[1]For more than a year citizens residing at the Scranton Castle CMHA Complex have complained to CMHA representatives and building management about the on-going infestitation of cockroaches and bed bugs.
One resident stated that her daughter had to receive medical treatment and medication for the bug bites. Another stated that no one was taking the situation seriously. That administration and management left each day at 5 O'clock whereas paying tenants had to suffer through the all night bitting ordeals.
Before a crowd of fifty (50) plus angry and frustrated tenants, CMHA North West AMP Leader Ms. Martin stated that they were working on it. She stated that in the last four months two investigations had been conducted to determine the extent of the problem. One elderly tenant stated that whatever they were using, "the dam roaches were drinking the shit." That while they were investigating, the cockroaches were educating themselves.
Old Tremont Block Club Co-Chair Lena Jackson raised from her wheelchair and with the assistance of a cane walked out into the center of the conference room and said it was about dam time they get some relief, that enough was enough and time had run out for CMHA. "It's time to do some house cleaning," she said. She continued her tongue lashing by saying that "it's pretty bad when the cockroaches can out run you to the elevator."
Ms. Martin's claim that spraying was done upon request, was rebuked by growling rent payers saying that doing one apartment at a time in the high rise just wasn't cutting it.
While the district supervisor from the city health dept. was present and attempted to provide a passive approach, many of the block club members got up and walked out. Co-Chair Jackson closed the meeting with a few resolves of her own for solving the problem. 1 - everybody stop paying rent and place their money in escrow; 2. demand that they be put up in a decent hotel until the building could be funagated; 3. find some help for the residents who were not able to do their own cleaning; 4. shut the dam building down.
Even though it was the Old Tremont Block Club's regular meeting night, the members were a bit dismayed and baffled, for even with a huge turn out of more than fifty in attendance, there was no representation or staff community organizer from Tremont West Development Corp. nor did Councilman Cummins make an appearance.
It was noted by several members/attendees that since they were within the service area boundries of TWDC and had not been receiving equal representation from the community organization, that perhaps there should be some accountability for CDBG funds allocated for Ward 14.