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

[Chad Allen]

	It’s nice to hear about the wins. Thanks for posting. 


Best wishes,


Chad 


> On Sep 25, 2015, at 3:29 PM, Tim Elder via Nfbc-info <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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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