MRHA 8: The R is for RETALIATION

People were worried about Ben Carson becoming the Director of HUD (Housing and Urban Development) but it's the snakes that are already working in the housing business that you should be concerned about. Over the past two weeks, I received calls from individuals that were able to give me very specific details about the issues I'm having with management at Pecan Ridge, a MRHA 8 property. They were able to give me details about letters that were faxed to the main office in Gulfport, MS, they knew what information I submitted was accepted and/or rejected, they knew about the exact amounts of the rent I was charged and the adjustments that were made. Now how did this information get out of the office and became water cooler talk at city hall and beyond? I know I didn't discuss the matter with anyone but somehow people know exact details that were sent via fax or mailed directly to the office in Gulfport. Maybe the information was left on the fax machine and someone saw a copy of my correspondences? Good theory but my fax machine is on a desk in my room. So that's not going to wash. There's no doubt in my mind that my personal/private information is being disseminated by employees of MRHA 8. The leading suspects are LaTonya Hoye and LeeAnn Jones-Ulmer. Did I tell you that I not only received calls about my personal information but I was also told that the site manager, LaTonya Hoye also discussed my information with Ben Winston. For some reason, he's very interested in my housing situation. However, I don't think Hoye is the only culprit. I think Winston is also getting a lot of information from Jones-Ulmer. Just so you will know what's going on, I reported Jones-Ulmer to the regional manager Rachelle after receiving some screenshots of threats made by Jones-Ulmer after I was assaulted by the Public Works Director, Daniel Davis. After reporting the matter, Rachelle asked me to email her the screenshots and she will investigate the matter but the email address she provided was not the correct email address.

But this wasn't my first time having a run in with LeeAnn Jones-Ulmer. She was posting information about my bedroom and questioning my ability to pay for certain things when she was a manager at the Pecan Ridge property. There were several instances where she would infer that I was involved in some sort of illegal activity. I have documented the information I received via telephone calls and I've asked those that contacted me to write down their statements and have them notarized because I'm going to need them for a case I'm preparing.

I have lived at my current address for almost 12 years and I've seen managers come and go. After I sat down an calculated the time I wondered how did so many years fly by but over the years, despite errors in calculation of my rent, I have never had to go to justice court for lease violations or unpaid rent. I believe my problems with the current manager started when I informed her that I was going to contact HUD about the vacant units. As a former property manager, I know it's not good to leave units vacant for an extended period of time because it brings unwanted traffic to the property and you could lose tax credits for the units. For some reason, the managers are always concerned about the things I have in my unit and they question my sources of income. I succinctly recall the day I inadvertently told the manager I was contacting HUD. Hoye came to my apartment to give me some information she wanted me to post on the blog but she spent most of her time questioning me about the new front-load steam washer and dryer. She flippantly said

"How can you afford those machines? I know what you make."

At first, I was taken aback because I couldn't believe she just said that and I'm trying to find a nice nasty response. I then responded and said

"I bought them on sale, I'm sure your on site trolls can vouch for that. You're wondering about my washer and dryer but I want to know why you don't go to a licensed hair dresser. I was a property manager once and I know what you make. Don't hate me for investing in what I like because you like kitchen sink perms.

She rolled her eyes and handed me the papers and hinted that she was joking and I assured her that I was not. At some point, I questioned her about the vacant units and my intent to write a letter to HUD. She told me to "do what you gotta do and I will do what I gotta do!" I asked if that was a threat and she said she don't make threats she make promises.

I submitted a letter to HUD about the vacancies but never filed a formal complaint but before I received a response, I was involved in another riff with the site manager. They hired a plumbing company to fix a draining issue at another unit but while digging, they managed to cut my landline and since I work from home, I missed several days of work. I contacted Hoye about reimbursement for lost wages and she refused to respond. During this time, she also miscalculated my rent and claimed she didn't get an update from my employer indicating that I was now working part-time. The correspondences that followed are the ones I received calls about from people I don't interact with on a regular basis and they gave me specific details about information that was only supplied to MRHA 8; somehow, they also knew specific by laws and guidelines that I was not aware of. So, the powers that be at MRHA 8 decided to retaliate against me because of my letter to HUD and LaTonya Hoye told me that she wanted me off the property because

"I help too many tenants and that makes her job difficult."

Of course I help tenants if I feel they are being discriminated against. So she not concerned about the violations that are taking place directly in front of her office but she's tired of me because I help other tenants and that makes her job difficult. Can you say retaliation?

That's why I asked for other tenants to share their stories about the discrimination they experienced from employees at MRHA 8 and there were a litany of complaints against Rachelle. There were a lot of tenants, from various properties, that outlined how she would lie to the judge, make false reports and do whatever she could to get them off the property. I want to thank those tenants for sharing their stories. Now we need to get you stories typed and notarized. I've shared some of your incidents with Congressman Steven Palazzo and he's also interested in starting an investigation. I know his interest is probably fueled by the fact that he's up for re-election next year but any help he can provide will be greatly appreciated. There's a spirit of deception that dwells in the employees of MRHA 8. When I asked for the name of the executive director, I was given the name of the deceased J.P. Lawrence and Rachelle promised that Jessie Billups will follow up with me regarding the deceptive practices employed by the management of Pecan Ridge but I have yet to receive a call or letter per my request.

For those of you that shared your stories, I needed to get a Privacy Release form signed. I will email you a copy of the form I received from Congressman Steven Palazzo; you need to sign the form and you can text me a photo of the completed form but you will need to make a copy and mail the original to the Hattiesburg office. We can't allow them to use their positions to retaliate against us. As I stated, I have been on this property for 12 years and never had a problem with paying my rent or lease violations but now they're telling me one thing over the telephone but that information contradicts the information they submit in writing. One of the rules of MRHA 8 is

"if it's not in writing...it didn't happen"

It's time to fight back. They have wronged too many people for far too long. In response to Ms. Hoyes statement that my helping tenants makes her job difficult...well....that's what I do. That's why I ran for office. I will always help the residents of Ward 3, despite the retaliatory tactics of the employees of MRHA 8. If my help is making your job more difficult, what are you doing that's not above board?