https://gofund.me/10046aef

Hello, I’m Stefani and I’m here to tell you my story of discrimination in housing due to disability and request donations needed to help pay for moving expenses and apartment lease security fees.

In addition to severe osteoarthritis, for 21 years I have had an autoimmune disease which continuously attacks the joints in my fingers and hands, causing loss of strength, grip, limitations function, use causing loss of strength, and disfigurement. I can no longer cut with scissors or a box cutter. I eat with adaptive utensils, brush my teeth with an adopted toothbrush, and write illegibly because I am no longer able to hold anything where it is necessary to wrap my fingers around it . I am always in pain. It is difficult to do simple things like food shopping and I drop everything. I have most things I need delivered but the property manager insists I break down and fold the boxes. I am unable to break down the boxe and I asked the property manager for an accommodation based on the limitations I have with my hands but I was denied. He said to me that he didn’t care about my hands or my disability. I sought after my own accommodation. We have a valet guy here who picks up our daily trash at our door and I asked him if he would take the cartons not broken down to which she said absolutely. He started to do that until the manager found out. I’ve been ridiculed, harassed, bullied and my lease threatened by the manager, I even called contacted the trash collection company that removes the trash from the dumpsters and they said they had no problem picking up boxes that weren’t broken down. The manager knew I couldn’t break down the boxes and I became a victim of his discrimination. He became hyperfocused on asserting his power knowing I could not do what he insisted I do. He sent me harassing and bullying emails. He threatened me with losing my lease and being fined. I brought him a doctors letter requesting an accommodation for my disability which once again he denied. It’s challenging enough to have to live with this disability, but then to be discriminated against because of it and to be reminded of tasks I cannot do while being ordered to do them. And then one day in December he went too far. The manager accused me in an email of throwing out a disassembled knee scooter in one of the boxes that had my name on it. What would I be doing with a knee scooter and how could I possibly use tools to disassemble one ? I was also accused of throwing trash on the floor between the dumpsters and not inside them. I don’t even throw my own trash out. Why would I do a heinous act such as that?I’m not an animal. I was also told I threw furniture out. I certainly am incapable of hauling furniture around. None of this was even remotely true. My hands tend to drop everything as they have such minimal strength. My hands are unable to grasp. How could I possibly throw furniture out? Needless to say in this year I’ve been I finally had enough and decided to exercise my human rights against disability discrimination in housing, and I went to Long Island Housing organization who had an investigator and attorney work with me. I filed a complaint to the New York State department of human rights in the division of the housing investigation unit. I filed a complaint with HUD as well. An investigation however, takes a long time and the State agencies are quite backed up. It could take years to complete an investigation. They are very thorough and these cases can end up in County Court, Federal Court or even the Supreme Court, but it can take years. I will request compensation for my physical and emotional pain worsened by his constant discrimination which I will donate to the disabled who face discrimination in housing. In the meantime, my lease was up as of July 30 which they would not renew but I was given an additional 30 days to vacate my apartment. I am here since August 1 without a lease. The manager charged me an extra $500 for being here with no lease even though he’s the one that’s not letting me have a lease and even though they allow month to month leases here. I paid it, because I do not want to do anything wrong. I do not have an alternate apartment secured yet which means on Sept 2 the manager will most probably go to court to legally start an eviction (yay for holiday weekends) I was not prepared to have to move at this point in my life and do not have the financial means to do so. I used to be very happy here. The manager has only been here a year. I have been here close to 6 years. I work minimal hours and get Social Security and have not been able to save up a lot of money for a rainy day. I therefore don’t have the money to move and put down for an apartment deposits.

I had to humble myself but shamefully started a GoFundMe page shamefully asking for donations prior to receiving an eviction notice

I am here here to tell you my story, put some humanity behind the go fund me process and hopefully attract kind and generous people to understand what I’ve been living through and possibly assist me with the finances necessary to move.

I will not accept being a victim of discrimination and will continue to do everything I possibly can to restore my inner peace. All received donations will go towards the costs of the moving company as well as an apartment deposit and associated fees. Thank you for listening to me and I hope you can find it in your hearts to help me with even the smallest donation.

Thank you so much for the kindness and generosity of your donation as well as for making it possible for Riley and I to move to an environment of safety, non-discrimination, and safety.