“One Man’s Opinion” by Gordon Curvey
Ladies and gentlemen something big time wrong is going on at the apartment building I have lived at since 2007 and that is the Dakota Apts here in Seattle and I want all my many Facebook friends to know about this.
Independent Living has for some reason decided to have a HUGE rent increase to the tenants here at the Dakotas and it is UNFAIR AND VERY VERY WRONG! I have been here at the Dakotas since late 2007. Going on a decade. When I first moved in my two bedroom apt was renting for $885. I had a medical discount on my rent.
Now here in July 2017 my rent goes up to $1015. YES the Dakota Apts rents are lower as a whole than many other apartments in the Seattle area. As many as of you may know, Seattle’s rent for apartments has jacked up higher than ANY city in the U.S. the last year and the question is why readers?
The Dakotas were built to help people have a place to stay without the sky high rents that other places have. And to have a clean
and safe place for the tenants. Over the years our rent for our apartments have slowly went up and up. No more than $25 a year. But all of a SUDDEN we get a note on our doors a few weeks ago that our rent here in Dakotas will go up BETWEEN $65 TO $300! THE QUESTION LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IS WHY! Why all of a sudden is our rent going up BIG TIME? I am very very angry!!
Here in Dakotas we used to have tenant meetings with management so tenants can discuss possible problems or even new ideas for the place we stay in. But the last few years their has been zero tenants meetings. I have asked the management here to hold a few meetings BUT it has went in ear and out the other.
The management has a master plan and I see it. MOVE AFRICAN AMERICANS AND EAST AND WEST AFRICANS OUT WHO MAY BE LOW INCOME AND SLOWLY MOVE HIGHER INCOME WHITE FOLKS IN. Yes the gentrification that has hit the Central Area is hitting the Dakota Apartments here in Seattle. It is WRONG AND VERY UNFAIR.
Readers I had a long talk with management of the Dakotas and he “tried” to talk down to me but it did not work. I am a educated black man and not a dummy. I see what is going on. After I brought up the high rent prices in Seattle and the Dakotas rent prices he kept trying to throw that in my face. It did not work!
Ladies and gentlemen the management want to increase our rent BUT will not keep the Dakotas clean ie garbage areas, plus folks smoking weed in the hallways and garage, NO SECURITY AND MUCH MORE!! Look at the attached pics!! Youth smoke weed in the hallways DURING THE DAY FOLKS!! Nothing is done by management!!
Seattle is turning into yuppie land. Apartments are going up with sky high rents so Microsoft and Amazon workers as well as Boeing workers etc can have nice places to stay. Meanwhile, “lower income” families will suffer and maybe become homeless because they cannot pay their rent, put enough food on the table, pay their light bill, their cable bill, phone bill and medical bills.
This HUGE AND UNFAIR AND SHOCKING rent increase might put families out on the street. It will take food out babies mouths
and will make people suffer depression and maybe even became suicidal. Does the management of the Dakotas care? HELL NO! They see dollar signs to help with repairs.
Readers since this short letter about our rent increase here at Dakotas was left on our doors I have not been able to sleep because I am so damn upset. This is the BIGGEST RENT INCREASE IN THE DAKOTAS HISTORY. It is BY FAR. Most of the time it is a $15 to $25 increase, NOT BETWEEN $65 TO $300!! The question readers is WHY THIS HUGE INCREASE IN OUR RENTS?
I have been online and making a lot of calls this past week and I have learned a lot. Find out what I have learned at a meeting of Dakota Apartments tenants:
Dakota Apartments/3642 33rd Ave South in Seattle/THURSDAY JUNE 22nd at 7pm/ More information call 206-445-3989
If you are a tenant or if you are just a concerned citizen..I will see you at the meeting.
Gordon Curvey