It is hard for me to accept Jack Grover's defence of "altruism" as a reason for operating slum housing (SP Jan. 19/12.) His claim of trying to help people in need of affordable housing rings false, particularly given his history.
For him to lay fault with the firefighters for not getting the victim out is outrageous. Firefighters put themselves at risk the moment they enter a burning building. When the building becomes unstable the must exit and contain the fire from spreading. The man who knocked on doors to get all the other tenants out of the building is a hero. Our hero could have done what Grover himself did, which was exit the building and not putting himself a risk to save others. I hope this hero is acknowledged for his bravery.
As a landlord it is Grover's responsibility to ensure the smoke detectors are working. If the drug addict that he was renting to was disabling the detectors he should have evicted him from the premises. He had a duty and responsibility to his other tenants to safe guard them from the errant tenant.
What this article did not focus on was the fact that Grover put hotplates into these rooms when he was not permitted to and it was one of those hotplates that apparently started the fire. A man lost his life and many others lost everything they owned because their landlord failed in his duty to them. Grover on the other hand was raking in about $7,000 a month, if not more.
Now Grover wants out of the rental business and to volunteer his time helping the homeless. I would suggest the homeless have a better chance at survival without his help.
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Nice post!
ReplyDeleteThe only good thing I have to say about Grover is that he is pretty bad ass looking for a 70-year-old.
ReplyDeleteIf i may, i do strongly and very personally think this man should be brought to justice more than anyone else in the slumlord business. as should everyone else that follows in his footsteps. this man should never be let to rest for the "crimes" he has committed, whether it be the false hope he gives to families to the violations he hasnt paid for when it come to the safety of a home and the life/lives that are involved. something needs to be done about this, i hoped for the last 6 and a half, nearing 7 years since i lost my angels, Jordynn and Isabelle, that i would never here that name on the news again. how many more lives have to be taken, until someone puts this man to justice. how many more parents and children, family and freinds, have to go through what I, my son, my ex, her son, my friend "curtis" and our babies, and families went through til the system works? Nothing has been done to this man but fines and scolding. we all lose so much while he worries about how much money he has to spend, to get people to shut up and let him go on with his unjust business. this man should give up trying to think hes a nice guy and he want s to help people. He need to lock himself away in a room with a book of paper and write a big book about how much of a horrible monster he truly is. Just thinking about this makes me sick and tingly with anger. this could have been prevented in many ways. my condolences to the family of the tenant that was taken before their time.
ReplyDeleteWhat NEEDS to happen is what I have done to him. SUE HIM! I successfully SUED him through the rentalsman. If ALL or even 1/2 of his tenants did...this piece of CRAP would go broke!
ReplyDelete