Elizabeth: This sounds like a wonderful idea to me. I told John Brian that my mother went through this a couple of years ago and she ended up relocating and it was traumatic for her. Matthea --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I received your lengthy letter in regard to the > Cedar Riverside apartments. It certainly > sounds like a horrendous situation. I feel for > you all! > > I was wondering if you have contacted the > Minneapolis Tenants' Union and Legal Aid and/or > some of the Somali protection services. Also, > would Disability Rights Law Center be > applicable here? > > Here at Horn Terrace we have had some problems > with our new (2001) lease and have had some > heated discussions and a mass meeting with the > housing board of our landlord, MPHA. But our > problems are minuscule as compared to yours. > > In my opinion, you need to draw out all the > guns and publicize your predicament in the > media. Columnist Grow of the Star Trib might > be a good place to start. > City Pages might be interested in running a > feature. > Cable TV runs all kinds of notices gratis on > their community programs if you follow the > correct format. > What about WCCO and the anchor team? Get your > residents on local talk shows on TV and radio. > Call the governor's office and complain. You > don't have to mention how you voted in the last > election! > > Hope this helps. > > > > > On Fri, 17 November 2000, John Brian Becker > wrote: > > > > > Dear activists, advocates, and other folks, > > > > First off I apologize for crossposts > (multiple messages, but this is urgent). > > > > This email is in regards to a tenant meeting > that was held two nights ago (November 15, > 2000) in Riverside > > Plaza, located in the Cedar Riverside > Neighborhood of Minneapolis. This meeting was > organized in response to > > the fact that many residents in the Riverside > Plaza buildings (formerly Cedar Square West) > have recently > > received a “notice of lease non-renewal.” > > > > Residents were informed via letter that we > will no longer have housing as of January 1, > 2001 and that > > management “WILL BE CHANGING THE LOCK ON YOUR > APARTMENT SOMETIME AFTER MIDNIGHT.” [all caps > theirs] There were > > no reasons sighted on many (all?) of the > letters. This has created a climate of fear, > especially in the > > immigrant community, because even if you live > in an apartment that did not receive such a > letter, you know > > people who did... and who will be next? The > residents met to express their fears. > > > > Approximately 120 people came to the meeting, > predominantly Somali residents of the Riverside > Plaza. I was both > > encouraged and dismayed by the number of > people that came to say that they were being > affected by what is > > happening. Some non-residents also came > because they received notice about it over > progressive email > > listserves. > > > > Executive Director of the Riverside Plaza > Tenants Association, Abdi Mohamed, opened the > meeting. He said that > > the meeting was for residents to express what > was happening to them, and to try to find help. > Abdi informed us > > that he had set up a meeting with the owners > of the building, (Riverside Plaza Limited > Partnership) and > > property manager (Larry Mitchell) for the day > before our residents meeting, but it had been > canceled because > > the property manager said he was too busy. > > > > During the residents’ meeting we heard from > many residents who had received letters from > the management, which > > state that their lease will not be renewed, > the locks will be changed, and they must be out > of their homes by > > midnight on December 31, 2000 (At least one > resident’s letter required that he be out by > November 30). Many had > > brought copies of these documents as well. > > > > Residents also talked about the general > difficulties they have had in dealing with the > management. Residents > > spoke about the elevators in a 20+ floor > building being broken often and for up to two > entire days the disabled > > residents had it especially difficult, and > some had to find different places to sleep as > they could not return > > up the many flights of stairs to their > apartments). People spoke about the lack of > maintenance, such as the > > coin-op laundry rooms that often have few > working washers and dryers. A Somali man spoke > about his windows not > > getting repaired after repeatedly requesting > maintenance, which caused illness in children > as weather > > conditions became colder. There was a > consensus that there have been many > long-standing problems with the > > management. It was noted that security people > answer when calls are made to the management. > (Why does security > > answer calls to management?) and residents > complained about security hanging up on them, > not attempting to > > understand their limited English, and being > generally rude and intimidating. Repeated calls > to maintenance > > usually are received by voice mail that > infrequently spurs repairs. > > > > Other information shared at the meeting is > that the Riverside Plaza Limited Partnership is > the owner of the > > building, and the buildings are managed by > Sherman-Boosalis CORP, specifically by property > manager Larry > > Mitchell. The partnership that owns the > buildings may include a not for profit > corporation or There are 1303 > > units in the buildings, making this the most > densely populated area in the Twin Cities. > > > > Dialog took place in Somali and in English. > Many residents have no where else to go, and > are troubled about the > > prospect of having to leave our neighborhood > where they have been able to practice their > culture and take > > comfort in having a community of support. The > residents and the tenants’ association > director, ask for outside > > help. The people at the meeting were asked to > return in two weeks with more information and > legal information. > > > > What can you do to help? Call Joan Campbell, > your Minneapolis City Council person, the > Mayor, and any other > > people that may be able to help and ask them > to get involved. Tell them that you are > concerned about the > > situation and that it deserves his or her > attention. Can you imagine the tragedy of > families put out of their > > homes in the middle of the winter on New > Years Day? Unless we create some political will > here, this will > > happen. Pass this on to anyone you think may > care. > > > > Another meeting is planned for Wednesday > November 29 at 5pm in the McKnight Room of the > McKnight Building > > located at 1615 S. 4th St. in Minneapolis. If > you have compassion, legal knowledge, housing > expertise, and/or > > organizing skills you are requested to come > and help. > > > > Below is attached information on the owners > and management company. Additionally contact > information for the > > City Council is included. For more > information, you can contact Abdi Mohamed at > the Riverside Plaza Tenants > > Association (612) 338-4192 or if you are > unable to reach him, you may call me, John > Brian Becker at (612) 626 > > 0858 (work #). > > > === message truncated === ===== Matthea Little Smith,DFL Affirmative Action Officer Cell and Voice Mail: 612-919-5517 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays! http://calendar.yahoo.com/
