On the one side you’ve got the landlords, a sad and misunderstood lot. They’ve gone way overboard catering to the seniors in their building.
A special room has been set aside just for meetings and birthday parties. The elevators are swift, the janitorial staff snappy. The building manager does a lot of hand holding, even though that’s not in the lease agreement. And besides, a bus comes twice weekly to truck the more infirm residents to the local supermarket for shopping.
On the other side you’ve got the residents. They grumble about service. The special hand attachment a senior bought for the shower has broken and he doesn’t understand why the janitor won’t fix it for free. The newly installed carpeting hasn’t been tacked down properly, making it easy to trip. Some residents aren’t really happy with their apartments but they won’t speak out, fearful they’ll be evicted or somehow blackballed by the landlord, who will make their lives even more difficult. The place is like a penal colony.
Can landlords and seniors ever be friends, or at least work things out? Judging from a handful of letters from readers complaining about their landlords, we’ve still got a long way to go.
Surely, the landlord-tenant relationship may never set the standard for cozy intimacy. But there are things a senior should expect from his or her landlord. There are also some things residents shouldn’t get.
First off, landlords are obligated to live up to the terms of the lease agreement. In brief, the landlord has a duty to keep the apartment and the building fit to reside in. This covers a lot. It means the building and the unit should have heat and working utilities and appliances, if supplied by the building.
Even these fundamentals can cause misunderstandings. So since 1986, Chicago has required that all leases include a copy of what’s called the Residential Landlord-Tenant Ordinance. This law spells out exactly what each party should expect from the other. It includes things like security deposits, the landlord’s right of access and late rent.
The Metropolitan Tenants Organization, a group that champions renter rights, says most complaints involve security deposits and repairs.
Pam Alfonso, the group’s executive director, believes the landlord-tenant ordinance, while difficult to enforce, has improved things for Chicago renters. But she admits fears about speaking out are not unfounded.
“Retaliation from landlords is a big issue,” she said.
For many seniors, though, contentment goes well beyond the legal issues in the lease agreement. Satisfaction usually hinges on the responsiveness of the building manager and how well the building is run.
Is the office manager nice? Does the janitor take time to chat in the elevator?
“Seniors should expect concern for the issues that are important to them,” said Pat Hartman, who has managed senior buildings and now administers a portfolio of low-income senior buildings in Ohio.
Hartman believes the key is to find a building with a property manager who is adaptable. For instance, a good manager may have had the controls for the baseboard heat raised so seniors can easily reach the knobs.
Another good sign: The property manager has weekend office hours. “Then the family can talk to the site manager,” said Hartman.
At the same time, residents have to follow building rules. This may mean the janitor won’t fix a clock radio. Or that grandchildren can’t stay overnight. The house rules are the rules. In order to be fair, the rules have to apply to everyone in the building.
Experts suggest that if you’re not comfortable with the house rules before you sign a lease, chances are you won’t be well suited to the building. Look elsewhere for an apartment. If you’re thinking about a continuing-care retirement community or assisted-living facility, the same holds true.
Ask about the residency agreement, which specifies the rules. Get the details spelled out in advance by the residence director rather than the sales agent.
Too often when a dispute arises, residents claim the question wasn’t covered up front, says Todd Miller, vice president of operations for Senior Lifestyle Corp., Chicago, which has 65 senior facilities nationwide.
“You get into a lot of gray areas of care,” he said. “Seniors and their families should expect management to be sensitive and accommodating only up to what the facility is licensed to do.”
Resources
If you have a problem with your landlord, the Metropolitan Tenants Organization has a hotline for complaints. Call 773-292-4988 from 4 to 8p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 11a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday; and 3 to 6 p.m., Friday. The group also has a number of brochures available, in English and Spanish, that explain what tenants should expect from a landlord.
Updates
Lake Forest Place, a new continuing-care community, has been completed. Located on 49 acres in Lake County, the project features cottages, apartments, assisted-living and skilled nursing care facilities. For information, call 847-604-6600.
– St. Edmund’s Tower, a new 59-unit affordable apartment building for seniors, has opened at 6141 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago. Individuals must have an annual income of less than $20,850, and households of two must have combined annual income of less than $23,800. Applications are being accepted at the St. Edmund’s Redevelopment Corp. at 6105 S. Michigan. For more information call 773-752-8893.
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Jane Adler is a Chicago-area freelance writer. If you have questions or information to share regarding housing for senior citizens, write to Senior Housing c/o Chicago Tribune Real Estate Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Or e-mail adler@megsinet.net
