Como by the Lake to keep Section 8 housing for senior complex

Seniors and disabled Section 8 housing residents work together to keep their homes

By JAN WILLMS

Roberta Vietti is wearing a brooch that belonged to her great-grandmother, who was born in 1891. “She was a very strong woman. She got divorced in the early 1900s, and you just did not do that at that time. But she persevered,” Vietti said. “And when I think of us now, I think of a group of strong women who brought energy to a task and got it done.”

Photo left: Roberta Vietti holds her grandmother’s brooch, a reminder to her of what strong women can accomplish. (Photo by Jan Willms)

Vietti is referring to herself and several other residents of Como by the Lake, a senior housing complex at 901 E. Como Blvd.

Last April residents received a letter from the owners of the property, 900 Como Lake Limited Partnership. The letter stated that the Section 8 contract, which provides government-subsidized housing for 57 of the building’s low-income senior and/or disabled tenants, would be allowed to expire and rents would be set at market rate. This would have made the rents unaffordable for many, and they would be faced with having to move.

But several women faced this issue head-on and fought for the tenants’ rights, and they won.

The owners had decided to sell the property, and in August the residents found out that the new owner, Aeon, a nonprofit Minneapolis-based development and management company, did not plan to end the Section 8 contract.

“We were excited about Aeon getting this, but we knew that a deal isn’t done until the deal is done,” continued Vietti. “We were delighted at the news in August, but we know things can happen. We just held on, putting together what we could and looking toward the future. And then when Jan. 4 rolled around (the date the deal was finalized) we went ‘Whew!’”

Photo right: The women behind the effort at Como by the Lake gather together. Standing, l to r, are Janet Troutman Simmons and Elaine Linehan. Seated, l to r, are Roberta Vietti, Shirley Williams and Laurie Richardson. (Photo by Jan Willms)

“When we heard Aeon was the new owner back in August,” said Janet Troutman Simmons, who is the chair of the board of the Como by the Lake Residents Association, “we were quite excited because it was a nonprofit company. We felt they would listen to the kinds of concerns we had, something the previous owners had not been interested in.”

She said the residence board is in the process of being formalized, with a chair, secretary, assistant secretary and treasurer.

“When we started we did it so quickly, with only a chair and committees, in order for us to move and develop a campaign.”

After the original letter had gone out to tenants, Troutman Simmons and Laurie Richardson became the primary contacts with the owners. “We were the most outspoken, asking questions of the owners,” Richardson said. “We were trying to make them accountable. We very quickly formed a residents association so we could stay ahead of what the owners were doing.”

Richardson, who is younger than the rest, but disabled, has been named as an honorary board member.

“Laurie has a lot of background in working with people in the community,” Troutman Simmons said. She was dispatched to contact legislators, state and federal agencies, and representatives. Vietti, Shirley Williams and Elaine Linehan were also enlisted to help, and the group of women pressed forward.

A community meeting was held right after the original owners decided to sell.

“We felt the neighborhood needed to know what is going on with the building because it affects them,” Richardson stated.

Packets of information were sent out, and Ward 5 Council Member Amy Brendmoen, Ward 5 candidate David Glass and Ramsey County Commissioner Janice Rettman provided assistance.

And HOME Line, a nonprofit Minnesota tenant advocacy organization, stepped in to assist.

Richardson was concerned that the housing might be turned into an all-age building. “There is already a lot of family housing in the neighborhood,” she said, “but there is not enough senior and disabled housing around, especially that is affordable.” She said the group fought for a good, safe environment to live in.

“The reason we fought for that, and backed Aeon, is that they promised they would keep it what it is,” she said. As well as just a residence, Como by the Lake offers a Block Nurse program and a senior lunch program. By moving, the residents would lose out on all of these offerings.

Richardson and Troutman Simmons met with Aeon. “They had a lot of questions, and they liked us because we have a community here, and we banded together,” Richardson noted. “We had things going on that they were willing to keep in the building.”

Linehan said she remembers what it was like when the letters about losing Section 8 first went out. “Everybody was scared, and the whole building just became quiet.”

Now, she said, Aeon is willing to work on issues that need to be addressed, such as any mold in the system. New maintenance people are being brought in.

“A number of issues had to be dealt with once Aeon took over, but we wanted to work with them and not micromanage what they are doing because it does not make for good relationships,” Troutman Simmons said.

She said that as well as formalizing the board, committees are being set up such as a building support committee and an arts and entertainment committee.

Looking back on what has happened, Williams said her biggest concern had been for the morale of the people who lived here.

“I was proud when they asked me to join the group trying to save the building because I know what it feels like to be looking for a home. Most people who moved in here moved in to stay, not just for a couple of days or weeks or months. They were worried they had to find another home, and that didn’t feel good at all.”

Williams said that after looking at what has happened and all the people it has affected, and the people it has drawn to their plight, she is proud and thankful for what was accomplished.

“Some of those who moved out early wish they had stayed now, but that’s what fear does,” she said.

Troutman Simmons said the group is hoping to write a history of the resident association’s beginning, and what they went through. “It’s amazing that we only took six or seven months to accomplish our goal. We can’t believe it ourselves.”

She said that when the situation first started, she contacted friends in Massachusetts to see how they were dealing with problems with landlords or losing Section 8 housing.

“They told me they were just trying to find other programs for people to transfer into,” she said. “I told them they should be doing everything they could to help people stay where they were.”

“I figured then they wouldn’t be any help,” she joked.”We would just have to fend for ourselves.”

Netsanet Negussie, an intern who works with HOME Line, said this was the organization’s first project with Section 8 tenants. “We just let them know their rights, and they did all the work themselves.”

The women sang the praises of HOME Line, saying the organization was there for them whenever needed.

Negussie said similar situations are happening throughout the metro. The women from Como by the Lake said they hoped their stand would serve as an example to other tenant groups that they could fight to preserve their rights.

“We are here, and we have issues with the way people are being treated,” added Troutman Simmons. “We have to have a voice.”

Their activism has led them further into community participation. Richardson is planning to run for a position in District 10, one of Saint Paul’s 17 citizen participation districts. And Troutman Simmons has been invited to sit on the board for Aeon.

“We have shown how people can come together,” Richardson said.

“Roberta and I said we would show them that you don’t mess with old people,” Linehan said with a smile.