Dear Editor:
I am a resident of Hoboken for 37 years and have lived in Applied Housing for over 19 years. My children were raised in an apartment owned and managed by Applied Housing. Although I am a single parent household with a daughter attending college and a son in high school, I have a decent job with responsibility. I am a moderate-income tenant in Applied. I pay a reasonable (unsubsidized) rent.
I am outraged by the statements made by Annette Illing in the story on Ruben Ramos, Applied and the legal action against Applied printed in the Hoboken Reporter issue of December 17. Over 750 households representing 2,000 people, almost all of the people affected by the suit, have signed a petition specifically identifying the reasons why the tenants of Applied are solidly behind Applied in this suit, which was “engineered” by the likes of Annette Illing and others who we have never heard of. I am a member of the Steering Committee of the tenants’ Organization, which was formed to combat this suit.
Illing characterizes our tenant organization as a “sham” and implies to be “conned” by Applied. We, the tenants, have made a judgment based upon years of experience with Applied and Joe Barry. Illing, a political busybody very concerned with her political status, is so arrogant that she dismisses us as if we were children. She insults our intelligence as if we don’t know what’s good for us. She has much more interest in the splash created by her “press conference” than us tenants of Applied.
If the suit against Applied ever succeeded, our position at Applied Housing might be destroyed. But Illing, who takes no responsibility for anything, would blame that on Applied too. She is more than ignorant. She is a vicious person who would destroy our lives for her own political ideology.
We, the tenants, have a very clear message for you, Illing. Before this, most of us never heard of you or this Helen Hirsh who signed the suit. We will win in this suit, and we will remember both of you and your dangerous interference with our lives.
Lersie Vega