole body because of these concerns - so I'm really concerned when I feel I've caught a communicable disease from living at this place as well as the lice, and these adult bugs that are everywhere. Not to mention that when you have black mold and are allergic to black mold - it can feel as though bugs are jumping all over your skin - when really it's these stachybotrys that are coming from the black molds behind your walls that can make you feel as though you're being attacked. So what do you do when it's both, and you're not able to get a building inspector to come out to your place even though you could die in it? Allergic to black mold? You don't want to move into these kinds of dangerous places, because everything can seem fine for awhile before these things will start to affect your breathing and your every-day life.
More from Building Code:
"1012.01: PURPOSE AND INTENT: It is the purpose of this Chapter to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the community at large and the residents of rental dwellings in the City of Mounds View and to ensure that rental housing in the City is decent, safe and sanitary and is so operated and maintained as not to become a nuisance to the neighborhood or to become an influence that fosters blight and deterioration or creates a disincentive to reinvestment in the community. The operation of rental residential properties is a business enterprise that entails certain responsibilities. Operators are responsible to take such reasonable steps as are necessary to ensure that the citizens of the City who occupy such units may pursue the quiet enjoyment of the normal activities of life in surroundings that are: safe, secure and sanitary; free from noise, nuisances or annoyances; and free from unreasonable fears about safety of persons and security of property."
1012.03 (c.) 10 states, "Every applicant, whether an individual, partnership, or corporation, shall identify in the application the residence or business street address, telephone number, and date of birth, of a natural person who is actively involved in, and responsible for, the maintenance and management of the premises. Said natural person shall, if other than the owner, shall accept joint and several responsibility with the owner, including any potential criminal, civil, or administrative liability, for the maintenance and management of the premises."
Subd. 4 (a.) states, "The license shall state that the rental dwelling has been inspected and complies with the requirements of this Chapter and Title 1000, Chapter 1005, Housing Code. Additionally, the license shall contain contact information for maintenance and management requests and a statement that tenants of the rental dwelling may contact the attorney general for information regarding the rights and obligations of the owners and tenants under state law. The statement shall include the telephone number and address of the attorney general."
(b.) states, "The following minimum standards and conditions shall be met in order to hold a rental dwelling license under this Chapter. Failure to comply with any of these standards and conditions shall be adequate grounds for the denial, refusal to renew, revocation, or suspension of a rental dwelling license."
The fact is that there has been vermin, and nothing being done about it. They say, who are you going to find to care? I say anyone! I'm going to find anyone that cares about the kinds of things that I've been allowed to live in. This is absurd!