Something New...

Yesterday I posted a bit of a rant about my landlords and their inaction concerning our apartment building. 

In New York, throughout the five boroughs, you can call the number 311 to make any sort of complaint (unsafe working conditions; unsanitary restaurant conditions; housing issues) as well as get tips or information regarding certain social ills (poor diet patterns; smoking; spousal abuse). Corrie often wonders how a city as ridiculously large as this, and as impossible to run as this one is, can really set up a hotline that's supposed to deal with as many disparate things as the 311 line is taking on, and be even remotely successful. But sometimes it does get results.

We've called them on our landlords probably four or five times since moving in, but mostly within the first six to eight months. We got some results. I mentioned in my post yesterday that the magnetic lock on the front door had been busted for nearly three weeks. After posting the post, I picked up my phone, called the number I have for our landlord, got through to a voicemail on the second try, and told them that they knew the situation, and if it wasn't fixed by this morning, I was calling 311 by 8:30 am.

The door was fixed when I checked this morning. Astonishing really...but of course it shouldn't be, since I'd hope that property owners who collect rent should be accountable for things like working front doors.

Just in the past few minutes, a pair of Housing Department guys came through, with a long list of everything we've ever called on, as well as everything everyone in the building has called on, going apartment to apartment checking on the progress of sometimes three year old complaints.

Maybe only in New York City can three year old complaints need to be checked for progress.