EVICTING THE ELDERLY, MS. SEMILETOV AND HER CATS

Here I am again, piggy backing on a New York Post article on Landlord harassment.

 It's no secret that the elderly are easy to evict. They get scarred of legal papers, don't have the strength to get to court on 100 center Street or just can't endure the stress. This is the case of Marianne Semiletov.  She is 73 and her landlord, C. Gershon Co. has filed for eviction because ,"she is a nuisance, dumps her cat litter down the toilet, enters other tenants apartments, and is living is dirty and grimy conditions".

Whether these accusations are true or not is really irrelevant. The purpose here is to get Ms. Semiletov to court and STRESS her out! That means that Ms. Semiletov has to take the subway and the bus and go down to housing court for 8:30 in the morning and THEN sit in a courtroom for two or three hours until her name is called.  

And if that's not enough stress for an elderly woman, the first time Ms.Semiletov gets in front of a Clerk  the case will probably be adjourned and Ms. Semiletov will probably had to go to housing court three or four times before she even gets in front of a judge.

Most elderly will never be able to make that journey due to the and anxiety and stress alone and quickly fold under the stress.  And even if they CAN afford a lawyer (for $250.00 an hr) they STILL have to appear physically in court.

 But the LANDLORDS? The actually owners of the building?

They will probably NEVER have to inconvenience themselves. While Ms. Semiletov may have to cancel a vacation or take time off her physio-therapy to appear in court the LANDLORD will NEVER have to show up. The owner of the building will simplY send out lawyers to represent himself./herself.

Lets change this law. HOW ABOUT THIS?.

IF A LANDLORD IS GOING TO SUE MY ASS OR ANYBODY ELLSES  THEY BETTER BE REQUIRED TO SHOW UP TO COURT.