Help Serrano Apartment Families in Urgent Need
Hello friends and neighbors,
We are establishing this GoFundMe page to raise funds to help five families who have been severely impacted by the neglected and terrible living conditions at the Serrano Apartments in Arlington.
These families have lost most, if not all, of their furniture and belongings due to pest infestation, mold, and possible asbestos contamination in their apartments. Community leaders and residents have been advocating for improved maintenance, living conditions, and attention to tenants' needs at the Serrano Apartments for two years. Finally, after involvement from VOICE and the NAACP, the Serrano Apartments and residents are getting the attention they deserve from AHC, Inc. (owner of property) and the County government.
But change is slow, and at times, it feels like we are taking one step forward and two steps back in getting issues and needs addressed, and, in the meantime, families continue to suffer the consequences. For example, approximately 20 families were placed in hotels while repairs were made and issues addressed, to correct the terrible conditions in their apartments.
Five of these families were placed in hotels for over two months and were still required to pay rent during their extended hotel stay even though they did not have the space or amenities their apartments provided them.
The five families we are raising money for had their furniture, clothes, and other belongings in their apartments damaged during this time due to severe pest infestation, mold, and lack of care of their belongings by workers during repairs. Some were even impacted with health problems due to the conditions in their apartments before their move.
AHC has since fired a top-level leader and their CEO resigned. They have recently hired a new Interim CEO. AHC and their Interim CEO are now working with advocates and tenants to address repairs, pest infestation, maintenance issues and other resident needs. Unfortunately, as stated, change is slow, and while we anticipate AHC will make these families whole again, it may take weeks before anything comes to fruition.
In the meantime, these families, all with school-aged children, have to replace beds, furniture, clothes and other household items and prepare to get their children ready for back-to-school as they relocate, return and try to restabilize their homes and families. These families have suffered significant losses and were unexpectedly uprooted due to the lack of maintenance and care at the Serrano Apartments. These families work hard, living paycheck-to-paycheck, and do not have additional finances nor renter’s insurance to assist them in replacing their belongings and to address other costs involved with resettling and restabilizing their homes and families.
We are raising funds to help them and to help their children get ready for back-to-school, to help replace their personal belongings, and to provide some small level of support.
We are hoping to raise:
• $4,000 for each of four families relocated to hotel rooms for over two months and lost most or almost all of their belongings due to pest infestation, mold and possible asbestos contamination = $16,000
• $2,000 for one family who suffered some significant loss of their belongings but could relocate to another affordable housing residence before further loss occurred.
• $738 for the GoFundMe fees and transaction costs
Please consider donating any amount. Any additional funds raised will be used to increase financial support for these families and for grocery gift cards for Arlington families who are still struggling through the pandemic recovery in collaboration with the Serrano Advocacy groups and the Kenmore Wednesday Parents Group.
We are grateful for your consideration and for any donation amount you can give.
THANK YOU!
Tannia Talento
Janeth Valenzuela
Rev. Ashley Goff
Julius D. "J.D." Spain, Sr.
County Board Drills Into AHC About Serrano Apartments Conditions | ARLnow.com: https://www.arlnow.com/2021/06/17/county-board-drills-into-ahc-about-serrano-apartment-conditions/
JUST IN: Local Affordable Housing CEO Retires | ARLnow.com: https://www.arlnow.com/2021/05/26/just-in-local-affordable-housing-ceo-retires/
A Flurry of Activity at the Serrano Apartments After Residents Decry Conditions | ARLnow.com: https://www.arlnow.com/2021/05/20/a-flurry-of-activity-descends-on-the-serrano-apartments-after-residents-decry-conditions-inside/
Rodents, Mold, Shoddy Maintenance Plague Affordable Apartment Building | ARLnow.com: https://www.arlnow.com/2021/05/06/rodents-mold-shoddy-maintenance-plague-affordable-apartment-building/
