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28 Comments:
Another story of an INOCENT woman and her children condemened to the streets.
There maybe copy errors.
STATEOFMINNESOTA )
) ss
COUNTY OF RAMSEY )
AFFIDAVIT OF LACHAKA COUSEITE
LaChaka Cousette, being duly sworn on oath. states and alleges as follows:
1. I am a Minnesota resident currently residing at 915 York Street, St. Paul 55106.
I have one minor child, a daughter, age 5, that lives with me. I also have a minor son who now lives
with his father.
2. From May 1,2001, until approximately 11-21-02, my two children and I lived in the
upstairs apartment located at 910 6th St., St. Paul, Minnesota. Our landlord during that time was
Frank Steinhauser. I had rented from Mr. Steinhauser for about one and a halfyears.
3. On the morning of October 21, 2002, a knock on my door woke me up. I answered
the door in my night clothes. When I opened the door, a S1. Paul housing inspector and a St. Paul
police officer were standing directly in front ofme. They identified themselves as Lisa Martin and
Officer Koehnen. Ms. Martin said she and the officer had to come in to inspect my apartment
because the downstairs apartment was being condemned. She also told me that, "We are going to
be condemning other properties of Mr. Steinhauser's." The police officer was towering over me
about two feet away from me. I told Ms. Martin that I did not want them in my apartment. Ms.
Martin said that they had to come in, that was the reason for the police officer's presence and it
would be for my own good. Because ofthe Police Officer's presence,] stood back and they walked
by me into my apartment.
4. Ms. Martin and Officer Koehnen went around the apartment writing things down on
a clipboard and taking pictures. Ms. Martin asked me about my plugged toilet. I said that I had not
told Mr. Steinhauser about the toilet and that I wanted to try and unplug it on my own before telling
DEPOSITION
EXHIBIT
~kQil1& "2-
( ':JJ I",; P1 ~"""
EXHIBIT 80
Case 0:05-cv-01348-JNE-SRN Document 217 Filed 08/20/2008 Page 4 of 7
, ..
Mr. Steinhauser. Ms. Martin then told me that it was Mr. Steinhauser's responsibility to unplug
toilets, not mine. I told Ms. Martin that my children were always doing something to the toilet to
plug it up.
5. Ms. Martin askedme ifI had any trouble with rats. I told her that one time I had frozen
meat in the kitchen and that when I came back the meat was gone but the package was still there. I
had heard noise that I thought was a rat and so I told Mr. Steinhauser about it. He baited for the rat
and after that I saw one dead rat. Mr. Steinhauser took care ofthe rat problem. I told Ms. Martin
that I had not had a problem for three or four months. Other than that one time, I had not had a
problem with rats or mice.
6. Ms. Martin also told me that the ceiling was caving in and that there was going to be
some mold that would be coming in and that could cause me to get sick.
7. Ms. Martin informed me that the apartment was going to be condemned and I would
r- have to move out. I asked where I was supposed to go to and Ms. Martin told me to go see the
Community Stabilization Project people.
8. During the inspection and my conversation with Ms. Martin, Ms. Martin called Mr.
Steinhauser a "slum lord" and told me that he preys on poor people, African Americans, and people
that can't afford it, and that Mr. Steinhauser doesn't do repairs on his properties. She told me that
I should sue Mr. Steinhauser for all the money I had paid to him in rent since I moved in a year and
a half before because the place should have been condemned from the start. Because of these
comments, I feel that Ms. Martin was trying to talk me into starting a lawsuit against Mr.
Steinhauser.
9. I infonned Inspector Martin and Officer Keohnen that for the last week Mr.
Steinhauser had been at the apartment building doing repairs. I told them that he was a good
2
EXHIBIT 80
Case 0:05-cv-01348-JNE-SRN Document 217 Filed 08/20/2008 Page 5 of 7
I '
landlord to me, and that he would do repairs when I asked him.
10. After the inspection, Lisa Martin and OfficerKoehnen condemnedmy apartment and
the whole building - and my children and I were forced to leave our home. We were happy living
there and we did not want to leave.
11. Community Stabilization Project contacted me and tried to get me to say things
against Mr. Steinhauser that were not true. They said they would try to find an apartment for me.
However, they did not help me find another place for my family to live.
12. My apartment and the building should not have been condemned. The only thing the
inspector could find was the plugged toilet and yet they condemned my unit and forced me to leave
my home.
13. What was done to Mr. Steinhauser and to me and my family was wrong. Any little
thing they could find during the fIrst inspection, they were complaining about. Ms. Martin and the
r"" police officer were nitpicking things in the apartment - they created a big list of problems out of
nothing during their inspection.
14. Mr. Steinhauser and his repair workers had already been at the apartment building
doing work before this first inspection. After the inspection, Mr. Steinhauser and his worker
continued to do repairs. But, the inspector came back and wrote up more repairs, continuing to
nitpick my apartment. I realized the City wasn't interested in helping me but was after Mr.
Steinhauser to get his apartment building condemned.
15. Due to the City condemning my apartment building, and losing my horne, my life
changed for the worst. At the time ofthe condemnation, it was getting cold. Christmas was corning
and I and my children had no where to go. My children asked me why we had to leave our horne.
They were heartbroken. It was hard to fmd another place to rent.
3
EXHIBIT 80
Case 0:05-cv-01348-JNE-SRN Document 217 Filed 08/20/2008 Page 6 of 7
16. My children and I had to move in with my mother. I could no longer work because
I was too far away from the temp work agency that had helped me find factory work. When I lived
at Mr. Steinhauser's 910 ()ih apartment, I could walk to the temp office and would then be given a
ride to my place ofwork. After I was forced out ofmy home at 910 6th Street, it was too far from
my mother's place to the temp agency so I could no longer work. The father of my son started
threatening me with legal action to take my son away because I did not have a home for my son and
was not providing any stability to my family. To relieve some ofthe stress, I consented to letmy son
go live with his father. My children were upset, and they did not understand why they had to leave
their home.
17. My mother had a fire in her home and I and my children had to vacate her home.
Since the condemnation of my apartment at 910 ~ Street, I have had to live in more than 10
different places....just staying with friends, family or in shelters, until they would tell me and my
children to leave. The whole experience following my loss ofmy apartment at 910 6th Street in S1.
Paul has been a nightmare experience.
18. Before the City inspected my apartment, whenever I had things wrong with the
apartment I would call Mr. Steinhauser and he would come to my apartment and make repairs. I was
happy with the way he responded to me.
Sounds like a tenant that appreciated Frank Stienhauser as a landlord.
11. Community Stabilization Project contacted me and tried to get me to say things
against Mr. Steinhauser that were not true. They said they would try to find an apartment for me.
However, they did not help me find another place for my family to live.
To me Caty's non profit was nothing more than another branch of the dfl bureaucracy I spoke of earlier.
If these fair housing lawsuits get to a jury trial I suspect Caty will be spending a great deal of time on the witness stand.
Its what its always been, Slumlords versus the City of Saint Paul.
They identified themselves as Lisa Martin and
Officer Koehnen. Ms. Martin said she and the officer had to come in to inspect my apartment
because the downstairs apartment was being condemned.
So part of the building was already being condemned and she thought it was plausible that an upper unit would be OK?
Plumbing problems, rats and mold. Couple that with the testimony that Steinhauser was doing repairs for the last week and his previous testimony that he deserved the citations he deserved and I'd say the inspectors were correct that he was a slumlord.
They/city needs to focus on the job at hand and not try to goad tenants into doing something they don't want to do- most of these people, like this woman, have no where to go don't want to upset the ship- even when there are blatant offensives.
Second, I have been fighting so much with the useless that I forgot where I had agreement. I thought we were working on an ordinance that would find housing for tenants who have to be removed due to no fault of theirs? If we have that, then the city can continue to do the job its expected and the innocent won't end up on the street.
Chuck, don't we have program/law like this?
Eric
Eric unless the city just pulled that program out of their ass. I'd say we don't have nothing. I asked Steve Zacaard of DSI at a public meeting if there was such a program. His response. "NO, the numbers of condemnations will be low and these people will seek housing with family and friends".
I thought this statement was interesting because just before I asked him this he was telling everyone they were going to focus on over crowding issues.
I asked ole Stevie Boy if the city was going to use housing code enforcement to address criminal behaviors at properties and he said yes. He wasn't joking. Without any due process a citizen may find their ass on the street.
You'll excuse me if I need more than your word on this.
DSI does write ordinances, change policy or fund city projects. That would be the council.
If I take your word, that people are thrown out without any options because of something someone else did, then that should be the most important issue.
If its the most important issue, protecting the vulnerable, why are all of you so hellbent on a lawsuit that if won (near impossible odds) will only line the pockets of landlords?
Why isn't there a suit that insist the city has a responsible to provide alternate housing with the same tax dollars that condemn shitty property?
Why aren't you putting your efforts behind an ordinance that would need five supporters to pass that could keep the innocent of the street?
Why?
I know why, I just think its about time you understand why RICO was a bullshit route to right the wrongs
Eric
This is the FACTS Eric and we have been telling you this for years!
You don't have to take my word for it Eric. I have it on tape (my son was filming)and witnessed by over 9 people who attened the public meeting with me, one of whom was Bill Magauhey of the Watch Dog News.
Oh another thing Eric. A assistant city attorney was sitting next to me at the meeting and over heard all of it.
Eric
2:44 PM
Eric keeps telling us stuff don't happen like people say!
In my case Eric, things happened and no one cared if a poor person lived or died.
St.Paul and there Dirty D--,s are getting away with "MURDER" and the Mayor, City Council, Police Chief, Police, Code Gestapo People, and the list of Dirty Dealing City Government - Do as they please.
They cover their asses about things where they ruin peoples health by putting in BAD formaldehyde soaked insulation in 200,000 homes in Minnesota, and if someone speaks out they say the person is nuts.
I feel these Dirty DFL Gestapo TYPE a-holes should be Tar and feathered for what they do to people.
But of course, that is my opinion.
What's "yours"?
"If its the most important issue, protecting the vulnerable, why are all of you so hellbent on a lawsuit that if won (near impossible odds) will only line the pockets of landlords?"
Maybe people are so hellbent on this lawsuit Eric because the city is using illegal actions and destroying people's businesses under the guise of code enforcement. When you cause damage you pay and that's why these landlords are suing. I also doubt the success of these lawsuits is a long shot. It's just a bunch of steps to get to end where there are some judges that will apply the law and not engage in political stunts.
To 10:46 (Bill Dahn)
They still don't care Bill. The case with the landlords is in some ways similar to yours. The city just covers it up, slanders the accuser with a barage of character assaults and then sends out some asshole like Eric or Chuck to deny anything is happening and further the cover up with rediculous statements like Erics a few posts ago where he states that there's programs to keep people from being put onto the street. It's all a big lie. They want them on the street. That's part of the plan man. If no one rents to them, then they go somewhere else and the city is rid of them.
A couple of points here. There are some emergency assistance monies that are available for people who are displaced. There are also shelters. The county takes on that responsibility and there is also help available through the City.
I have no idea of the details of this case and why these people weren't offered assistance. Nor do I know that anything that is ever posted here resembles the truth.
What is always the case is we see one side of the case and never the other.
What appears to be explained here is that we have a unit in a building has been condemened and then the rest of the building. At the point of the eviction, the resident should have been given some assistance for emergency housing. This is usually a shelter or an extended stay motel. I have no idea if she was offered that and she refused or what. It does appear that she recalls being informed about her rights to go after the landlord who had let the place fall into disrepair.
This person is living in a unit without a working toilet and the ceiling is caving and the other unit is in worse shape....and the people on this list and the people involved in the suit wants the City to leave her be there so that some ass hole can keep taking rent money from her.
You have to be kidding me.
Clearly it is the City's job to get her into a safer living situation. If she choses to move in with family instead of going to a shelter, this is the City's fault how?
But, I will join with Eric on this one and I am counting on Bob to support us on this... I will draft an ordinance that requires that at any eviction because of health issues resulting in condemnation, that the City provide the tenent with emergency assistance for 90 days of housing and that the bill be assessed to the property owner. We will make so that he would have to pay that $5,000 assessment per unit before he can get his C of O for that building or any other rental building in Saint Paul.
We will call it the Bob Johnson good landlord ordinance.
In Bob?
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
The cieling wasn't caving in Repke and she wanted to stay there cause nothing was wrong with the place. Her kid plugged the toilet and she hadn't gotten around to unplugging it yet.......so fucking what? Because someone has a plugged toilet you think it's OK for the city to call for a full code compliance to present day building code. This didn't have anything at all to do with housing, the city was out to get this guy and they used inspections to do it. I read the deposition Chuck. The city said there was rats there too, ubt in the deposition the inspector said she didn't see nay rats in the house. There was a dead one in the yard.......with a house next door with a landlfill in the back yard......which the city didn't do anything about because they were not targeting that guy. Your nuts Chuck. You too Eric.
Hey "BIG MOUTH CHUCK"!
You and CO Buddy ERIC gets on here to stand up for the city that lines your pockets and give you special loans to up grade the E Side in some way, but at the same time there are many families displaced.
Who cares about them? You both have the idea that there are shelters that people can go to.
Why not have Chuck and Eric go stay at Dorothy Day Center for a week and then tell us what they think of these so called shelters.
We still have one out of a thousand, Bill Dahn's home at 256 W. Morton St.
That was fucked up by a government agency, then the cover up by tramps like Norm Coleman and "DAVE THUNE" in city government.
Remember Chuck you had a big part in this conspiracy to shut up people that spoke out about this
sub-standard insulation. That makes you as bad as a person as the Dirtiest person in this town.
You come to A Democracy to cover the asses of your friends at city hall, how can you stand the smell?
We all know by this time that I Bill Dahn try harder to help people in need, than most people in the city would.
I "volunteer" at a food shelf so we can feed the people that need help, and that Jesus Delivers Truck that goes over to Dorothy Day Center parking lot and feed anyone that come to eat.
Chuck said that the food shelf that I volunteer at really helps the people.
So everyone says that I don't know what I'm talking about, and say I am or was lying about the condition of my home.
Way wasn't my home condemn with sewer gases coming in the furnace and into the house.
Now we will see how much shit I can start now, NO ONE on this fine earth Lies, Cheat, Steals from me.
We all know that in 1998 either Skip or Norm should have won the election,
I told those two I would fuck up their careers, I told them that in January of 1998.
On 7-14-1998 the county called me, and said if I don't shut my mouth they would put me in Anoka !
Screw Them, I went down and filed for Governor on the Reform Party and the rest is "history"!
Watch the movie of the "bribe" with Dean Barkley as the camera man, with Jesse Ventura as a idiot
----- www.billdahn.com -------
Remember the accident Barkley was just in ? "HE" said he only had 2 Drinks !
Believe it or NOT ?
I DON'T, Do YOU ?
Bill Dahn
Bill
They don't care about people and where they will live, they do care about higher tax on each address.
Tear down the old and replace them with a new multi unit complex.
Isn't That Right Chuck
I will be posting LISA MARTINS deposition later today. She admits she didn't see any rats in Mr. Steinhauser home.
I find this interesting. The city and county refers citizens to a well known treatment facility that had rats as big as cats. I seen the rats myself. Hanging out in a kitchen like gang busters.
Trust busting by Theodore Roosevelt, when the railroads wanted to join companies so they had complete control.
That was 1900, there is no different's from today.
President Theodore Roosevelt's policy of prosecuting monopolies, or "trusts," that violated federal
antitrust law. Roosevelt's "trust-busting" policy.
Lets do some trust busting here. Start with city government
"THE RICO LAW"
Bill,
Why are you still talking?
Notice above that I am unaware of no safety net for innocent people being displaced.
Unlike the failed attempts from your landlords, I offered- as did Chuck, to support legislation so that its procedure and lawful to make sure people have housing- in the city with the city's assistance, to go to before being displaced. Two insiders offering that. That means it may actually have a chance to pass and change things.
Next, I don't make money off the city. If I did, it wouldn't be a crime.
Third, I have said for five years that we have enough low income housing stock in the Payne Phalen neighborhood and do not need new construction of low income housing over here. Plenty of single family and duplexes already on the market. I've said it here and voted against it on the District Council.
Fourth, are you even working yet? Its been six years since I saw you and you weren't working then. You are able bodied and find a way to run for office every two years but you haven't worked for a paycheck. That same crooked government you bitch about, lines YOUR pockets every month.
The truth is- about six years ago you came to the DFL election headquarters for help with your problems you write about her so much (I'll remind you. My job has nothing to do with social services no more than a fry cook's job would-). I took the time to go to every damn agency to set up meetings for you. I found out that you refused to go along and you REFUSED their assistance. You were hostile and disprespectful to people trying to help you. You were banned from a couple of offices. You DIDN"T want to get help in the sense of housing, health care and legal representation. You cursed them all out. You wanted someone to arrest Norm Coleman and Jesse Ventura and give you a house back.
How much has the Republicans done for you? They ever lift a finger to help you? Make one call for you? Your landlord buddies offer you one of their empty units to stay in? What about a job maintaining the property in exchange for rent? No they haven't. Yet, you come here barking like a dog about the DFL and government and it appears those are the only two groups that tried to help you- and currently do help you.
That's what happened.
Those of you new to Bill Dahn can see that he is a one trick pony and this link will show his participation in in A-Democracy. You can also click on the comments and see who has been consistent over the years.
The Ballad of Bill Dahn
Eric
Whether I agree with you or not, I believe every one of you out there has a right to be heard in the
""""""A Democracy Town Hall"""""""
Send your request to
A_Democracy@yahoo.com
Hey Bobby your out there, by the way isn't Lisa Martin, Aaron Fosters ex wife? and isn't Officer Dean Koehnen 6 ft.7 anyone would be scared of this giant packing a gun and uniform,
PS Rottweiller lovers Hang Tough
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Lisa+Martin+Officer+Dean+Koehnen&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=
Bob - this proves nothing!
This is evidence of nothing.
What in your mind do you think this proves?
The toilet wasn't working and there were other problems in the building and another unit was already condemmed, was that enough to shut the place down? Maybe, maybe not... but there is nothing against the law in that judgement call.
This place is a nut house... what does it prove other than that Steinhauser owned a lot of properties many of them that had code violations and at some point City staff got tired of him and wouldn't take any more excuses from him.
If the place is a dump and its got violation we are writing you up, we've had it.
So?
HE DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO PERSONALLY GAIN AT THE MISFORTUNE OF EVERY POOR PERSON.
At some point the City force him to follow the code. They are not required to give him break, after break, after break.
I am sure there were plenty of his neighbors that were thrilled.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
This seems extremely cunning tricks of Lisa and gorrilla sized cop Koehnen in gaining entry when they had no right to enter (no search warrant).
Why the fuss about a plugged toilet, since toilets simply get plugged from time to time.
I've read about Lisa Martin finding "code" violations in the lawsuits, and it appears she is full of tricks. Let's get professional inspections instead of 'anything goes'.
"If the place is a dump and its got violation we are writing you up, we've had it."
And what if the palce was not a dump Repke? What if Lisa Martin lied about violations that didn't exist? Does that make a difference? Does it make a difference that the city rigged the court ahead of time before they started railroading these landlords through it? Or does the ends justify the means in your mind?
So Eric.....cause the guy has been working on a property for a week, that makes him a slumlord in your eyes? Are you not always bitching that landlords don't ever do anything? No we find one that does and you call him a slumlord! Have you ever met a landlord you like Eric? Or are you just jealous of people who have more than you?
Do as I Say NOT as I DO!
Another Democrat bites the dirt.
Right "Dave Thune"?
His house had bad outer wood trim on his house, and a abandon car in his yard / grage.
No one ever told Thune to repair and clean up his yard until Bob's Blog spoke out.
What makes these people above the law?
The have the city workers in their pockets.
7:45 Back to Thune again...
Because no one ever complained about Dave's 34 year adventure in rehabbing an old Victorian in Irvine Park, is and always has been the answer. His neighbors like him and he likes them. It was the same answer long before he got on the council, and it will be the same answer long after everyone has forgotten who he was.
Bill and Bob and the rest of you can say the behavior issues shouldn't make a difference, but in human nature it does. What the landlords on this list have screamed about is that they often got tougher enforcement because they rented to people that had loud parties, had drug houses, and shoot ups and/or were arrested for other criminal activity. They want to claim that it was because their tenants were "of color" but the facts of the case doesn't bare that out.
What does stay as a consistent theme are the basics in human nature...
1. the squeaky wheel gets oil... the consistent theme here is these people properties were the ones that neighbors complained about, thus bringing the City out to investigate for problems.
2. What comes around goes around, and or you catch more flies with honey than vinegar... most of the landlords in the suit showed hostility to the City staff that were trying to get them to make corrections, ultimately the City staff had enough of them.
That as they say is life kiddies...
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Q Well, if you had a property that was occupanted
9 by tenants and they were calling that their
10 home, did you ever have any discussion as to
11 whether or not that would play a role in your
12 making a determination to condemn that property?
13 A I may have. I don't remember.
14 Q Do you recall any discussion about a concern by
15 the inspectors, including yourself, that if you
16 condemned a property and required tenants to
17 leave that they may not be able to find
18 alternative housing?
19 A Was that a concern for me?
20 Q Right.
21 A I guess I did not think about it.
22 Q Then the question is: Do you recall any
23 discussion by any of the fellow inspectors about
24 their concerns that if a property was condemned,
25 the occupants would not potentially be able to
1 find alternative housing during Dawkins' tenure
2 as a director?
3 A No.
4 Q You don't remember any discussion that would
5 relate in any way to a concern about the
6 occupants of properties that were being
7 condemned finding all turn it have housing
8 during the time Mr. Dawkins was a director?
9 A Not that I can recall.
10 Q That would be a pretty important subject, would
11 it not, if you're condemning a building and
12 requiring people to leave their home?
13 MS. SEEBA: Objection form.
14 Q (Continuing by Mr. Shoemaker) Isn't that true?
15 A What is the question?
16 Q Well, if you were going to condemn a property
17 and people were required to leave their home,
18 wouldn't that be of importance to you as an
19 inspector for the city?
20 MS. SEEBA: Asked and answered.
21 Q (Continuing by Mr. Shoemaker) Do you understand
22 the question?
23 A No.
She doesn't understand the question? Give me a f'ing break! She sound like a professional liar to me.
Liar liar pants on fire. You better do better than this if I or anyone I know is on the jury. Not credible in the least.
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