Residents Coerced
By Robin Vinci at February 21, 2024 | 7:43 pm | Print
Tenants Believed Mayor Would Get Them Section 8 for Signing Petition
A woman who started a petition complaining about plowing at Farmington Hills apartments got others to sign it by promising them the mayor would help them get Section 8.
Section 8 is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.
Lisandro Resto of Farmington Hills submitted a petition last week with 40 names on it to the Common Council complaining that the complex did not shovel snow after Blizzard Charlotte until Tuesday.
Sam Zherka who oversees Farmington Hills said three residents spoke to his staff on tape saying they were coerced into signing the petition.
One woman, who asked not to be named, said that Resto told her that the mayor said he would help them to get Section 8 as a favor if they signed the petition.
“She said Resto told her that she spoke to the mayor and he had a beef with me,” said Zherka. “Miss Resto was instructed (by the mayor’s office) to do whatever she wanted because the mayor ‘has your back’.”
Zherka said his staff then called the Housing of Urban Development (HUD) in Washington DC and told them what the mayor said. He said HUD wanted to know the mayor’s name so they could send this to the US Inspector General’s Office because that is a crime.
The tenant then was frightened and decided not to pursue this with HUD, according to Zherka.
“It goes to show how low a mayor sailing on a sinking ship would go to try to jeopardize and get people involved in his disputes,” said Zherka. “You cannot promise anyone Section 8. That is corruption.”
Zherka said he has on tape that the woman was also asked to keep it a secret and not to mention City Hall or the mayor’s office to anyone.
Resto told the New Britain City Journal on Thursday afternoon, that she spoke to someone at the Farmington Hills office Tuesday who told her if she was afraid of the snow, to shovel it herself.
Resto said some areas of Farmington Hills were driveable. Resto lives at the end of a street and snow removed from the street was piled up in front of her house.
She said she shoveled over 2 hours until she got blisters and her friend Jose Ortiz who works for a construction company was able to get a bulldozer.
“You cannot tell me that Mr. Sam Zherka cannot go and get a bulldozer,” she said. Farmington Hills representatives said they were on a waiting list for bulldozers.
Resto said she called Fox 61 News on Monday and on Tuesday Farmington Hills bulldozers came to clear her area.
“Mr. Zherka is limiting people to coming here,” said Resto. “I didn’t even know his name until yesterday.”
She said she went to City Hall and they asked her if she knew her landlord. She said they gave her a bunch of information on Zherka. Resto said she plans on suing Zherka in small claims court. She said she never met him, but said he is a “bully”.
Three Farmington Hills residents told the New Britain City Journal Monday that not everything Resto claims is true.
Resident Jennifer Cintron said the snowplows tried to clean the snow on Saturday the best they could.
“There was a lot of snow,” Cintron said. “I always do my driveway. I was able to get out on Sunday. We were only stuck one day here.”
Brenda Morales, whose parents have lived at Farmington Hills for 20 years, said she was concerned because her father needed dialysis early Sunday morning.
“I called and said he needed to be transported on Sunday,” said Morales. “One of the gentlemen told me they would make a trail for the ambulance and not to worry.”
Morales said not all roads were taken care of early Sunday morning, but her father’s was plowed first because of his needs.
“It’s not a rental issue,” said Morales. “It was a blizzard.”
Aida Rivera said she was plowed out Sunday morning, but the plows started on Saturday.
“About 6 or 7 neighbors came outside to clean cars and help out, but there was too much snow,” Rivera said. “It was a lot of work, but we wanted to help.”
Workers in the Farmington Hills Office said they never have arguments with tenants or bully them. They said they never had trouble with Resto before.
Zherka said because of what City Hall tried to do, he plans to take action.
“When government interferes in contractual obligations, especially in retaliation for free speech, they are subject to civil right actions,” said Zherka. “Our lawyers are starting to build a case on Mr. O’Brien, Mr. (Phil) Sherwood (deputy chief of staff), Briggette Brown (community organizer) and others. It’s unlawful and those damages could be held personally against those involved.”
Zherka said he speaks out against O’Brien’s policies because they punish tenants across the City and he wants to help all New Britain residents.
The Mayor’s Office did not return emails concerning this story.
