How Not To Run a Residential Rental Business in Richmond

Yesterday the owner of the 10 S. Boulevard property and proprietor of Hollister Enterprises stopped in to advise me that political signs that were on my front desk and facing out the window for a year and a half had to go. This caught me off guard as there's never been a problem with my office decor before. The real issue is that Hollister Enterprises has also after a year and a half discovered our community website and they were not pleased with our candor.

"You can move out this weekend!" stated the hostile landlord. "If you and your neighbors don't like it here you can just move." Shocking words from someone who receives a check for $995 every month on time and without hassle. 

The issue isn't whether anyone likes, dislikes, or further has personal disputes with our landlord or the facilities. The goal of this site is and always has been to bring people together and build a better, safer and friendlier place to call home. When we post sensational stories we entertain, inform and call attention to deficiencies. Our coverage of accidents aka debacles serves to remind everyone that we live on a busy thoroughfare and we should exercise extreme caution while driving, walking and recreating down our fair avenue.

Hollister Enterprises took exception and offense to our citing of:

• Termites swarming in and around the basement laundry areas .
  
  
• Coverage of a toxic gas cloud that forced an evacuation of a third floor apartment at the advice of representatives from the Poison Control Center.
  
  
• Coverage of a crowbar assisted break in of the basement and robbery of the laundry
  
  
• Coverage of the great negligent ladder collapse of March 2008 and resulting property damages.
  
  
• Photo documentary of Lake Ten South and related aquatics .
  
  
• Ongoing posts about neighborhood crime including but not limited to: drive by shootings , robberies , hit and runs , homeless living on fire escapes & car break ins.
  

The better business person, the socially conscious and concerned property owner would be open and candid about concerns in the community and invite his tenants to share in making our homes a better place. Rather than threaten, coerce and show hostility towards free information and legitimate concerns for safety and security a smart landlord would embrace those calls.

When a whole community of people can see that a few exterior lights would prevent countless vandalisms, crimes and vagrant residencies and a property owner ignores those criticisms that is a sign of a bad rental business.

When a property owner acknowledges the water drainage problems on his property and even refers to it as a "lake" yet does not take measurable action to remedy the issue there is a significant problem with his business.

"Your site is taking money out of my wallet!" is not the quote from a good business. It's a matter of cause and effect; this site and our community of neighbors would not exist were it not for the need and desire to make this a better place to live.

"I'll have a great day WHEN YOU MOVE OUT!" said the departing property owner as he stormed off around a corner after his hostile confrontation. Thankfully my lease was automatically renewed 2 weeks ago and extends through December 2009 so I will have ample time to help our landlords build a better and more prosperous rental business while also helping to make our community safer and a more comfortable place to call home. I genuinely hope they will join us and their neighbors on the Boulevard to set an example of a good Richmond rental business.