Complaint Review: Summit Place Apartments - Lindenwold New Jersey

I have been here 9 years. We got  new property managers, Andre'A McDonald and Makini Corsey, appx 6 mos. ago. Things have gotten so bad that for the first time in 30 years this complex has formed a tenants association.

Repairs not getting done. Payments not being credited to people's accounts. Letters of being referred to attorneys being sent even after payments are accepted. Illegally raising rents before the current lease is up. Retaliatory increase of payments after being reported to Lindenwold Inspections. Repairs being made only after local media was contacted. Notice posted that tenants are not allowed to use any audio, video or surveillance equipment on the premises after I successfully used this to expose their lies and activities. Smelly tar-like substance suddenly appearing on the gate that kids would climb to go after their soccer ball. Notices for tenant association being ripped down week after week. Insistence on having 2 leasing agents in the office but only 1 maintenance man. In most of the 9 years I've been here things have always run well with just 1 office worker. Changes made to the maintenace request form so that the carbon copies have been removed so there is no proof of maintenance requests.

Andre'A had originally been hired as Summit's secretary. After her predecessor was promoted and then another didn't work out, she was placed in the position of leasing consultant. It wasn't long after that the problems started.

One of the first things she did was to make payment arrangements with tenants, accept the money and the referred them to their attorney as if they hadn't paid anything. When I protested she did rescind the referral to their attorney. This section of Lindenwold has a really high percentage of low and fixed income renters so it was not uncommon for tenants to make payment arrangements with management. When she was promoted she changed the way payment agreements were done which she had every right to do.

One of the changes was that a much larger portion of the rent became due much earlier. Many people were unable to make the new payment and were evicted as a result. I also fell a couple of weeks behind the due date and was given an eviction notice. Since losing my job as a counselor  I had been working as a social worker and case manager for a temp agency. I also sold items on ebay, craigslist and at the local flea market to make ends meet. I also receive SSI on behalf of my 8 year old son who is diagnosed as developmentally disabled. He has therapy several times a week for speech and mobility challenges.

I immediately applied for TANF benefits to get help with the back rent. 2 months later I incorporated an herbal business and requested that my TANF benefits be stopped. I had $1,200 in cash and Emergency Assistance offered to pay the balance of $721. I informed Andre'A and Makini of the items I needed which were a Certificate of Occupancy. Andrea looked through my file very briefly and claimed that they didn't have it even though NJ law requires that there be one for every tenant. Also, it is illegal to evict someone without it.

I also asked for a financial summary. They had changed the numbers on the summary to reflect a $50 increase. This did not match the figures that had been submitted to and recorded by the court.

I went to court and signed a payment agreement called Consent to Enter Judgement (Tenant Remains). The agreement stated that so long as $801 was paid by June 13, 2014 the landlord agrees not to seek a Warrant of Removal.

Andrea also signed the voucher from Emegency Assistance which states Summit agrees to drop all eviction proceedings with receipt of back rent costs that was being paid by EA. EA gave me notice that all money had been paid and accepted by Summit Place.

Little did I know that on June 20, 2014, Andrea had secretly filed a false Certification of Breach of Consent Judgment against me stating that they had not received payment. She also signed that a copy of the certification had been mailed to me. It absolutely had not been.

On June 29, 2014 there was a Warrant of Removal posted to my door. I had been given 3 days to vacate. I was horrified. I'm a divorcee with 3 school aged children. I immediately emailed Carol Ostock, Andrea's boss. I also emailed Andrea and Makini. This was done the weekend just before 4th of July when many of my neighbors were out of town. Thankfully, we were home.

First thing Monday I went to Andrea in person and requested that she rescind the Warrant of Removal. She lied and said no payments had been made on time. I told her that I had proof of payments and that I was notifying both her and the court. She then said that she'll rescind it.

I made several calls to court over the next couple of days only to be told Andrea had not rescinded the Warrant of Removal. I filed the paperwork along with proof of my payments and of Summit's lying. The judge ordered a Hearing to Show Cause to make Summit explain why I should be evicted when all payments had been paid according to our payment agreement.

When I served Makini notice she made several attempts to have me not show up in court. She said they had dropped the case against me (I have this on video with her knowledge). She then stated that no Summit staff would be at court because they would be attending Summit's First Tenant Appreciation Day.Also, Andrea sent an email stating that the warrant would be rescinded. This can be viewed with all of the other documentation in the photo section.

We went to court on July 10, 2014.When the judge reviewed the file and saw that everything had been paid according to the agreement he demanded to know why we were there. The judge waived the late fee, vacated the warrant of removal and dismissed the case. (I have copies of the judgment)

There were repairs needed for a crumbling concrete wall outside on my patio and of a huge gap between my floor and wall in the bedroom. The hole was big enough that I was able to fit a 341 page book into it (Pics are posted). I made a video of me dropping a roll of tape, white out, pair of scissors, and a cell phone through the hole with no problem. They all landed outside behind our complex.

Exactly 2 hours and 1 minute after I complained to Lindenwold Twp Makini came  and informed me that there would be a mandatory inspection of my apt for bedbugs. I told her I have never even seen a bedbug in real life. She said that I reported to Lindenwold Twp that I had a bedbug problem. This was a blatant lie!

Also 2 hours later I received a retaliatory email from Andrea stating that my late fee would increase immediately and it was now due immediately as well. I called the owner Mr. Stein of Diversified Realty Advisors and informed him of everything.

The next day, Saturday August 9, 2014 I did allow a pest control technician from Erlich to inspect my home. I informed him that we don't have a pest problem because I specialize in and sell all natural organic products for pests that don't harm the environment. I would never call and report a problem for a conventional exterminator to come in because their products are toxic. I especially had concerns for my children beign exposed to this unnecessarily.

I showed him my business signs advertizing organic and quick acting pest control. He inspected my entire apartment and found nothing (this is also on videotape). I have not had a pest control rep here in over 3 years.

Next they had maintenance come under the pretense of repairing my kitchen cabinets because my doors were crooked. Maintenance came on Friday, August 15, 2014 and took pictures of the top of my cabinets and then removed them from my apartment. My cabinets were returned to me on Monday, August 18, 2014. I believe this was to look for a non-existent bug infestation. These repairs could have easily been done in my home and usually are.

Now Summit is attempting to say that I owe late fees for this month (September 2014 and for last month). In NJ, tenants who receive SSI and other types of government assistance has until the 5th business day of the month to pay their rent. For the last 2 months I have paid my rent in full by the 5th business day of the month. Summit insists that I don't qualify because I receive SSI for my son and not for myself.

At the end of every year I have to report to SSI how I used the money on my son's behalf. Included right on this Federal, government form is rent, clothing and food. This is incredible that they would even try to steal from us further by circumventing the intent of the law.

 2 days ago Summit gave account balance sheets. One indicated I had a $485 balance and the second showing a balance of $150. Makini refused to tell me where the $485 balance came from. She then refused to indicate that the $150 were actually late payments. She then refused to provide me with a financial summary of my account.

I videotaped our conversation with her knowledge. She told me not to record it. I told her that NJ is a One Party Consent state and I had a right to record our interaction. She lied and said it is a Two Party Consent state and refused to provide the documentation I requested.

The next day Summit put a notice on the office door stating they don't allow the use of audio or recording devices in the office. They further stated that the use of such devices are prohibited on the premises. 

Yesterday, I went to the local police and filed harassment charges. The police were great, however, they informed me that this was a civil matter that I would have to pursue in court. I also received a new account balance which falsely reports that I have only paid $335 for this month and that I have balance of $150 with no indication of this being for late fees.