Fuck, man…I’m so fucking stressed out. I wasn’t getting any reassurance about how fucked over I got by being moved in with a literal psychotic hoarder as a roommate, just none. I mean the housing agency did say they’d hire a cleaning service, which would great for maybe 24 hours until it would go back to being a filth pit. I was also informed that I could go to something called respite care, which kind of looks like a shelter upon researching. why the fuck should I be the one to go anywhere like that, when I’m the person in this situation takes care of things like personal hygiene? this shit is dead wrong. dead fucking wrong.
if you’re lost, and don’t know what i’m talking about, read some of the posts from this past week. most of them are about this travesty of a hand I was dealt by my housing agency.
so, I filed reports of neglect with the department of mental health and the department of adult protective services, because my roommate isn’t safe living in filth, and i’m not likely to maintain my sanity living with him either. you shouldn’t fuck with someone who is unemployed, and therefore has ample time on his hands, and can write a solid email or 2 to whomever is in charge of this shit. i’m not going to just be like “oh this is how it is now, I live in a landfill with a psycho who steals from me, oh well.”
FUCK THAT SHIT.
this is the email I just sent to my housing organization:
“Attached is the referral I made to NYC adult protective services about this apartment, and how Robin’s mental care needs are grossly neglected. He can’t take care of himself, and I can’t be asked to feed and clean up after him. I’m worried about feeding myself now because of the food he stole from me that I have no money to replace. I know you’ve seen the videos that your employee took here yesterday, I asked everyone I spoke to.I’m not willing to just be thrown into a situation like this without standing up for my rights and advocating for myself, because my mental health, and safety are on the line. I filed a report with DMH and APS. Someone who came here to assist robin suggested i do that, and honestly i’m not far from calling 911, this man is not safe, his behavior is very eradicate and unpredictable, and in my past, a roommate like that tried to kill me and was convicted of felony 2nd degree attempted murder, so you understand my concern. I don’t think i’m overreacting, and neither does anyone else I’ve brought this situation to. Please, help me. I need reassurance. I don’t know why I’m the one who has to go to respite care, when I’m clearly the one here that can manage his own care.”
and this is the main text of the report I filed with the adult protective services, which I attached to the email:
“MY NAME IS EVAN PENKETHMAN I AM A RESIDENT IN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THROUGH A 2010E FOR SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE TSINY APARTMENT TREATMENT PROGRAM. ON 03–22–24 I WAS RELOCATED FROM MY PREVIOUS APARTMENT IN JAMAICA QUEENS TO A NEW UNIT LOCATED AT 1*********4TH STREET IN HOLLIS QUEENS. UNFORTUNATELY I’M FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WITH MY CURRENT ROOMMATE ROBIN PATEL. MY ROOMMATE APPEARS TO BE DEEPLY MENTALLY ILL AND STRUGGLES TO MEET HIS BASIC NEEDS. HE’S UNABLE TO PURCHASE GROCERIES FOR HIMSELF RESORTING TO TAKING MINE WHICH I CAN BARELY AFFORD FOR MYSELF. ADDITIONALLY HE DOESN’T MAINTAIN CLEANLINESS IN THE SHARED KITCHEN BATHROOM OR LIVING ROOM LEADING TO ROTTING FOOD INSECTS AND LIKELY MICE. OUT OF CONCERN I BRIEFLY GLIMPSED INTO HIS ROOM WHICH SEEMS TO BE AN UNSANITARY HOARDING SITUATION POTENTIALLY HARBORING VERMIN. I’M NOT A DOCTOR BUT BASED ON HIS BEHAVIOR IT’S CLEAR HE REQUIRES A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE. GIVEN HIS INABILITY TO CARE FOR HIMSELF I’M OFTEN LEFT WITH THE BURDEN OF CLEANING UP AFTER HIM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT CONSIDERING MY OWN MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND LIMITED INCOME.FURTHERMORE MY ROOMMATE DOESN’T HAVE A KEY LEAVING THE APARTMENT DOOR WIDE OPEN. SINCE MY BEDROOM DOESN’T HAVE A FUNCTIONAL LOCK THIS CREATES A SIGNIFICANT SECURITY AND PRIVACY CONCERN. THIS SITUATION UNFORTUNATELY MIRRORS A PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DURING 2021. I HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT A ROOMMATE’S MENTAL STATE TO THE AGENCY AT THE TIME BUT MY WARNINGS WERE DISREGARDED. THE SITUATION ESCALATED TO A VIOLENT ATTACK ATTEMPTED MURDER WITH A KNIFE FOR WHICH MY FORMER ROOMMATE WAS CONVICTED.UNDERSTANDABLY THE SIMILARITIES TO MY PAST EXPERIENCE ARE TRIGGERING ANXIETY AS A TRAUMA RESPONSE. I BELIEVE BOTH MY ROOMMATE’S NEEDS AND MY OWN MENTAL HEALTH ARE BEING NEGLECTED. I LACK CONFIDENCE IN THE AGENCY’S EFFORTS TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. WITH THE INTENTION OF PREVENTING A REPEAT OF MY 2021 EXPERIENCE I’M SUBMITTING THIS REPORT. PLEASE GUIDE ME ON HOW TO PROCEED”
APS called me within a half an hour, and told me it would be about 72 business hours before they decide if they’ll assign a worker to this case, but from the what she sees it’s highly likely that they will. good, let’s get the a city agency involved, because if I’m not going to be moved somewhere else, than this dude is going to a fucking facility. I don’t give a fuck who’s bell I have to ring, i’m not living like this, its wreaking havoc on my mental state, you know? I was just coming out of a dark period, i’m not looking to go into a totally different one, or lose my shit in any sense.
I don’t think that these people at housing count on someone being smart enough to stand up for themselves, or focused enough to do it all day, every day until something gets done about how fucking wrong they are. I write every single day, what’s a couple reports to state agencies about their wrongdoing? nothing, it’s nothing to me. If you don’t want to help me? fine, I’m finding someone who will. I’m not having this shit.
Your contribution, no matter how big or small, can make a huge difference. A donation to my Ko-fi will help with some of the stress i’m under, which is definitely compounded by the fact that i’m broke, on top of this shit sandwich of a situation i’ve been thrust into:
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