cowperthwaite

cowperthwaite t1_ja3bjfs wrote

Stories in this issue:

Pioneer tenants organized against their landlord. Now they say they're being pushed out: Renters have faced sewage stench, leaks and structural issues. Now they say they may lose their homes.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/02/06/pioneer-tenants-say-they-are-being-forced-out-after-organizing-against-landlord/69871075007/

Tenants band together against RI landlord as they face deplorable conditions

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/09/30/pioneer-investments-anurag-sureka-tenants-say-apartments-deplorable-condition/8081442001/

A Central Falls couple's twins were struggling. Then a blood test showed high lead levels: Pioneer Investments left two young children at risk in a Central Falls property. Now, the parents may take action.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/12/15/childhood-lead-poisoning-central-falls-rhode-island-pioneer-properties/69683975007/

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cowperthwaite t1_ja0braz wrote

Links to Providence Journal stories about Pioneer Investments.

Pioneer tenants organized against their landlord. Now they say they're being pushed out: Renters have faced sewage stench, leaks and structural issues. Now they say they may lose their homes.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/02/06/pioneer-tenants-say-they-are-being-forced-out-after-organizing-against-landlord/69871075007/

Tenants band together against RI landlord as they face deplorable conditions

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/09/30/pioneer-investments-anurag-sureka-tenants-say-apartments-deplorable-condition/8081442001/

A Central Falls couple's twins were struggling. Then a blood test showed high lead levels: Pioneer Investments left two young children at risk in a Central Falls property. Now, the parents may take action.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/12/15/childhood-lead-poisoning-central-falls-rhode-island-pioneer-properties/69683975007/

Edit: Two of the three stories require a subscription. We're still running a sale for President's Day, one of the best of the year. Please consider subscribing. And consider reading these important stories.

https://subscribe.providencejournal.com/offers?gps-source=CPDIGARTICLE&utm_medium=onsite&utm_source=article&utm_campaign=DIGITALARTICLE&utm_content=CPDIGARTICLE

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cowperthwaite t1_ja0bocy wrote

Links to Providence Journal stories about Pioneer Investments.

Pioneer tenants organized against their landlord. Now they say they're being pushed out: Renters have faced sewage stench, leaks and structural issues. Now they say they may lose their homes.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/02/06/pioneer-tenants-say-they-are-being-forced-out-after-organizing-against-landlord/69871075007/

Tenants band together against RI landlord as they face deplorable conditions

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/09/30/pioneer-investments-anurag-sureka-tenants-say-apartments-deplorable-condition/8081442001/

A Central Falls couple's twins were struggling. Then a blood test showed high lead levels: Pioneer Investments left two young children at risk in a Central Falls property. Now, the parents may take action.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/12/15/childhood-lead-poisoning-central-falls-rhode-island-pioneer-properties/69683975007/

Edit: Two of the three stories require a subscription. We're still running a sale for President's Day, one of the best of the year. Please consider subscribing. And consider reading these important stories.

https://subscribe.providencejournal.com/offers?gps-source=CPDIGARTICLE&utm_medium=onsite&utm_source=article&utm_campaign=DIGITALARTICLE&utm_content=CPDIGARTICLE

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cowperthwaite OP t1_j9tqw0u wrote

No sub required.

>But the new four-year pact − announced late last week − with the Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers is the first in which $3,000 retention bonuses were awarded, along with retroactive raises, to people who no longer work for the state and may not have done so since 2020.

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cowperthwaite OP t1_j9p9bl0 wrote

>The report says that the average hourly wage of Brockton's renters, which make up nearly 30% of the population, is $11.91. The fair market rate for a two-bedroom in the city is $1,560 a month. So to afford a two-bedroom in Brockton, the average renter must work two and a half full-time jobs.

https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/homelessness/2021/12/17/brockton-rental-crisis-homelessness-affordable-housing-covid-father-bills/6508801001/

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cowperthwaite OP t1_j9oz7lp wrote

The Daily Mail certainly frames the devices in a very specific way, but they also monitor how many cell phones are in a given area.

They're becoming very prevalent in AirBnBs.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8034587/Airbnb-offers-hosts-creepy-spy-bugs-listen-parties-send-text-alerts.html

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cowperthwaite OP t1_j9onrls wrote

No sub required.

>PROVIDENCE − The Providence City Plan Commission has approved a five-story apartment building on College Hill with a storefront on Brook Street on the condition that management or security be on the premises at all times.

>That condition, as well as devices that will monitor the sound level and number of cellphones on the roof, on balconies and in common areas of the would-be building at 116Waterman St., came in response to complaints from the neighborhood association, Ward 2 Councilwoman Helen Anthony and residents that college students will menace the neighborhood with loud parties.

Story and complaints when it was approved at the first stage:

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/07/23/providence-apartment-development-college-hill-noise-complaints-height-too-tall/10126517002/"

Docs from the project:

https://www.documentcloud.org/app?q=%2Bdata_project%3A"116%20Waterman%20St"

Video of the meeting (Zoom):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgEBj9BQFPQ

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cowperthwaite t1_j9g04p3 wrote

Story:

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/10/19/providence-proposes-limiting-number-of-student-renters-per-unit/10546283002/

>PROVIDENCE – Locals packed the City Council chambers on Wednesday night, eager to sound off on a proposal that has residents divided: Whether to ban more than three college students from renting a single apartment.

>The council's Committee on Ordinances hearing saw an overflow of attendees backing up into the balcony, with about a dozen signed up to testify in support and roughly 40 to testify in opposition.

>Currently, the city already prohibits more than three college students from living in single-family homes within single-family zones, known in planning-speak as R-1, although a proposed amendment to the ordinance would expand that regulation to multi-family homes. It is sponsored by Councilwoman Helen Anthony.

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cowperthwaite t1_j9an5pc wrote

Reply to comment by newtoRI22 in Passing lane by Street_Run_6445

Just because our state/country selectively enforces specific laws doesn't give them any more moral authority.

Pot used to be a crime, now it's legal. Just because authorities up the penalties doesn't make something intrinsically worse, it just means the people in positions of power don't like it or have other motivations to penalize it.

Arguably, camping is a worse offense.

In Germany, which has better drivers, drivers education and license regulations, camping IS a worse offense, especially when there is no speed limit.

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cowperthwaite t1_j93p4lr wrote

Your local Buy Nothing group.

Main site:

https://buynothingproject.org/find-a-group -- Search for Rhode Island and it'll bring you down the list to all our groups.

Facebook link to the state group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/686479701780497

Projo write up on the groups, which requires a sub:

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/02/01/rhode-island-buy-nothing-facebook-groups-how-to-use-them-to-get-free-stuff-and-reduce-waste/69843993007/

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cowperthwaite t1_j92909e wrote

“Worried your flower bulbs are already popping up? Here's what to know”

>If you've been keeping a close watch on your gardens, you might have noticed some early shoots of green poking out of the earth, or even your first flowers of 2023 — likely a snowdrop or a crocus — already blooming.

>And it might have you worried that the cold snap will kill them or that it's a bad sign for climate change, as Rhode Island just recorded its third-warmest January on record.

>But, according to master gardener Alan Newton, with the URI Cooperative Extension, you don't need to worry about your spring bulbs.

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/2023/02/04/spring-bulbs-popping-up-in-winter-wont-die-due-to-cold-snowdrops-crocuses-daffodils-hyacinths/69870216007/

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