About Apartment Living / Rental

Property Manager Answers for Section 8 Sex Scam

2010-02-06T12:27:17Z

A property manager in Kansas City, Missouri was brought to justice this week after admitting to taking advantage of his position by giving tenants access to Section 8 housing in return for sexual favors.

To qualify for the Section 8 program, a tenant must show she earns below a certain income level and possibly wait until a suitable apartment becomes available. But the manager used his position to�falsify tenants' income and move them up on the waiting list in return for sex.

According to the local Fox affiliate, the manager ran his Section 8 sex scam for five years, and he faces up to the same time in prison, plus�a fine of�up to $250,000.

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Property Manager Answers for Section 8 Sex Scam originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 12:27:17.

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When Is It Right to Report Your Neighbor?

2010-02-04T10:18:08Z

Apartment dwellers who notice that another tenant in their apartment building is violating house rules or conducting illegal activity may feel inclined to report it to their landlord or the police. After all, they�don't want their home to become a haven for criminal activity.

But when is it appropriate to report a neighbor? Things aren't always what they appear to be, and rushing to accuse a neighbor of improper behavior or illegal acts can backfire, especially if your observations turn out to be flawed.

Consider a recent example out of St. Petersburg, Florida. In a�post yesterday on the Daily Loaf blog, an apartment dweller�complained that simply because she's a single woman with an active�social life plus a red Christmas light still by her door, a neighbor inaccurately deduced that she's a prostitute and promptly reported her to the landlord.

Given that things aren't always�what they seem, how do you decide whether to report a neighbor's actions? Is the very idea of reporting�a neighbor something�to avoid because it means being too nosy?

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When Is It Right to Report Your Neighbor? originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 10:18:08.

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Your Apartment Keys in the Hands of a Sex Offender?

2010-02-02T09:24:58Z

Imagine the shock of tenants living in three New York City apartment buildings upon learning that their super served nearly 20 years in prison after being convicted on multiple counts of child molestation. According to a report from CBS, the super lives in one of the buildings and allegedly offered a new tenant a break in her security deposit in return for regular sex.

If you live in an apartment building with a super, would you want to know whether he was hired after a criminal background check? Since supers have easy access to the apartments they manage, should the law require landlords to perform background checks before hiring?

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Your Apartment Keys in the Hands of a Sex Offender? originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 09:24:58.

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What's the Best Mouse Trap?

2010-01-29T20:22:25Z

If you discover a mouse or rat in your apartment, you may decide to use a trap to conquer your rodent problem. Mouse traps can be effective, but with so many types of mouse traps to choose from, which one is the best choice for you?

Read about the types of mouse traps that are out there and decide for yourself.

(Photo © Robert Owen-Wahl / SXC)

What's the Best Mouse Trap? originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 20:22:25.

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Avoid Theft When Moving to a New Apartment

2010-01-28T20:03:21Z

When you move to a new apartment, you should be able to enjoy the excitement of settling into a new place. The last thing you want is to discover that some of your belongings have been stolen -- by the very people you trusted to help you move.

That's what a Denton, Texas tenant believes happened to her after she agreed to pay a neighbor and his friends to help her move. According to the Denton Record-Chronicle, the tenant reported the theft of her TV to the police on Tuesday, but they were unable to locate the neighbor, who apparently also moved out of his apartment.

The next time you move, don't risk becoming the victim of theft. Accept help only from people you trust.

Avoid Theft When Moving to a New Apartment originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 20:03:21.

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Treasure in the Trash

2010-01-25T18:43:05Z

A Stuart, Florida tenant thought he found something worth taking while rummaging through his apartment complex's trash the other day. But the tenant didn't like the frame on the photo he found. So, he removed the frame -- only to uncover $3,100 in cash!

Rather than pocket the money, the tenant reported his find to the police, according to WPBF.com. He'll get to keep the cash if no one comes forward to claim it.

What would you have done?

(Photo � Fernando Mengoni / SXC)

Treasure in the Trash originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 18:43:05.

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Twitter Suit Against Tenant Tossed

2010-01-21T19:49:22Z

You may remember reading here about a Chicago tenant who became the defendant in a $50,000 libel suit after she complained about her apartment building's management company on Twitter.

A Cook County judge yesterday dismissed the case in favor of the tenant, ruling that her tweet was too vague to be actionable. For instance, according to reporting by the Chicago Tribune, the tenant argued that although she mentioned the company by name, she made no indication of its location. Also, the company wasn't able to show the judge that it suffered damage to its reputation or its finances.

Are you pleased with the outcome?

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Twitter Suit Against Tenant Tossed originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 19:49:22.

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How Important Is a Second Bathroom?

2010-01-20T20:24:16Z

One bathroom or two bathrooms? Full-bathrooms or half-bathrooms? When you start an apartment search, you need to know the answers to these questions so you don't waste time visiting rentals that don't fit your criteria.

Having a second bathroom brings added benefits, such as privacy and convenience -- especially if you live with a roommate. But it also means paying more rent each month.

Here's some help so that you can decide whether living in an apartment with one bathroom or two is right for you.

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(Photo � Kristina Williamson / Getty Images)

How Important Is a Second Bathroom? originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 20:24:16.

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The $2 Million Privacy Wall

2010-01-18T18:42:12Z

How would you like it if your apartment no longer had sunlight or a view?

Tenants in a New York City apartment building don't like it one bit, ever since the owners of the neighboring house decided to put up a four-story wall that almost reaches many of the apartments' windows.

According to�a report today in�The New York Post, the homeowners built the wall to give themselves privacy when hosting summer parties. But the apartment building owner thinks the measure goes too far. In addition to asking a court to order the homeowners to remove the wall, the apartment building owner is reportedly seeking $2 million in damages.

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The $2 Million Privacy Wall originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 18:42:12.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Fair Housing Legacy

2010-01-16T16:22:33Z

This Monday, the United States honors the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights pioneer whose tireless efforts at achieving housing equality brought about the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968, exactly one week after his assassination.

Today, it's easy and free to file a discrimination complaint against a landlord, property manager, or other real estate professional whom you believe has violated the Fair Housing Act.

If you think you've been treated unfairly, read how you can file a complaint. But first, check out this helpful outline of the issues you need to consider before proceeding.

(Photo part of the public domain, courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons)

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Fair Housing Legacy originally appeared on About.com Apartment Living / Rental on Saturday, January 16th, 2010 at 16:22:33.

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