Slum

The place I'm working at as a rental agent is the shittiest apartment complex I've ever seen! This isn't actually it (pictured), but even online the picture was probably taken 2 decades ago, so it doesn't capture the derelict state of the complex today.

When I interviewed, I had to go to another complex in Highland Park. The complex where the main office is located was kinda on the shitty side. But I figued they'd be the typical 70s brick garden apartments which genrally have cheaper rents for people who need them. Shit, my rent is cheaper and my apartment is in much better condition. I just dont like my kitchen.

When I met with the owner, a hasidic jew named Ari, he made it sound like the complex was so nice and that we'd be rented out by the end of June. My job was to sit in the office and try get the place rented. No prob. Its the Jersey shore. Its summer. The place should sell it self. I'm not doing sales, so I really don't have to get out there and pimp the place but I have to get people to fill out applications.

On my first day (my first time seeing the complex), I drove up and was like "oh............" They WERE 70s looking garden apartments but were not maintained AT ALL! There were shutters that were rotted, moldy and falling off the building, gutters hanging off, cracked cement stairs, broken doors, weeds all over the place, crap like lawn furniture and decorations out in the grass in frontn of the apt (usually not allowed in the front of apts!) . I knew right away it was gonna be hard to rent a place like this.........unless it was to white trash or something. So ok, maybe I can get some white trash to fill out applications then.

A week after I started, I started heariing other tenants complaing to me. I had to write an introductory letter, I had no computer, printer, fax for a week - and I sitll have no internet! I'm on stolen wifi)to introduce myself to the tenants. I walked around at 5:15 to distribute them. Thinking 15 min was enough time so I could leave at 5:30. As went up to the doors to put the letters in the mailboxes, people stopped me to complain. They said the complex was falling apart. They showed me things in their houses, on their porches and stairs and balconies. At 6:30 I was done (its a small complex) and although I made a little extra money that day, I felt bad for these people! The company I'm temping for recently bought this property because the original owners died. I have heard that ever since this company took over, it's been horrible and no repairs are being made.

The super and other tenants told me that ceilings have fallen down, bathrooms have mold in them, there are ants, roaches, the windows are cheap and the place has been robbed several times. The windows look thin, and probably are the originals. The air conditioners too look like the originals and alot of tenants are complaining the ACs are broken. THe people here take their sweet time to order new ones. The super sleeps til 11 everyday and the maintence man,from the caribbean works his ass off doing hard labor for $10/hr! He's thinking of quitting! He should!

The whole complex is crumbling and one guy can't do everything. This place is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I woiuldn't want to live here! People are moving out like crazy, and of all the people who've seen the place, noone wants to fill out an application!

The Jew owner makes it seem like its my fault. I'm not a sales person. If I was getting commission (i e - MORE MONEY) I'd try harder but since I'm not, and I'm just an hourly temp, I don't. Plus, this isn't someplace you buy. You rent here. And as another tenant told me, it does not attract the market they want it to. It attracts mostly white trash and the elderly who live on low Social Security incomes.

Everyone who comes comments on the condition of the property. One guy who came yesterday said the balcony looked like it was gonna crumble. He said "You go out on the balcony first." I refused to go. I think by my refusal he knew something was up. No way in hell am I going on a rotted wood 1970s balcony when I have no health insurance! I have enough medical debt due to routine shit and stress related problems, thank you! Don't need any more! Noone seems to be suing. I'd defintely sue tho'. They have those lawyers that help unemployed people. Maybe my dad could sue. He has money. My dad sues everybody. Thats probably why he has so much $.

To welcome you into this lovely establishment, there is a mattress and box spring on the grass outside the development that someone dumped there. Noone has picked it up. The super says the garbage truck is supposed to pick it up. It hasn't. Bulk pick up is Wednesday and it's been there since last MONDAY! The garbage area, instead of a nice little dumpster with a fence , is an open dumptser with lots of little garbage cans next to it stuffed to capacity with SHIT, old tvs,beer bottles, furniture, toys, clothes, and they tip over and look a mess. . There is a sewage leak coming out of one of the apts which leaks into the parking lot forming a puddle of green sludge, and weeds growing in the cracks in the concrete. Peoples' mismatched lawn furniture is outside, along with grills, old phone books and storage bins.

I wouldn't want to live here. Its on the water (the shrewsbury river) and if this place were nicer,it could be a nice place to live. But its a health hazard! I have not had one application since I've been here. People come here and run. And its hard to make excuses for the poor state of this complex. I dont know if that means i'll get the ax after my vacation or not. I may just cuz they might need someone here period and they'll end my assign and send another temp.

I dont mind working here cuz its easy money and I watch dvds all day and get online when I can pick up the neighbors' wifi. But it gives me money to have a social life. On my UE alone I was really struggling and it's so hard to get by on that. This gives me a safety net and a source of happiness that I can be 'normal' for a while.

I just can't believe the condition of this place, and how noone is doing anything about it. They're threatening to kick residents out early if the dont sign the new lease (which arrived 3 mo prior to their renewal date). They have 15 days to sign a new lease. I think maybe they want as many people out as possible so they can maybe renovate? Not sure. Kinda hard when the one guy doing the renovating is threatening to quit, and the guy is too cheap to hire proper contractors to do it.

Homeboy gon' get sued right up the kosha kiester!

*shakes head*

P.s - once again I dont' know why this is all run together in one paragraph. I spaced it out and edited to re-space it but nothing worked =( . I dont know why this happens.