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  • Comment Detail

  • Date: 06/14/23
    First Name: Meagan
    Last Name: Magrath-Smith
    Email: megmagrath@gmail.com
    Organization Type: N/A
    Organization: None
  • Comment

    Living in Holyoke, I am beyond disturbed at the conditions that many rentors are dealing with. I am just an average citizen, but all the time, people are posting pictures of what they are dealing with on our local Facebook forum asking for support, trying to figure out what they can do. They are dealing with outlets that don't work, pipes that are leaking, water pipes that need to be replaced, not having hot water, trash not being collected and piling up, rat and bug infestations. All of these conditions lead to unhealthy and unsafe conditions which negatively impacts people and degrades their very sense of how our community feels about them. When they complain to the Board of Health, they feel that little is done. They don't know who they should talk to and it's confusing. Do they call their landlord, the Board of Health, Neighbor to Neighbor, Wayfinders....? There are so many agencies but there is not central location for someone to go and figure out what they can do. What are their rights? Also, many of these people need to be able to communicate in Spanish and work with people who they share similar experiences with. We need a way to support people to know what their resources are and clear channels of communication. We need centralized tenant protection offices. I ask that you support those who are most vulnerable in our community, those with the least power and the greatest dreams for stability and success.