88 Pelham RoadAccording to Amherst police narrative:
"Several noise complaints . One resident on scene only. Approximately 150-200 guests with loud music and yelling. When removing guests, located other residents hiding. Arrest six on scene.
Hmm...so much for Amherst's bylaw forbidding more than 4 unrelated individuals occupying the same domicile. But with the amount of rent they pay per person, a great deal for the landlord.
Six arrested five of them for both unlawful noise and possession of a unlicensed keg $300 per offense ($3,000 total) plus one more for just noise ($300)
Town Assessors record showing property ownership
What a shame. There's one more great house (and neighborhood) that will be trashed and worthless in just a few years. Kudos to the APD for an amazing job this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI think it is inappropriate for you to be posting the owner of the house. As a landlord (not this one) I have in all my leases that gatherings of more than 20 people are forbidden. I also spend a great deal of time telling tenants that I am serious about it and that the town has fines, as well. If a tenant violates the terms of the lease it is not something I can do something about until I know about it. Landlords do not like this type of behavior and I think your posting their names implies otherwise.
ReplyDeleteYeah, with 6 of the 8 rooms being bedrooms, and the number of times they have had weekend parties attracting hundreds it will not be long.
ReplyDeleteAPD always does a great job, but this past weekend was indeed amazing.
Anon landlord 12:27 PM: I did not post the landlords names this morning--I posted a link to the assessors records and HE posted their names, as well as a link to my October 18 edition when I first started this series.
ReplyDeleteI agree you can't do something about it unless you know it but I DID post the landlords names last October in the body of the article when this happened the first time.
Pipeline Properties, Inc should have taken action then--or maybe they will now.
Anon 12:27: I don't doubt that you have specifics in your rental agreements about behavior (kudos to you), but I live in a residential neighborhood (Grantwood Dr) where there are a number of UMass student rentals--single family homes--that are absolutely trashed. Siding falling off, dead shrubbery, junk in the front yard. They may as well be abandoned. I cannot imagine living next door or across the street and having to sell a home. Additionally, from the number of cars regularly parked in the driveways, it seems the maximum occupancy is being violated. Thanks for being s responsible landlord, but the ones in my neighborhood should absolutely be publicly exposed and the town be all over them.
ReplyDeleteThe question is:
ReplyDeleteAre the increased fines covering the cost of the increased police presence needed to deal with all of this student hooliganism and tom-foolery?
Yawn.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you live? I'll take up a collection, buy the one family house next door, subdivide it and rent it out to six hooligans.
ReplyDeleteThey you will be yawning from a lack of sleep the previous night.
I think what we are seeing is years of frustration on the residents finally coming to the surface. We have tolerated it long enough and it's only getting worse. So the question i would have for the people that want it to continue is, how bad does it have to get before we say cut the crap? I'm glad Larry is posting the addresses of these houses and opening everyone's eyes to the fact we do indeed have some real dirtbag landlords in this town. I recently helped one of these landlords advise on how to properly hook up a stove vent. His reply to me was "That's $70 way to expensive for a rental" and his intention was to hack a hole in the wall and put a sub-standard vent it which I highly doubt was to code. So be prepared when that house burns to the ground.
ReplyDeleteThere are people in Amherst who go away for the weekend during the school year because the noise and other commotion have become too much for them.
ReplyDeleteNext question:
ReplyDeleteIs the Town collecting on these fines?
We know these kids don't care about their neighbors; they may not care about whether they pay the fines.
When you're entitled and you can do no wrong, it's easy to overlook paying fines.
Yes, about a third have paid up but if the other two thirds ignore them it will eventually lead to an arrest warrant, which does not look good on a resume.
ReplyDeleteLandlords are responsible as well. If the lease has language prohibiting gatherings, then enforce it.
ReplyDeleteRenting to more than 4 unrelated tenants is against the law but it is done all over town. Those landlords are willing to accept the money but wouldn't want to live next to the houses.
Tired tired tired of this b.s. Landlords in this town need to accept responsibility for the condition of their property and for the tenants they rent to.
Publish their names, call them when the noise gets bad: wake them up. Silliness, making money and not accepting the consequences.
I live 2 doors down from a Pipeline property and it has turned into a dump. The lawn is a parking lot with way more than 4 people living there. I wonder if the owners, who are local, even drive by the place. This year has been a good "batch" and quiet. Last year we couldn't have a family dinner on our deck due to the F bombs, despite me asking them to be quiet. We cross our fingers each fall.
ReplyDeleteIt is a domino effect. One single-family home is sold to a real estate investor who turns that nice suburban house (like this one) into a student rental slum. Then neighbors cannot sell the house to anyone but a real estate investor because families don't want their kids around the noise, parties, garbage and squalor. Then their neighbor and their neighbor's neighbor is forced to do the same. Property values go down, and the town collects less in property tax to cover expenses.
ReplyDeleteWhere does it end? Why won't the Town take action and stop houses from being converted into rental slums? There should be ordinances or zoning - or something.
At the height of the crack epidemic in the 80's, a group, can't remember the name, started to organize neighbors of crack houses. The neighbors would each file a claim against the absentee landlord in small claims court. Individually the awards were small, $5k or so, but multiply that by 15 and it added up pretty quickly. Maybe it's time to see if that might not work here.
ReplyDeleteYOU LIVE IN A COLLEGE TOWN, DUH.
ReplyDeleteAnd obviously you're a college student, less mature than my 9-year-old daughter.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even talking about the behavior of the students per se. I'm talking about the trashiness of the properties.
ReplyDeleteso it's a college town.
That doesn't excuse breaking laws to make more money (more than 4 unrelated). That doesn't excuse letting properties go unmaintained and substandard (with typical responses such as "well the renters don't take care of it")
Then don't rent to those types of people (i.e. pretend adults) -- require references such as proof of employment, monitor your property. Old furniture on the lawn getting wet and becoming rodent havens is unallowable etc.
And tenants: accept adult responsibility. The world does not and will not revolve around you and what you want. if you don't want to be an adult then go back home and let mommy and daddy take care of you and your tantrums.
Neighbors, we have to continue to hold the tenants and landlords responsible as well as the town that surrounds us. With the taxes we pay we deserve to have property we too can enjoy and property not negatively impacted by neglect with rents coming in far over what mortgages should be.....I maintain my house without making income from it....landlords can too.
Here I am, happy to have a discussion (Sorry, I have to break it up into 3 posts).
ReplyDeleteFirst, I am not an out of town landlord or owner, I too live here and pay a great deal in taxes just as everyone else.
Second, I am nowhere near a scum bag landlord. I do background checks and get parent guarantors on all properties I rent out. Tenants are all made aware of the bylaws in this town and I repeatedly remind them about it, especially on key weekends where problems tend to occur. However it gets to a point where these young adults need to step up and start being adults. Do we blame the University if a student fails out, or do we look at the student and tell them to step up and be responsible for their own actions? Here is one of the paragraphs that is in ALL my leases and signed off on by the tenants:
Party Regulations: We caution you that certain regulations are necessary out of respect for your neighbors and the property. In order to avoid liability for property damage and lives of others, wise management of alcoholic beverages is essential. Permitting any minor to consume an alcoholic beverage can be traced to you and may lead to personal liability for grave injury to persons and property which is in any way connected with such negligence. Therefore, in the interest of the general welfare of tenants and the Management of the property, the following rules must be adhered to for any sort of gathering. Violation of the regulations constitutes personal liability, a violation of your lease and a possible violation of the law:
(a) The number of guests at any gathering must not exceed building code safe occupancy levels. The presence of individuals at the residence in excess of the safe occupancy levels constitutes a violation of your lease.
(b) Kegs of any size are banned from residences and including the grounds (this is an Amherst bylaw) of the property and if placed there will be confiscated in addition to police action being taken.
(c) Music or entertainment shall be kept at reasonable levels at all times and if audible outside of your residence after 10:00pm in the evening will constitute a nuisance or an offensive use of your premises and hence a violation of your lease regardless of any police action.
(d) If there is a gathering in any unit and property damage occurs in the vicinity of the residence, the tenants of the residence will be billed jointly and severally for all the damages identifiable to that gathering. In the event of such damages, guarantors of all tenants under the terms of your lease will be notified and legal action may include action against all guarantors.
(e) Management will keep a record of any gatherings and such information will be available to public authorities for the purpose of identifying sources should any personal injury accidents arise as a result of such gatherings. Management will take legal steps to insure that those legally responsible are held accountable for all damages caused by their actions or their negligence.
It is repeated again under the rules part of the lease:
ReplyDelete(k) Limit on Parties and Gatherings: The lessee(s) shall not have parties or gatherings of over twelve (12) people in the residence or on the premises; Lessor in no way shall be liable for the conduct, actions, transportation to or from the party, or damages by the Lessee’s invitees, their guests, whether invited or not to such gathering; Lessee(s) assumes full and complete responsibility and liability for all damages to the residence, to the Lessee, their invitees, or to guests, whether specifically invited or not.
(l) To prohibit kegs of beer from the premises. Violation of this provision constitutes a full and complete violation of this lease.
(m) To prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages, and the use of alcoholic beverages to visitors and guests not of legal age or intoxicated. To prohibit the use and sale of any narcotics or other controlled substances on the premises. To prohibit the creation of any condition on the premises by Lessee(s), Lessee’s family or guests that constitutes a nuisance pursuant to G.L. c.139 subsection 19, or any other similar state or federal law. Any such violation shall terminate the Lessee(s) right to occupy the premises without any notice to Lessee(s).
I check in with all my houses atleast once a month, I drive by all of them on a weekly basis and I make it very clear to all my tenants about my concerns with them being good neighbors. Out of over 70 houses that I manage, yes, this has been one problematic house, twice in their one year lease term. In fact I am so on top of my tenants about it that these tenants called me on Sunday morning to let me know what happen and plead their case because they knew I would find out by that night. My rentals are all registered with the Amherst Police Department and I am made aware of any incidents by them. Only 4 of the 7 people arrested that night are tenants at my property there and the only ones I can hold myself responsible for, and I will do so. Also, I would like to state that this property is not trashed, not even close. There isn’t furniture rotting out on the front lawn or trash everywhere at all like many of the properties in this town. I monitor my properties and I am very strict about that.
There is a great difference between out of area landlords who truly don't care about their tenants or their properties that are happy to appear in this town once a year and collect a rent check every month and the in-town property management companies who run their business out of this town. No management company or property manager wants problematic tenants, upset neighbors or a destroyed property. I have met with other property managers, town representatives, the health inspector and the Amherst Police to try to come up with solutions to these problems. I agree with you that a property manager or owner that cares can do a great deal of help with controlling tenants, but we are not babysitters, I cannot be there every minute of every day at every house. These young adults need to act like adults. This is something I emphasize on a regular basis to all my tenants, and I guarantee each and every one of them would defend my case about that. If you have any real suggestions, other than saying “don’t rent to college students”, I am happy to listen. The reality is that we are in a college based community. And no I don’t think saying “this is a college town, get over it” is the correct answer, because it certainly is not. I started my business 6 years ago to provide housing to college students who were not being treated fairly simply because they were a college student. And of course there is always a bad few that spoil it and give everyone else a bad name, but that doesn’t mean every other college student who rents in this area is like them. Just like our town officials, myself and the other property managers I know work hard to keep our properties under control and clean and keep the communities around them that way as well. Again I manage over 70 properties and I’m getting hung for one that has had a problem twice in a year.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you slam us residential landlords and say we charge too much in rent, but what about the price it costs to buy a house in this town or the amount we pay in taxes. What about the landlords of commercial properties uptown that charges $5,000 for 1,000 sq. ft. of space. And then we wonder why businesses can’t survive in this town. Are they being criticized and scrutinized just as hard?
Larry, you have been in this town a long time, I am happy to hear any positive suggestions that you have, other than slamming me with opinions and assumptions. I am happy to meet with you if you would like to go over suggestions. I’m sure I could put a group of people together who could benefit from it greatly. I have been an Amherst Rotarian for almost 5 years now, I have been serving this community for a long time and I am happy to continue to do so through my business and my philanthropy.
This issue here is lack of housing elsewhere. If you all have a problem with the residents in this town I would advise you to either move away or suggest a fair solution that would benefit both student and community. The core issue here is that there is not enough housing for students on campus or in non-residential areas. If you want a problem fixed, bitching about it on a blog anonymously (and cowardly) is more immature than larry4k and his poor daughter combined. Maybe you get off your rehabbed knees and use your karate skills to keep these landlords out of town...Or perhaps start a funding program for more student housing at the universities.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Larry...sorry your business didnt work out and you're a bitter old man
There is obviously numerous problems between the students and the families in this town, but these univeristies are not leaving and they're only going to get larger. UMass Football has moved to MAC and will attract more students than ever. Many of you are quick to complain, but do not offer plausible solutions. If you want to live in a quiet area, move down the road to belchertown or further towards northampton. You could probably hire students to help you move, because we contribute a lot to the local workforce that you want out of here soo badly. Although students have broken laws, it is not their fault that they must search in residential areas to live. Negotiate with the universities for more housing if you want to make a positive difference
ReplyDeleteIt has been my experience in searching for decent and affordable housing in Amherst for a family, that nothing exists. I've seen so many one family homes chopped in half, literally, the top half is rented out to one group and the lower half to another, that it was impossible to find something reasonable. Many of these landlords who do not rent out to students charge exorbitant amounts in rent. On top if that, most of the properties were maintained at a minimum standard, that it was essentially throwing money away to live in Amherst.
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:53 PM I always love it when somebody complains about folks who are "bitching about it on a blog anonymously (and cowardly)" but do so in a Cowardly Anon Nitwit manner.
ReplyDeleteThe University is constructing 1,500 beds opening in two years for Commonwealth Honors College students and would love to put a fair amount of new housing (for grad students and newly hired professors) in the Gateway Corridor project; but the neighborhoods are up in arms because of irresponsible, immature rowdy behavior from a minority of students who spoil it for the vast majority.
I think it's way cool that UMASS is going to MAC. The only down side will be that most people will only be able to see them practice if they use the home town stadium still. Otherwise it's Gillette Stadium baby we get to see them playing like the big boys. I just hope ticket prices don't go through the roof which might be a very real possibility.
ReplyDeleteTry to understand this:
ReplyDeleteWe don't want you to leave. We just want you to behave like a good neighbor, you know, like the people that live all around us permanently.
It's really a very minor request. There's no mystery about it.
This reminds me of an amusing aphorism: "They told me you weren't fit to live with pigs, but I told them you were!"
52 weekends in a year. Each with a Friday and a Saturday night. If Pipeline manages 70 properties, and my math is correct, thats 7280 chances for their properties to cause problems each year. With apologies to the Pelham Road neighbors... 2 violations isn't that bad a record!!
ReplyDeleteWell they also own or manage 27-29 Phillips Street that was an early party house winner back on 11/3/2010
ReplyDelete@ Pipeline: I don't care what you have in your lease. If the property is not being maintained UP TO the neighborhood standards, and that means proud homeowners who worked their entire life to buy one of the biggest investments of their lifetime, you are not doing your job. If you have neighbors calling the police and complaining, you are not doing your job. If you have more kids squashed into one building than do squats housing new immigrants crossing the border from Mexico, you're not doing your job. ... and if you can't handle the job, which is how it sounds, quit. A house is not an apartment, pure and simple. Buy a piece of land, build a real apartment building and hire a full-time on-site manager. Take responsibility for the property YOU own.
ReplyDeleteLarry, I do not manage, own or have anything to do with 27-29 Phillips Street. In fact I don't manage or own any houses in that district.
ReplyDeleteThat's odd, because according to the infallible assessor:
ReplyDeleteProperty Location: 27-29 PHILLIPS ST
Vision ID: 2785
BELCHERTOWN ROAD PARTNERS LL1 Level C/O EAGLECREST MNGMT 73 MAIN ST
The problem is twofold: renters (students or other) who do not treat the property nor neighbors with respect and landlords who are should be held accountable for up the responsible management of the property which includes proper vetting of tenants, maintenance AND appearance of their property.\
ReplyDeleteOne of the posters mentioned the exorbitant rents around town. That's one of my points about maintenance.
I pay a mortgage of about $900/month. Plus my taxes. I did not overextend myself with a mortgage that I could pay but not maintain my house.
However, it's my understanding that some of these "investors" have overextended themselves horribly with mortgages nobody in their right mind would pay for a home used for a family. Yet they do this because they can then charge high rents per person but they then have no money to put back into maintenance and still make their profit. yeah, it's an economic reality.
But the bottom line is: if you couldn't afford and maintain it; you shouldn't have bought it. That a basic principal behind real estate. Some of these properties are horrific to look at; I can't imagine that they are safe to live in.
One can't legislate good taste nor ethical behavior. And that's what it becomes. It is not ethical for tenants to behave in such a way for their own enjoyment that it impedes their neighbors enjoyment and it is not ethical for property owners to allow properties to deteriorate and cause harm to neighbors property values.
So, while you want to defend what a responsible property management company you are, maybe a drive around town looking at rental properties would be appropriate. Perhaps a majority of your compatriots are not so responsible. And perhaps you're blowing smoke--I have no time to backtrack and see what you own etc so I don't know and I will take you at your word.
However I do know what I see around town and in neighborhoods where once nicely kept houses are rundown with many cars parked in the driveway and yards...that, is NOT good property management.
To May 4, 2011 11:05 AM, I agree wholeheartedly! It is one thing for a hard-working family to buy a home worth $300,000+. It is another for a real estate investor to do the same and overcrowd that house with a bunch of teenagers - then put in the minimal investment for upkeep, maintenance and, god forbid, landscape.
ReplyDeleteWe spent our entire lives saving and working hard to buy a house. For many, it is not our first, but our second home using the equity of an earlier "starter" home of lesser value. Would I rather the next door neighbor be a true home owner - the American Dream - pride of ownership - or a cheap get-rich-quick real estate investor/slumlord? Why do neighbors have to be babysitters to these kids, as their property values go down the toilet so the property investor can get richer off rental payments?
Amherst Town officials need to take a serious look at zoning residential neighborhoods to require single-family owner occupied purchase only - no splitting houses into slum rentals. If they don't, smart home buyers will relocate to nearby towns, Amherst will become a student-run slum ghetto, and their property tax payments will continue to shrink.
You certainly won't see me voting for an override ever again. You also won't see me voting for any town official for reelection.
I agree that the neighbors should be respectful, but having a party once every few months should not warrent all these complaints. Take a moment and reflect on your college days and ask yourself if you ever went to a party with alcohol and a few loud people. Chances are most of you said yes, because I know you werent studying very hard considering youre complaining about a $300,000 lease in amherst. Get a fucking real job or get the fuck out of here. I would never pay that money to live in amherst anyways. This town is disgusting, ugly, and in the middle of nowhere. The universities are the only redeeming factor. Lucky for you all, most students cant wait to leave here, but youre so naive to think that its going to change, becaues another group of students will be coming and another group of students will piss you off again. Either the universities can move or you can...hmmmm whats more plausible?
ReplyDeleteOh something tells me (like the number of noise and nuisance tickets issued over the past nine months for one) that these Bad Boys party a tad more often than "once every few months."
ReplyDeleteSome of these posts from students have to be a joke, but here's the problem: we've encountered so much arrogance from young people over the years that they might not be.
ReplyDeleteAs a college student in the wild and woolly 1070's, I can honestly say, no, we did not behave like this.
They think that there's plenty of historical precedent for their kind of misbehavior, and they're wrong. Often we found a big field a long way from neighborhoods in order to make noise and let off steam, not right up against neighbors in places like Tracy Circle.
Well we would get a ticket for drinking in a feild too. And some of your posts are bigger jokes. You also all did LSD amd various other drugs and probably broke several criminal laws rather than our minor civil offenses. This town celebrates a festival called extravaganga in town square where people smoke weed in public and this is 50 feet away from the police station, but nothing is enforced there, infact its encouraged. You all are so self rightous. I have admitted to my faults and agree that some students do cross a line of respect, but your bullshit ideals of neighborhood standards are so subjective and not met by many of you complaining to us about them. I think a noise complaint is a fairly harmless crime and that this town should probably focus a little more on larger issues.
ReplyDeleteOh and Larry4k, you need to stop making assumptions about things you dont understand. Just because you read something on the internet or heard from someone in town, doesnt necessarily make it true. Most students dont want to party in their homes, its messy and its a responsibility. Maybe you all should open a larger bar area for us. Lately this town has been limiting our entrance due to fire hazards or something so we cant drink in designated areas where its okay. They also shut down gatherings in the town house and hobart which are not residential areas. WE ARENT going to stop partying so if you want things to change, provide us with a proper venue. You all can make money off it too, so you can stop complaining about your tax dollars, which are probably far too high for this area, so once again...MOVE
ReplyDeleteSomebody's pulling our leg with FellowAmherstResident.
ReplyDeleteActually FellowAMherstResident my family has been here for five generations so I'm not going anywhere any time soon (unlike you)
ReplyDeleteYou're painting with kind of a broad brush. Not all that many of us who once went to UMass and did, on occasion, party did LSD (although some of the aging x-hippies in Town Meeting I can't vouch for).
The town does not "celebrates a festival called extravaganga". In fact I believe it is a UMass RSO that puts it on, and it is far from "encouraged" by town officials.
Last night Town Meeting approved a budget that includes a "code enforcement" building inspector, so the town is moving forward on further limiting your ability to party in residential neighborhoods.
But I'm sure the downtown bars will be happy to take your money.
Did I party in college? No, I'm not that type of person. Did I take drugs. See above. Let me add that I listened to elders, respected them and learned from them. I still do. "You all are so self rightous." Pot. Kettle. Black. (And, obviously, UMass doesn't teach basic elementary spelling and grammar. It's 'self-righteous'.)
ReplyDeleteSo Larry, public record shows that 27-29 Phillips Street is managed by Eagle Crest Property Management huh, um, you do know that I am not them or affiliated with them, correct?
ReplyDeleteDear FellowAmherstResident:
ReplyDeleteBefore you start complaining that your drinking in bars is being limited due to fire hazards, stop and remember the Station Nightclub fire down in RI. 100 people killed. 300 injured. The State of MA sets the codes and is now requiring that all bars and nightclubs have a Crowd Manager. 1 for every 250 people; 2 for every 450 people and 3 for 525 people. How do I know this? Because I just took and passed the exam last night. These limits are set for YOUR safety.
And more more thing; Hobart Lane IS a residential area. There are 2 single family homes on the street that are owner occupied and the owner's have lived there for 30+ years.
Sorry Pipleline,I assumed you were Eagle Crest Management AKA James Cherewatti or Chad O'Rourke or Dan Feldman or "Railroad Street Partners LLC"
ReplyDeleteSo, umm, who are you?
S/he's one of the really responsible property managers who understands accountability, ........
ReplyDeleteer, but is anonymous?
: - )
So before anyone points out that I'm a bit anonymous myself, at least I use initials--you can search my comments for my various viewpoints on matters concerning the town.
H.T.
Sorry Pipeline, I left out "Belchertown Road Partners LLC" who--in case you don't know it--use the same mailing address as Eagle Crest Management (73 Main Street Amherst) on our infallible assessors property ownership card.
ReplyDeleteI am Chad O'Rourke. And neither myself nor Dan Feldman are owners in or affiliated with Eagle Crest Property Management or any LLC owned by them. I am the sole owner of Pipeline Properties. Dan Feldman is also not an owner or employee of my company.
ReplyDeleteAgain i want to state the reason I started my company 6 years ago was to provide housing for all those that are discriminated against in this community simply because of their age, gender or nationality, ESPECIALLY college students. I myself had a hard time finding a decent rental when I moved back to this great community 8 years ago to return to school, simply because I was a 23 year old male.
I know my company is not without flaw and neither am I, but I assure you that my intentions are all heading in the right direction. I do not get involved with Amherst Politics (its simply not my thing) I choose to serve my community through the various number of local charities that I am involved with. Like I said, I have been an Amherst Rotarian for almost 5 years, and on the board of directors for 3 years, and I am the former head of the membership committee. I also host a fundraiser for the Amherst survival center as well as perform in many events to raise money for habit for humanity.
Any one that has an issue issue with any place I own or manage (not assume I do) is welcome to contact me anytime at 413-348-4741 or Chad@pipelinepropertiesinc.com. I always want to know what is going on with my places, again because as much as I try, I can't monitor them every second. I assure you that if it is reasonable, I will take care of it immediately. That is my personal cell phone, I am not afraid to post my contact information. I have nothing to hide and no one to hide from. This company is 100% mine, built 100% by me from my own hard work and money, not from my parents or family members or investors. And I will take complete responsibility for anything it's name is attached to.
And let's face it; the reality is that if it's not me, it's going to be some other landlord or property manager. You're never going to get rid of them. The school is growing and thus the demand for off campus housing is going to as well. The difference is I am here, I am willing to take responsibility, and I have been trying since the day I started this company. I do not condone the actions of this group of tenants and everyone has the complete right to be pissed off about it, I am. However, they are not getting away unscathed, they were arrested, had to appear in court and fined for their actions. This will forever appear on their record. In the beginning of every school year, I tell my tenants (who are students) stories from the tenants who learned the hard way, who can't get housing somewhere or a job now because of what is appearing on their record, and just like a teacher, you can't get through to all of them. But again, that doesn't make them all bad. I try my hardest to make sure my tenants are good tenants and good neighbors, there are restrictions in my leases, I send out e-mails about it as well as have house meetings in the beginning of each school year with all my tenants. For the one's that still choose to be problematic, they face the punishment of our town fines (which by the way I completely agree with, in fact I think they should be more expensive). I also DO THINK that landlords and property managers should be fined themselves if a problem continues at a property. Once or twice doesn’t make a problem, but a house that is a nuisance on a regular basis is. If there is a problem, even once, yes, the landlord or property manager should step up and get involved imediately.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that this topic of student misbehavior and noise-making does not fail to get the most comments of any subject on this blog. People are fed up. In the face of that, Mr. O'Rourke's willingness to come forward is commendable.
ReplyDeleteStudents, not landlords, are responsible as adults for what they do, pure and simple.
I understand that there's a lot of lore about the sixties and seventies that today's young people have eaten with a spoon because it helps to justify their misbehavior.
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, for every young person dropping acid, there were several scared to death of these drugs, and several more scared to death of the police.
I know, I know, it all seems so old-fashioned now. But please don't use your misconceptions of life in prior decades to justify your own disrespect for your neighbors in Amherst.
By the way, what kind of loser comes to a place they hate and disrespect to go to school? You couldn't do better than that?
Many of us live here because we love it here, especially when we can get a good night's sleep.
Hey Chad, aka Pipleline Properties:
ReplyDeleteThanks for stepping up and taking responsibility. It would be nice if some of your tenants and a few of the other property barons in town did the same.
Maybe Amherst should put a database on the town website with all the none owner occupied property in town with a contact number for the person responsible. That way neighbors would know who to call in the dead of night.
Since you were kind enough to go first with a personal cell number, it would be helpful if you listed all the property you own or manage in Amherst (consider it a free ad) so neighbors do not have to navigate official state websites or rentalhousing.com to figure it out.
"Any one that has an issue issue with any place I own or manage (not assume I do) is welcome to contact me anytime at 413-348-4741 or Chad@pipelinepropertiesinc.com. I always want to know what is going on with my places"
ReplyDeleteSo you want others to do your job for you? Put those properties up to par with the home owners surrounding them. Ensure only the legal number of residents stay in that dwelling. Upgrade, landscape, upkeep and make it look on the outside and inside as if it were owner occupied. Do you job, don't ask others to do it for you.
We might all agree that some of the worst kept houses in town are rentals, but not all! There are some pretty messy places around town that ARE owner occupied. If you want to hold rental properties to the same visual standards as their neighbors, should we assume that you expect ALL houses to be up to "neighborhood standards"?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the new code enforcement building inspector will not discriminate--a code violation is a code violation.
ReplyDeleteFalling on hard times as a homeowner is a bit different than front yards covered in broken glass and used condoms - which is exactly what I saw on Phillips.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the new code enforcement building inspector will not discriminate--a code violation is a code violation.
ReplyDeleteLarry, when they hire ME to be the new code inspector, then you can be certain that there won't be any discrimination. You can also be reasonably certain that they never will....
And Larry, you know I am qualified....
I recently helped one of these landlords advise on how to properly hook up a stove vent. His reply to me was "That's $70 way to expensive for a rental" and his intention was to hack a hole in the wall and put a sub-standard vent it which I highly doubt was to code. So be prepared when that house burns to the ground.
ReplyDeleteBravo!!!!
Anyone who wants to understand why I am the way I am, it is because I saw so MUCH of this stuff -- it was just disgusting. And this actually is not the worst....
Larry -- you love your little girls, don't you? 15 years from now, they will be going to college, do you want them to burn to death in a fire? Do you think that some other father wants his little girls to burn to death in a fire either? Even if the girls were drunk out of their minds and screeching at the top of their lungs the night before, do you think some other father wants them to burn to death?
Folks, you are parents. As are the parents who are sending their children out here. They love their children every bit as much as you do yours. And you really need to start insisting on basic safety stuff because you want to insist on it in the commuity where your children go...
THE LAND OWNER CHAD OROURKE IS THE P.O.S. THAT SHOULD BE HIT W THE HEFTY FINE FOR ALLOWING SUCH EVENTS ON HIS PROPERTIES. NEIGHBORS HAVE TOLD HIM TIME AND TIME AGAIN!
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