All is not well with Bethel’s senior housing

By CHRIS CONROY

BETHEL — Discolored water, rent increases and a growing displeasure with the management of the Bethel senior housing project have some residents of the facility upset.

The senior housing facility, in operation for nearly two years, is maintained by Rural Sullivan Housing and is home to 25 senior Bethel citizens. When it was opened, it was lauded as a step in the right direction by Bethel residents of all ages. It was to be a perfect place for those with a fixed income to live, with rent based on that income, and would provide a safe community for all its residents. There were problems almost immediately.

The most noticeable and consistent problem began soon after the facility began operation. Residents noticed that tap water left to sit, either in the sink or in glasses, would leave behind a reddish silt. A little silt is to be expected from a new well, they were told. The silt, identified as red shale, a common bedrock in the region, still persists today.

“The water is no good,” said one resident.

Vicky Vassmer is the town board’s liaison to the senior community. At the April 25 town board meeting, she presented a well log that explained the source of the shale sediment. The well casing descends only 141 feet, through one level of sandstone. The well shaft hit a patch of red shale at 186 feet. A second patch of shale was hit at 238 feet.

Patrice Chester, the executive director of Rural Sullivan Housing, said that the water has been tested and is safe to use. “This is more of a quality of life issue [than a health issue],” Chester said. “We agree that it is a problem.” She said the property developer has installed a water filtration system that has reduced the problem, but heavy rainfall increases the amount of silt beyond normal levels.

Other concerns included facility maintenance and security. Residents complained that the most they ever saw maintenance people do, when they saw maintenance people at all, was sweep the floor. What they’ve seen more of is people they don’t know coming and going through the facility without any question or apparent concern for the residents. One resident told of watching an exterminator walk into the room of another resident without so much as knocking.

According to Chester, exterminator visits are scheduled monthly and residents should be aware of when they will be occurring. As far as building maintenance is concerned, she said the property manager is in charge of dealing with maintenance requests.

The most recent concern regards money—specifically, rent money. So far, at least three seniors in the facility have had their rents increased after signing their lease renewals. Pat Garzone, a resident of the facility, presented the board with the letter she had gotten informing her of the increase. “They didn’t even have the decency to hand it to me,” she said. The notice was pushed under her door in April, more than four months after she reviewed and signed her lease agreement. Even more frustrating than the delivery of the letter was the information it contained. “I live on a fixed income,” she said. “I get a check a month. They knew this when they quoted me the price [for rent]. The amount of money I get hasn’t changed. Why has my rent changed?”

When she called up Chester at Rural Sullivan Housing and asked why the rent was increased, she said she was told that “We can do whatever we want to do.’”

According to Chester, there is nothing in the law or in the lease that prevents the rent from being changed. “This was the first rent increase in a year and a half,” she said. “Some residents went in with a lower rent than they should have; they were bumped up to the correct level.” Chester said that the entire rent structure of the facility is up for review and there will probably be rent increases across the board.

“Is there anything you can do to help me?” Garzone asked the board.

“It seems as if we’ve been trying to help for a long time,” said Town of Bethel Supervisor Allan Scott, “and we’re just not getting anywhere.” At the meeting, the board resolved to send letters to both Rural Sullivan Housing and Senator John Bonacic, one of the key figures who helped obtain funding for the project.

“I’ve spoke with Patrice Chester [in the past],” Vassmersaid at the meeting, “and she assures me they are working on the problems.”

Residents of the facility have heard that before and say they have yet to see results. “They give you a song and dance,” said Garzone, “and it’s just not right.”