Okay girls, this really isnt a parenting question at all but I'm hoping a few of you will share your ideas since this is part of my job and I'm stressing about it.
I manage a low income apartment complex. It's a nice place and we are supposed to keep it nice. We dont want it to be like the stereo typical gross projects that people relate to low income housing.
Anyway, each year we have to go into each apartment to see the condition and make sure things are working and the place isnt being abused.
Some of my tenants have so much "stuff" in their little aparments that you can barely move through them. Our management company wants us to let these people know that they cant have all this stuff because if something were to happen to them and we have to bear the cost of having it all moved out, well it's astronomical. I had a hoarder last year, its cost 8,000 bucks to fix that apratment. The tenants Im worried about now arent really messy hoarders, more like neat hoarders. One guy collects river rock, there is tons of rock in his livingroom, it looks all nice, but omg if we had to move it all out ourselves it would be horrible.
Anyway, I need to keep my management company satisified but I hate telling people what to do in their own homes. I really love most of my tenants but some of them are pretty illegal inspection wise. How can I not piss them off but also show my boss that I'm doing what I can to keep the place the way they want it?
Me and hub are so stressed with this right now, I need a new line of work, or at least an easier property to manage. If anyone knows anyone that wants a sweet, mature couple to manage a building for them let me know.
Wow! I didnt expect so many answers from such an "off topic" question! You guys rock! I feel a little more empowered. I'm gonna look up free space guidelines per fire inspector code and use that as my base. One mans clutter is another mans mess, so it's hard for me to distinguish between the two in some of the apartments. Some take your breath away, they look like museums, but I just know the apartment can't breathe due to it. Thanks girls!
Just a Thought - Know any one on the Fire Department? Get them involved. Have the inspector come by and check things out ...... There are Rules/Laws to be followed!!! SO it would be coming from the FD NOT you and hub ~ that way its off your shoulders ..... let them be pissed at the FD and not you. Good Luck :-) xoxoxo
Is it all in writing somewhere and did the tenants have to sign an agreement when they moved in? If so...then I would treat them just like someone living in a luxury high rise apartment in downtown NYC who is violating the rules!!! Just because it is low income housing doesn't mean they can't understand the rules and can't be expected to abide by them.
That being said...I would make your "boss" the bad guy..."Mr and Mrs. XYZ this isn't anything personal and I understand that all of these things have importance to you but I am between a rock and a hard place here". Then go on to explain where and how they are violating the "bosses rules' and give them a time parameter of when you will have to come back to reinspect to see if they have gotten themselves into compliance. Tell them that if they don't then you are going to have to ask them to move and that is the LAST thing that you want to do!!
Just roll all of the negatives onto the bosses broad shoulders...then you get your job done and still mainstain a civil relationship with the tenants.
Good luck...it is a sticky situation
Ah! The middle management position, don't ya love it?
Just Xerox copies of the rules, schedule a tour by a fire inspector, compose a list of items for compliance for each apartment and then follow up.
You can still be nice about it, but you're there to do a job, not to be best buds with every tenant. (That's what we're here for, right? LOL)
Having lived in low income housing I understand how hard it is to have someone come in and say "I don't like your stuff get rid of it". I understand from your point of veiw that you hae to meet certain criteria. I believe that your HUD inspector might be a good person to give you guidelines here.
I have a good friend who is LDS and she has her years supply of food. She only gets about $15 a month in food stamps and lives on less than $600 a month. Because she does this food storage she is self sufficient. Her food is in boxes, on shelves, very orderly, well kept, etc...she is constantly hassled by her inspector and they have guidelines about what percentage of the walls have to be free from debris and pictures, any number of odd little things like that but it helps them in their job.
My friend told them she is practicing her religion and if they want to take on the LDS church them come on...she is feisty. I guess my point is that there is somewhere, in regulations of one agency or another that specifically lays it all out and when it's in black and white. To me when people have something they can look at and see the regulation there is less personalization and therefore less issues with cleaning up their act.
For the man with the river rock collection, I hope he is not on the second floor. I would hate to see the floor give way and you may want to tell him that.
Perhaps each hall should have 3' walking space, all doors must open completely, bedrooms should have a clear path to the bed with 7' open space surrounding the bed. The kitchen table should have four sides of open space at 2.5' or if pushed against the wall 10' SF surrounding the table. Otherwise, it does sound like a fire hazard. Maybe you can inquire with your local fire department, they see those messes more frequently and are aware of the hazards. They can also give you an idea of flammable products that should not be kept in an apartment. They may even come in and give a demo for you if you have a clubhouse.
I think this is a problem in this bad economy. People find the need to cling on to what they have whether it fits in their home or not, out of feeling like they are losing everything else.
Glad to hear you are keeping it clean.
Oh that is a sticky situation for sure!! I say being direct and kind is your best bet! You can go and say how you are in a bind bc your boss is breathing down you neck about making sure tenants have safe living spaces and they would be helping you out so much to clear some of the clutter. You know make your boss the bad guy, you are the nice one needing the "help" of the tenant. If you make it like you really care about them, which you do!, and want to make sure they never have to be evicted and need their help to make sure you are doing your job, it will go better I think. I think you will have to just do it one on one, and case by case and give each one the exact parameters of what they need to clean up in their homes. The fact is, it isn't their own home, it is a rented property and you are the one holding the bag at the end of the day. Of course you want to give people as much autonomy as possible but when you also have a key that means you also have a say. Don't feel bad!! You are doing a great thing managing a place for people with lesser means to live and you have a right to ask that the property be kept neat. Good luck!!!
Well, they will have to give you some parameters, because one persons too much stuff, is another persons just right.
The rock, if it is huge chunks of rock, maybe you can make him a little rock garden outside, tell him he is no longer allowed large rocks in the apartment - it is not your rule, it is management rule.
If they won't give you parameters then you will have to draw up your own, such as you need 80% at least of clear floor in each room. put it in writing and give a list of rules to each tenant
Wow, I didn't know apt complexes could tell you how much of one thing you can have! I guess when you don't pay much for your apt, you can afford to go buy more "collectibles", lol.
Just be honest with them and let them know during inspection some apts need improvement and here is a list of our rules we gave you when you moved in. We will be back in x amount of time to do another inspection. Thank you for your matter in this.
You could try organizing a "community" garage sale! Pick a date 1 month out from now so they have time to sort and get things ready. Advertise in as many papers/craigslist/street corners, etc so you get maximum attendance (=more junk gone!).
Make it a garage sale contest - the one who makes the most money that day gets a prize (free maid service, cash, or whatever you think they need/want). Or if you can think of a more creative way to get a winner that would be more fair - like a ticket for every item sold, then a ticket drawing at the end of the day. Bonus tickets if you donate the rest of the stuff that you didn't sell - and as for donate, get your truck ready and have everyone load up all the leftovers and do a group donation.
If you don't want to splurge for a prize you might be able to have a maid service or a grocery store donate a gift card if you advertise for them at the sale! Cash prizes are always a huge motivator - if you can afford to do it, is $100 worth your sanity and keeping everyone happy? Plus if you do the group donation you can take the tax deduction.
Make it a party too! Have refreshments, snacks, if it's nice get out the grill and make burgers/dogs (let the tenants eat free but ask for donations from the garage sale shoppers - can't sell food without a permit - so it must be donations). Nice reward for the tenants for participating.
If you have the time, offer to help anyone out that needs help sorting things. Sometimes it just takes someone else to help one see the value in their things. (have you ever watched those organizing shows on TV? if you aren't using it or displaying it - it goes)
There you have it - junk GONE!
Good luck to you!
Hmmm, the only thing I can suggest is to print up a list of rules (which I'm sure you already have and they were given upon moving in) and regulations handed down NOT from you -but from the property company -that states and gives examples regarding "clutter" or large amounts of items in apartments. You may even want to mention "collections" or "groups" of items and substitute something for what you've actually seen (like old glass bottles instead of river rock). You are in a tough situation, but at least the memo would serve as a reminder to all tenants, and it would go to everyone. Ask the management company if you can include something on the memo like, "Apartments found not to be in compliance with open access to switch plates and electrical outlets or that are too cluttered to maneuver in easily will be (and they can choose options -fined, given one month's notice to comply; if after one month there's no compliance they're evicted, etc.)." Good luck!
This is HARD. I live with two people that could have hoarder tendancies. With a family of 6 and a daycare, one member being an art enthusiast, one being older and both of them liking nick nacks... Add the daycare furniture, toys, and furniture covering every single inch of wall space, then add exercise furniture, closets that are over flowing... It would be very difficult for someone to empty our place.
I just don't know. If the places are kept neat, not covered in papers, extension cords everwhere presenting fire hazards... I'm not sure that your complex has the right to give mandates like this.
Take the rock. If it's kept neat and it's not dirty pieces that are somehow ruining the carpets, then it's really not their place to worry about what happens if they die. I think you need to check with a lawyer and findout what's legal and what isn't.
I'm not sure why I hadn't seen your question before now, and even tho I am a bit late responding I am going to anyway. First off I think your very first response from Lisa C is wonderful! What great ideas for a fun way to get these people to clean up their act, and make it a party for the whole town! I'd want to go to that garage sale and buy food and tickets and win a prize too! I also think bringing in the fire inspector to each apartment is a good idea. We all need that done to keep us in line. Other businesses such as resturants, daycares, grocery stores, and a lot of others have to be inspected every year or more, and I am all for keeping things at a good safe level. I would love to see a nice big meeting of tenants to hear a friendly lecture on hoarding, from a professional, and how to tell if you are one, and suggestions on how to get out of that rut, and then have the garage sale so they are motovated first and then given the chance to get in and clean out what they can. I have actually organized street sales with several neighbors and when I first mention it, they all jump at the chance to get rid of junk, and it usually turns out to be a fun day and we all have less in our garages and some cash in our pockets when done. win win!!!
