Hi, Im Jett Garrett, an agender mixed race queer person living in Cambridge, Mass. I am currently facing homelessness due to a neglectful landlord.

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Since 2022, I have been dealing with a neglectful landlord. I have well documented my experience with them and due to their neglect my ceiling caved in early February ruining a lot of my studio gear after the storm. I have legitimate, grave concerns that my apartment is unsafe and now have the city and health department involved. There have multiple citations since the beginning of February. I believe that the building will be condemned, but in the meantime I am displaced and staying with friends. So I have a safe place to sleep.

i am immunocompromised, have asthma and VOC sensitivity. I have asked the landlord to please not begin renovating the inside of my apartment until I am relocated, and they have not offered relocation fees. The city is also pushing for this, and, I have doctors notes, a medical history to verify my health status.

Since the ceiling collapsed 2/9/26, I have been diagnosed with pneumonia which my drs believe may be related to the mold in the basement. As I’m writing this, the ceiling is still agape - almost two weeks after the initial collapse. As of last night, the ceiling in my main living area and my bedroom are showing new signs of puckering. The landlord once again did not respond to my messages I sent him on 2/20/26. In general, the landlord and property management have been combative and unresponsive since I brought up structural and mold concerns on 2/10/26 and 2/12/26. I have sent them certified mail letters and plan to continue to do so.

When I threatened to withhold rent in early February due to the ongoing neglect concerns, my landlord threatened to evict me and instead offered to let me out of my lease without penalty. I do not understand how this is legal, and how the city acts as a liaison but truly can’t do anything to hold the property management and landlord accountable. Yes, the property loses value due to citations. But why aren’t landlords responsible for providing a portion of relocation fees when a tenant is evicted due to their neglect? When I lived back home in Portland, Oregon, the city passed a law that if a landlord is responsible for evicting a tenant with 90 days notice or less, they are responsible for 50% of relocation fees.

I have spoken with multiple legal aid resources and had a consultation with a private attorney. The only legal help I can get for this is if I’m evicted, and, in the meantime I’m doing what I can to take care of myself and move my things into storage. As well as look for a new home, which has been exhausting. I work from home and have not been able to work as a music professional, and due to my mental health between this and things going on in my personal life, I have had to cancel days at the salon. I am now having to pay for a workspace to do my work, and while I’m grateful I can do that it’s another OOP cost I cannot sustain.

Fair and equal housing in Boston and Cambridge is a crisis. With midterms coming up, and the rent control proposition up for vote, we need the city and its officials to do more. It’s not just providing affordable housing. It’s about providing safe and affordable housing, and holding slumlords accountable for their actions. It’s about making it harder for slumlords and property managers to take advantage of the young and brilliant minds that come to this city to study. It’s about making it harder for slumlords to take advantage of the working class, and BIPOC and Queer people.

I am asking for assistance with missed work, moving costs, storage fees and living expenses and bills while displaced. I have $2000 saved, but that won’t last long depending how long I am displaced. I was not planning to move until June and not financially prepared for this as a recent graduate transitioning back into full time.

$6300 moving costs

$1000 storage facility for 6 months

$3000 for missed work

$2000 for damaged gear and hard drive replacements

$4000 ongoing healthcare (specialists, testing, therapy support)

$200 gas to drive to/from appointments and work

If you are able to donate that would be helpful. It would also be helpful if you just reached out because frankly I am not okay right now. Sharing is helpful too. Thank you for taking the time to read about me.

I will update as I plan to go to Mayor Wu about this next week.