[Nfbc-info] Fwd: Debbie at Woodcreek Sr. Commons

[Tim Elder]

Hello Lauren and others,

I spoke with Chris, the General Manager.  He understands the error of
requiring the chapter to have a sighted person supervise the chapter
meeting.  He has remediated the situation and the chapter should not
experience any further problems including restrictions on those with service
animals.  Like so many cases, this is the bad decision of a lower level
manager that simply needed escalation to the supervisor.  I will enjoy
hearing of the wonderful things your chapter is doing at our state
convention in late October.  Don't forget to register and get on the
convention bus!

Regards,


-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbc-info [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of lauren---
via Nfbc-info
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2015 5:19 AM
To: nfbc-info at nfbnet.org
Cc: lauren at catlines.com
Subject: [Nfbc-info] Fwd: Debbie at Woodcreek Sr. Commons



Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "lauren at catlines.com" <lauren at catlines.com>
> Date: September 19, 2015 at 5:09:59 AM PDT
> To: "nfbcinfo at nfbnet.org" <nfbcinfo at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Debbie at Woodcreek Sr. Commons
> 
> Hi,
> I am not altogether clear about what is considered harassment; however, I
am quite clear about what constitutes psychological abuse and having
prejudice dumped on you. 
> 
> I have lived at this sr. apt complex for two years. Debbie, the manager,
is sometimes friendly to me; however most of the time she is harried,
anxious, and sometimes insulting. 
> 
> Several times, she informs me that neighbors and the management above her
do not like what is out on my patio. They didn't like the cardboard boxes,
so I repacked some items into plastic bins. I covered them with a tarp to
protect them from the rain that we are not getting. I made sure my stuff did
not show above the wooden latice fence on my patio. I have been told by
friends that other patios have stuff on them; not just mine.  She also
complained about the blinds, which the cats have bent. 
> 
> One day Debbie insisted on coming over, with the maintenance man. She was
on the war path. She yelled about how my home was unsafe for me because
things were not totally neat and organized. She said cat toys on the floor
were a hazard for me. She said, more than once, that I should not be living
alone. When they let me sign a lease, they assumed I had family and friends
who would act as caregivers. It never occurred to her that I would do as
much alone as I do. She said this was dangerous for me and could be a safety
issue for them. She has not said the words "insurance liability" but it is
written in the threads of what she says--that she says loudly, by the
way--I'm deaf, too???
> 
> There have been several of these tirades In my usual way, I don't say much
of anything while she rants I do eventually say that all of that is not my
reality and I thik what she is saying could be illegal. She seems quite
unaware of the ADA. 
> 
> 
> She had her boss, Chris, come into my apt one time, but that backfired on
her. He said he was not concerned about the blinds. Cats do that. Blinds are
not expensive to replace. He saw my clutter and said he collected a lot of
stuff, too, and that it was just stuff; it would not harm anyone. 
> 
> Tuesday evening, the Canes and Tails chapter met in or clubhouse. Debbie
said she would keep a door unlocked and we could have the clubhouse to
ourselves that night. When I got there, the place was locked up. I left her
a message. In the meantime, I called the maintenance guy who came to let me
in. Debbie showed up at the same time. 
> 
> When chapter members arrived, Debbie went into war path mode again. She
said she had no idea that everyone coming would be blind! She said we needed
to have at least one sighted person to help us get around, etc. We told her
we could find our way around just fine. I did knock a shelf down, which she
blew up in importance. I mean, it did no damage; it hurt no one, and any
sighted person could have done the same or worse. She did not go home. She
decided to stay and do some work (and babysit us). 
> 
> At one point, my phone rang, meowing as it does. Debbie shot out of her
office, shouting, "is there a cat in here? There are no animals allowed in
here; not cats or dogs or anything else. We don't want fleas in here." Two
of our people explained that their dogs were guide dogs. She said she
understood that but animals were not allowed in there. To her credit, she
did not make them take their dogs out. 
> 
> When I got home after the meeting, Debbie called me, stating "this can
never happen again! If you have another meeting here, you are required to
have at least one sighted personon the premises. We are checking into
insurance to see just what we need to do to protect ourselves ..." or words
to that effect. I listened quietly; repeated as I have before that I think
the ADA is being violated, plus our dignity, but that goes in deaf ears. 
> 
> Yesterday, I had left a message asking her to email Angela, our chapter
president. Angela wanted clarification on our needing sighted assistance at
our meetings. Debbie blewup and said she didn't have to say or do anything
for 'this Angela person" and she wasn't emailing anybody. She then repeated
how they are checking into insurance laws to see what they can do. 
> 
> I have been telling other blind people at work and at nfb meetings about
the kinds of things Debbie says to me, but now, I finally have witnesses. I
feel embarrassed, though, that our meeting was so disrupted and we were not
made to feel welcome here. I felt sad for the guide dog owners whose dogs
were insulted and not wanted there. 
> 
> However--we are the NFB and we had our meeting, ate, laughed, shared and
had a good meeting. Those who were not there missed a fine meeting and the
drama. 
> thanks,
> Lauren
> ps:I tried to Google management above Debbie but the only contact info
listed is the phone number she answers to and the address. I know there are
people above her and we need to find out who they are and their contact
info. Why Google didn't have that listed, I don't know. I hope someone can
help us find out. This stuff cannot be let go. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
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