Online client feedback survey

“As an agency that works for social and racial equity within the community, we consistently ask ourselves, ‘Are we walking our talk?’ And if so, what do our clients say this equity looks like to them?” asks Ariana Cantu, Solid Ground’s Administrative Information Coordinator.

Client feedback survey

“Where are we succeeding and where can we improve? And how will we know we are fulfilling our mission, embodying those values of ending poverty, prejudice and neglect unless we ask those who are using our services – ‘How are we doing?’ However, to date, we have not collected client feedback in a consistent manner across our diverse programs, nor have we attempted to analyze the information received on an agency-wide basis.

“Thanks in large part to the contributions of our Anti-Racism Committee, Client Advisory Committee, and direct service staff, we have developed a new Client Feedback Survey which will be available on the Solid Ground website and will be distributed by our direct service programs. We encourage all clients to use the survey to give us their feedback on our work. This is one way Solid Ground can have a consistent feedback mechanism for all Solid Ground clients and learn directly from our clients where we are succeeding and where we can grow,” says Ariana

Here is a direct link to the survey.

OR: Go to our home page.

Look in the right navigation sidebar under the “Tell Us What You Think” header.

Click on the “Client Feedback Questionnaire” link!

Memories of Roberto: Roberto still lives!

Juanita Maestas is a member of the Solid Ground Advisory Council, the Statewide Poverty Action Board, and a fierce advocate for people struggling to get by in our communities. She is also a cousin of Roberto Maestas, the longtime civil rights leader who recently passed away. Roberto is fondly remembered and was much eulogized for his legacy: founder of El Centro de la Raza, founder of the Minority Executive Directors Coalition, and one of the Four Amigos of multi-cultural organizing. A few weeks after he died, Juanita sat down with me to share a more personal set of memories about Roberto and his lasting impact on her family. This is Part Three of a three-part interview. You can read Part One here, and Part Two here.

Roberto’s passing is a great loss to us because we have no more. Me and the kids have no more aunts and uncles on my dad’s, the Maestas, side. We have nobody.

Juanita

My son came to me yesterday and said, “You know what, I want to be a Maestas.” He goes, “If something happens to you, I am going to take over your place.” And that is like the most beautiful thing somebody can say to you, “I want to take over.” You know, “Don’t worry, I got you.”

I remember saying that to Roberto: “I’m learning. You put my foot in the door. I’ve done the walking. I know you watch me. I know you kept tabs on me.”

And today my son is like, “Teach me what you know.” And I’ve never heard that. And so I know what Roberto felt like when people were like, “Teach us, we want to know, we want to learn.”

Roberto

So I am going to do that for my son for Christmas; he is going to get his name changed.

When he found out Roberto had passed, he was down for an hour crying. “Why? Why? We have nobody left.” He’s a Maestas, my son, he has to carry the name. And he knows that and it is a big burden on him. ‘Cause it is like he has own thinking, his own ways.

But I said, “Remember, Roberto will walk with you, through everything that you are going through.”

He’s gonna pick up where I left off. By my son being around Roberto when he was younger, you know, going in and listening.

I’d go: “OK, we have to go help Roberto today. OK, what can we do.” We’d help with mailings, all that. Roberto would come down to see who all is down there.

And losing Roberto to us – you know, you want to ask him more questions, you are not done. To us he is not done. To him, he’s like, “OK, I did what I did, somebody else take over” – his children, his daughters, his wife. But, you know, we will take over in our own ways and still represent that. And it is a great loss. And we struggle with that every single day now.

I look at my son every day now and I say, “What are you going to do? Life is too short, you’ve got to find your way, you’ve got to make something of yourself.” He’s 17, he’ll be 18 in June.

Today for him to come and tell me – I mean that is pretty big for a 17-year-old. And he’s like, “Let me see the project you are working on. Let me see what you are doing, how it is going to affect everybody.” He says, “Mom, I’m not into politics, but I will get into them, just show me.”

I’m glad to have him do that. But like I said, Maestas is a loss not only to the people out there, but to us too, and he is in our hearts.

The thing that he loved the most was his El Centro. That was his home. All the kids in the Day Care – he would go down there and try and grab every single one of their cheeks – he had this cheek pinching thing. He called them all his kids. You know, “I’m gonna go see my babies down there.”

Everybody has lost a warrior. We lost a warrior and a family member. He wouldn’t want us to sit around crying for him. Because he is more like, “Get out there and do something. What would I have done? Get out there and be happy, I lived my life. I left a legacy for somebody else to carry on.” Always remember that: Roberto still lives and that is all we can do.

Tenant Tip: Illegal actions of landlords

Sometimes landlords try to assert their own rules, which go against the rights of tenants laid out in the Washington State Legislature’s Residential Landlord Tenant Act (RCW 59.18). Here are a few things some landlords will do or threaten to do to their tenants, yet they are not legal:

Illegal!

Retaliation: It is considered retaliation if your landlord takes certain actions after you have contacted a governmental entity to make a complaint about a code violation in your unit, or for asserting your rights as a tenant under the Residential Landlord Tenant Act (code sections RCW 59.18.240 and RCW 59.18.250). These actions include but are not limited to: eviction, increasing the rent amount or your obligations as a tenant, reducing services, and refusing to carry out his/her duties as a landlord. It is presumed to be retaliation if these actions are taken within 90 days after a tenant has filed a complaint or attempted to enforce his rights under the RLTA.

Lockouts: Locking a tenant out without a court order to evict a tenant is illegal. A landlord cannot change the lock on a tenant, even if a tenant is behind in rent. The landlord has to go through the eviction process legally. If you are locked out, you can call the police and file a lawsuit. Again, being behind in rent or failing to fulfill your duties as a tenant does not mean your landlord has the right to lock you out.

Utility Shut-Offs: A landlord may not shut off utilities or intentionally leave bills unpaid. Some landlords may exercise this illegal procedure to try and ‘force’ the tenant to move out. It can be difficult for a tenant to get the utilities back on – especially if the bill is under the landlord’s name and the tenant receives a third-party bill, or if the landlord is responsible for utilities and they stop paying. If this happens, you can call your local code enforcement agency and have an inspector come out to inspect your unit. Having no running water, heat or electricity can be a code violation, and your local code enforcement agency may fine your landlord and/or make them fix the problem. You may also attempt to communicate with the utility company to explain the circumstances. Another option is to contact the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission which regulates many utility companies and assures the safety and pricing of services. Utility shut-offs are addressed in RCW 59.18.300, which also specifies how a landlord is held liable for each day a tenant’s utilities are shut off.

Taking/selling the tenant’s property: In most circumstances, if someone walks into your home and takes your property, it is considered stealing. The same rule applies to your landlord. Taking and selling a tenant’s property to make up for what they owe in rent is not legal. If a tenant has left property behind in a unit they no longer live in, the law specifies what the landlord is required to do with the property. A tenant can take their landlord to court for damages if their property was taken.

If you have questions or need more information, please take a look at our Tenant Services website or call Solid Ground’s Tenant Hotline at 206.694.6767. (The hotline is answered Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm.)

Legal disclaimer: The information contained in this post or linked to the Solid Ground Tenant Services website is for informational purposes only. Solid Ground makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to its website. Solid Ground cannot act as your attorney. Solid Ground makes no representations, expressed or implied, that the information contained in or linked to its website can or will be used or interpreted in any particular way by any governmental agency or court. As legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and laws are constantly changing, nothing provided herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel.

Memories of Roberto: it’s in the blood

Juanita Maestas is a member of the Solid Ground Advisory Council, the Statewide Poverty Action Board, and a fierce advocate for people struggling to get by in our communities. She is also a cousin of Roberto Maestas, the longtime civil rights leader who recently passed away. Roberto is fondly remembered and was much eulogized for his legacy: founder of El Centro de la Raza, founder of the Minority Executive Directors Coalition, and one of the Four Amigos of multi-cultural organizing. A few weeks after he died, Juanita sat down with me to share a more personal set of memories about Roberto and his lasting impact on her family. This is Part Two of three-part interview. You can read Part One here.

Roberto and coffee: Viva!

Now, Roberto was the kind of man that always had a Styrofoam coffee cup full of coffee. When he’d start, when he would leave his office, it would be full. By the time he got to where he was going it would be half empty. You could see the coffee dots everywhere, down the stairs, just everywhere.

A big thing that he taught me is, don’t let people bring you down. I’ve gone to his meetings, once we went to a party with lawyers. Lawyers that are high-class lawyers. I was so embarrassed to be in there because here I am low-class. I’m up here with Roberto on the high-class, and I’m like, “What am I doing here?”

He’s like, “It’s ok, Mija, come on, I’ll introduce you.” And it gave me so much to watch the way he talked to people, the way he does things. And he is quick, very quick. I’ve never seen somebody so into what they are doing.

Once at his office I said to him, “It’s like you live here.”

He’s like, “Mija, sometimes I’m on the couch. I can’t go home, I’m tired.”

Juanita (l) leading the MLK Day Rally in Olympia, January, 2010

One time I found him in a meeting in his office. He’s like “Mija, go get me some food.”

And I said, “OK, Roberto.” And I set up a table for him with the food and everything. He goes, “Would you like to stay?”

“Sure, why not.” So he put me in the corner, but everybody who came in he introduced me. Larry Gossett – I remember Larry Gossett because they were very, very close – and a couple of other people from Eastern Washington. They come in and to hear him talk – he’d speak English and then Spanish, English and Spanish. And you know, Larry Gossett is just sitting back there, going, “Uh huh, uh huh!” I’m like, “OK, look at these guys. Look at Roberto work!” They listened to him.

I told him, “One of these days I am going to walk in your footsteps. I may not be as great as you are. But I will be out there. I will carry on something that you gave me.”

I was up to see him, maybe the last two months of his life. My grandson Anthony was just crawling and I went up there and Roberto looked different.

Warriors for Peace: Uncle Bob Santos (l) and Robert Maestas

And I was like, “He’s all skinny, is he ok?”

And he was like, “Mija, come in, come in.” And he’s on the phone. I’m looking at him, and I bring Anthony in. And he goes, “Ok, ok, I’ll call you back.” Hung up. He goes, “Who’s this?”

And I go, “This is Jessica’s son, Anthony.”

And he goes, “ANTHONY!” and he went and grabbed his cheeks!

I said, “It’s another generation!” He goes: “Yeahhh!” And Jeremy came walking in and he goes, “Who’s this?”

I said, “This is Jeremy.”

He said, “Oh, my gosh, you are such a handsome man, come here.” And he went and grabbed Jeremy’s cheeks.

He said, “What’s that on your face?”

And Jeremy is like, “Hair, man.” It was just funny

He looked at me and he goes, “How you doing?”

I say: “I’m trying to get active, I’m trying to do what I got to do, get out there and let people know that this world is not what they expect or think it is.”

And he goes, “You know, you are going to have a lot of people telling you that you can’t do it. Don’t listen to them. If I listened to them I would have never got where I’m at now.” He goes, “Remember your culture; remember who you ARE. Remember that and nobody is going to take you down.”

And I said, “You know what, I never told you thank you.”

And he goes, “For what? Mija, it’s in the blood, you are going to be just as mean as I am!”

And I said, “You are not mean, you know that.” He started laughing.

I said, “Let me see your coffee cup.”

And he said, “Oh yeah, it’s right here.” And there was like half a cup of coffee. And I’m looking, he says, “What you looking for?”

And I say, “Coffee marks!”

And he’s like, “Oh, I know, I cleaned it up…”

So I took a drink of coffee and I said thank you. And that is the last time I seen him. And then I heard what happened.

To be continued…

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Keeping Perspective after a Tough Election

(Editor’s Note: Marcy Bowers is the Membership and Communications Coordinator for the Statewide Poverty Action Network, a program of Solid Ground that works to build grassroots power to end the root causes of poverty and create opportunities for everyone to prosper.)

Volunteer canvassers in Tacoma

I confess. I’m an eternal optimist. I believe in crazy notions like “things will always get better,” and “there is always something gained, even when things go wrong.” I think this is what drove me to choose a career in organizing, what has kept me in this field for the past eight years, and what allows me to keep going in the face of devastating election losses.

This year in Washington, voters faced a record seven statewide ballot measures. Of those seven measures, three (I-1098, I-1053, and I-1107) will directly impact our state’s ability to balance the budget without making drastic cuts to the programs and services that people depend on to survive.

Reflecting a national wave of anti-tax, anti-government rhetoric, those three measures decidedly “went wrong:”

• I-1098 would have created a limited income tax on Washington’s wealthiest 1%, bringing in over $2 billion a year for healthcare and education. It failed, 65% to 35%.

• I-1053, this year’s Tim Eyman disaster, will require a two-thirds vote in the legislature or a vote of the people to raise taxes or close corporate tax loopholes. In this economy, this measure will surely mean more budget cuts. It passed, 65% to 35%

• I-1107 repealed a small tax on soda, bottled water, candy and gum that Poverty Action and other advocates passed during last year’s legislative session. These taxes would have brought in $300 million a year for schools, kids’ health care, domestic violence and sexual assault services, and many other basic services. It passed, 62% to 38%.

So, let’s get back to that optimism thing. How in the world can I possibly be optimistic when Washington is facing another $4.5 billion budget deficit and voters just repealed taxes and made it nearly impossible to raise revenue in 2011? How can I possibly be hopeful knowing that, as a result, Washington State is poised to be the first state to cut prescription drug benefits for people on Medicaid?

Canvassers' toolkit: clipboard and educational materials

To be honest, there’s not a lot of hope to be found if I only look at those daunting questions. For me, it’s about taking a wider view of election organizing and remembering that elections are only partly about the issues on the ballot. I became an organizer to help build political power in low-income communities, not just to pass or defeat ballot measures. The work of building political power is simply too big and too important to achieve in just one election season. It’s about the process of building trust and community, engaging new and infrequent voters, registering voters whose right to vote was recently restored, and talking to people about why their vote matters and how issues on the ballot will impact their communities.

Even with devastating election losses, I can still be proud of the work Poverty Action did this year to register over 1,200 new voters. I can still find hope in the knowledge that we reached out to 12,000 voters in low-income communities and communities of color and talked about the real impact of this year’s ballot measures on their communities. I will be encouraged when I remember that the building blocks to real political power are found in the countless conversations we had at transitional housing facilities, in food bank lines, and at resource fairs this summer and fall.

And those numbers and conversations matter. In a state where gubernatorial elections have been decided by just 133 votes (Gregoire in 2004), 1,200 newly registered voters, armed with knowledge and ownership of their role in state politics, can easily decide the outcome of future statewide elections in Washington. From my perspective, it’s hard to not feel optimistic about that!

Memories of Roberto: Do something productive

Juanita Maestas is a member of the Solid Ground Advisory Council, the Statewide Poverty Action Board, and a fierce advocate for people struggling to get by in our communities. She is also a cousin of Roberto Maestas, the longtime civil rights leader who recently passed away. Roberto is fondly remembered and was much eulogized for his legacy: founder of El Centro de la Raza, founder of the Minority Executive Directors Coalition, and one of the Four Amigos of multi-cultural organizing. A few weeks after he died, Juanita sat down with me to share a more personal set of memories about Roberto and his lasting impact on her family. This is Part One of a three-part interview.

Juanita Maestas, pinching her cheeks in honor of Roberto

I have two kids, one is 19, one is 17. I’ve got a two-year-old grandson and we just lost a huge family member. Not only for his politics, but also as a family member.

We found Roberto in 1997. We were going through some discrimination and he stepped up to the plate and said, “That’s my family. Family takes care of family.”

We had a lot of family at that time. Throughout the years me and my kids have lost basically everybody on my dad’s side, which is the Maestas side. But, one of the world’s greatest leaders – I think of him as a leader of the whole world – he was my cousin.

When I first met him we looked at the family tree. He has a big family tree book in his office. We located my family members that were connected to his family members and that’s it, we’re cousins, you know.

His office was beautiful. It has masks, paintings, Caesar Chavez paintings, artwork from kids that went through his life and out.

Roberto Maestas

Roberto had a cheek pinching thing. He would always go and pinch my kids’ cheeks. My son, he had like the fattest cheeks. So after about the second time I’d seen Roberto, my son held his cheeks and walked in and smiled.

He said, “Hi, Uncle Roberto.”

Roberto said, “Come here, come here, sit here.” And he pulled out five dollars and said, “Go get ice cream.”

And when my son grabbed the money, Roberto would grab his cheeks! And that was it. He would always do that.

My daughter was in fifth grade and at the end of year she had to do a big project. Well she decided that she wanted to go to El Centro. And I was like, “Why do you want to go to El Centro so bad?”

And she said, “I want to go, I have this project.” So ok, we went up there and my daughter is like, “I want to see Roberto.”

They call him, “Roberto, Jessica is here.”

He’s like, “Yeah, tell her come in, come in.” He gives her a hug and kiss. He’s like, “What can I do for you, Mija?”

She’s like, “I want to record you, I want to interview you.”

He’s like, “Ok, yeah, let me check my book.” So they did the interview and it was so emotional, because here is this great man. He’s talking about education. He put it in her head, don’t ever quit school. Tell your friends, don’t ever quit school. Education is important.

She took the interview back to her class, they all watched it. She got, you know, her claps and everything. And her teacher was like, “She got an ‘A’ but I wish I could give her a higher grade. I never seen an interview like that.”

So, she took her report card to Roberto. Every ‘A’ she got, he gave her a dollar. And when he looked at the project she did, because you know the teacher noted on the box, “Your interview was excellent,” and he’s like, “Good job, Mija, now keep that in your head. I want to see you educated. I want to see you go to college. Do something, be productive, you  know.”

So, there was a Seattle Fun Run and everybody had sponsors. And my daughter was like, “I want to run but I don’t have a sponsor.” So El Centro had their volunteer days. My daughter would go to volunteer day, and she went to Roberto and said, “I want to do the Fun Run in Seattle.”

He’s like: “Ok, Mija, what you need?”

She goes, “I don’t know, something with El Centro.”

They had a gift shop at El Centro. He went and got her a pair of shorts that had El Centro on there. So, while they were at school, I came up there and we did a big banner. It was in Spanish. Roberto signed it, everybody at El Centro signed it. And she ran her Fun Run. She went back after it was done and showed him her ribbon. She gave Roberto her ribbon and said, “Thank you.”

To be continued…

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Tenant Tip: Small Claims Court

This week’s tip includes some pointers to make the process of going to small claims court easier for tenants. Court can often be an intimidating place – whether you are there as a plaintiff or a defendant. However, by preparing yourself and becoming familiar with Small Claims Court, it can become less intimidating and relatively easy to use. You can read more complete details about Small Claims Court by following this link. This packet is a great source of information for anyone who is filing a lawsuit or has one filed against them.

What is Small Claims Court all about? Small Claims is a department of the District Court where you can sue, or be sued, for matters related to money only, not to exceed $5000.00. There are no attorneys present there, but you may have witnesses testify on your behalf. There is a small filing fee, generally under $40, that you need to pay to get started. Small Claims is usually a faster process than other courts. You do not have to be a U.S citizen in order to use Small Claims Court and there are often interpreting services available at your request. Before appearing in front of the judge, both parties are offered to resolve their matters through an optional mediation process at no additional cost.

Steps to take before going to court:

Veterans’ Stand Down

Cool: Homeless Veterans’ Stand Down

• What: Sleeping bags, hats, gloves, pants, boots, etc. that have already been donated will be distributed to homeless Veterans. Solid Ground’s Community Voice Mail program will also be on hand to help homeless vets sign up for voice mailboxes.
• Where: Seattle Vet Center, 2030 9th Avenue
• When: Friday, November 12th starting at 8:30am

NOTE:  Items will be handed out on a first come, first served basis. In the past, most items have been distributed by noon.

good question

 

Skins, interiors & Community Center at Sand Point

All of the buildings on our Sand Point campus are now framed in, including the Community Center. Brick and siding is progressing on the 52 units of affordable housing for formerly homeless families, while interiors are making great progress as well. Some of the townhomes have cabinets installed and are feeling nearly finished! The apartments are still getting wired, insulated and buttoned up with wallboard. It is a real hive of activity, with completion date about four months away! Enjoy the photos…  And if you want to support the project, go to our website and click on the orange donate button! Thanks!

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Composite view of apartments from the west

Adopt-a-Family

Adopt-a-Family - helping create Happy Holidays for more than 25 years!

Solid Ground believes everyone deserves to have a Happy Holiday!

We know that you feel the same. Every year our Adopt-a-Family program relies on the generous support from wonderful people like you.

Now, you can lift the spirits of families and make the holidays special for those who need it most. You and your friends can work together to make a difference in the lives of people struggling to overcome homelessness, unemployment, and the hard-hitting effects of the continuing economic downturn by donating gift cards, and if you like, a small present, to our annual Adopt-a-Family program. Every single dollar helps families have a Happy Holiday. We appreciate all that you do. Thank you!

You can donate directly on our website or email Indiigo Klyne to get more information about getting involved.

This time of year is especially hard for parents who already have a difficult time providing for their children. They rarely get the opportunity to go shopping for gifts for their kids. This year parents will be able to give gifts that they have picked out specifically for their loved ones.

Many of the families we serve are homeless, moving in and out of shelters and other short-term housing. Having a lot of unnecessary material items makes moving very difficult. Traditional holiday gift giving programs, though very helpful, often end up giving families too much ‘stuff.’ Gift cards allow parents to buy what they need while keeping in mind their children’s likes and dislikes.

Making the holiday program centered on gift cards allows parents to take control of one aspect of their lives and creates the steps for them to be less dependent on others. Solid Ground has very successful case management programs. We work very closely with the families we serve to create lasting changes in their lives. To do this, we have to trust that parents will make the right choices for themselves and their children. Case managers sign up only those families that have the greatest need and the ones they are confident will make the most out of the Adopt-a-Family program.

The gift card approach allows an individual’s dollars to go farther. In previous years people have bought hundreds of dollars worth of gifts, thinking they had to buy everything on a family’s wish list. Now sponsors can donate small amounts and still make a big difference. Individual contributions can be combined to support a family.

Logistically it is much easier to give gift cards. Solid Ground doesn’t have storage space to collect and organize gifts for hundreds of families. Plus, not having to go shopping for items saves valuable time for our sponsors at an already very busy time of year.

Harvesting goodness at Marra Farm

Another wonderful set of harvest photos from our good friends at Marra Farm.

Mustard greens, chard, radishes and some happy honey bees!

Radishes

Honey bees

The entire sets can be viewed here.

Thanks once again to Marra Farm volunteer Steve Tracy for his beautiful photographs.

Inspired? Come join us on Fridays (only 3 left for 2010!) from 10am-2pm at Marra Farm (9026 4th Ave S) for harvesting, washing and being outside on a crisp fall day. Call Sue at 206.694.6746 x1 for more information.

VISTA keeps on giving

Cool: Ben Han of the 2009-2010 Martin Luther King VISTA Corps has moved on, but his year of service keeps paying dividends for the International District community.

Schematic of the International Children's Park

Ben was serving with the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) when he wrote a grant application to the King County Youth Sports Facilities Grant program to help fund the neighborhood effort to redevelop the International Children’s Park.

The SCIDpda website describes the project: “A beloved neighborhood children’s park will be renovated in 2010 thanks to the efforts of the Friends of the International Children’s Park. Since 2006, SCIDpda has been supporting the efforts of this community group to address concerns about safety and usability of the local park, assisting with design development, advocacy efforts and fundraising. IDEA Space, SCIDpda’s community development resource center, works closely with community residents and partners at Wing Luke Asian Museum, International District Housing Alliance, Denise Louie Education Center, International District Community Center, University of Washington, City of Seattle (Parks and Recreation and the Department of Neighborhoods) and InterIm CDA to ensure that the park renovation is a community-driven and owned project.

Recently, the County awarded SCIDpda $30,000 based on Ben’s proposal! Congrats to Ben and to the SCIDpda.

Tenant Tip: Proactive preparation

This week’s tip addresses some key points to help you be proactive while you are searching for a house or apartment to rent.

If you have been all over town looking for your new apartment for the last three weeks, it is easy to overlook some crucial steps when you are tired of the search. Skipping these steps, however, can put you in a very tough situation in the future. If you rush to accept a unit without knowing exactly what you are signing up for, you can end up regretting being bound to lease terms that you did not fully investigate or understand. So, be proactive and aware of your rights as a tenant!

An important very first step is to communicate clearly with your prospective landlord and ask questions about the property and neighborhood. Get to know who you are doing business with — especially if you are signing a long-term agreement such as a year lease. Drive around the neighborhood. It’s a good idea to drive there at night as well. And, if possible, talk to other tenants that live there.

Some landlords show tenants a ‘model unit’ which is supposed to be identical to the unit you will be moving into, but be sure to ask to see the actual unit before you sign an agreement or give the landlord any money. Often tenants really like the ‘model unit’ but when they move in to their actual unit it is very different – and by that time, they have already signed a lease and cannot leave easily. If the landlord tells you he has to finish making some repairs in your unit, you can let him know you will sign the lease after the repairs are completed and the unit is ready to rent. You can also write into the lease the specific repairs that need to be made and the date of completion by the landlord. After reading the lease carefully, if you write in changes, be sure that both you and the landlord sign and date the changes as well as the lease. Do not sign a lease unless you agree with the terms and you are sure you want to move in!