Orchard Terrace in Tacoma, Washington, My Working Nightmare

I Worked in Orchard Terrace Apartments in Tacoma, WA for sometime. I finally got a chance to quit. For several months I helped try to clean this place up some. But as I saw the miss use of management I had to give it second thought as far as not only employment but as a place to live as well. Through each day, week, and month working here. I saw many people evicted charged and lied too, to make the person in charge of the facility look better than she actually was.

First going into the place and landing the job was ok. The management and I kicked it off very well. The place was very trashed though. Many of the tenants just didn't seem to care. Going into the apartments with tenants mad that there was yet another Maintenance Man, complaining that none of the other ever did anything.
Found out that none ever lasted more than 2 weeks there. OK, So I went to work. Started fixing everything. Knocking out work orders from the previous year, working my way down the almost 200 order pile that never seemed to be touched.

Things started going well until the almost 2 months later. The Manager was being transfered and this great new Manager was coming in. (So that's was I was told.) In a matter of 3 days the new manager came in. Big attitude, barking out orders, claiming the place was going through an overhaul. Many of the tenants didn't like her. Still don't. Then I noticed the way she would talk about them behind the doors as they walked up and couldn't hear her.

One day after another I watched and got more frustrated at the way she was treating people. Watching the lies pouring out of her mouth to what seemed to be everyone that walked into the office. I contemplated for a long time about writing this article, until a few days ago after she pulled the same thing on my credit, that she did on literally everyone that lives and has lived there. I tried like crazy to find someone to talk to about this. But, I found out there is nobody over her to do so.The things I have seen this person pull even behind the owners back. The President of the company don't even know and, they put their entire trust into this person to run not only this one but 4 to 5 others.

I saw many tenants some were very bad and tore to place up. Others were very clean and left the places clean. Yet they were showing me bills they got for over 800 dollars as a claim that the place was a mess when the left. Of course I didn't know what to do about it. I needed the job. I cleaned these places up they were not that bad. Note, that it wasn't 1 or 2 of these but every tenant that moved out. Whether it be good or bad terms.

Through all this I had knocked out most of the work orders on top of cleaning the place up everyday, turning apartments one after another. I had finally earned the respect of the tenants there. Each day I would hear the management bickering, talking behind the backs of the owners and the tenants, even the friends and family of the owner of the complex. More so, almost all the tenants. I heard of back biting but never this much.

This continued even towards me. It got to a point where I just couldn't trust a word she told me. I heard they way she talked about everybody, and watched as she did them right into my face without even acting like I knew what the truth was. About a month or so into the new management. I heard from others that she was already looking to replace me. But couldn't figure out how or on what terms.

I did my Job. Showed up on time everyday. Never called in sick. Wiped out all the work orders and kept the place very clean. From what everyone told me. They had never seen it that clean and have things working in the apartments for years. There were no ground to get rid of me. So somebody tried to transfer me. Until the day before It was time to go. I didn't have to work that day and somebody trashed the whole place. So she called and stopped my transfer and made me stay there. I lost my raise, my training I was supposed to get, my bonuses, and our new place. This effected the entire family.

Angry, I knew I had to keep working. Nobody to talk to cause she is the boss. I had to bite down and bear it. All the tenants were happy that I was still there. They knew I worked hard. As more time went on I heard more stories from others. this includes tenants and other properties that she was going to replace me.
I'm not sure what she had to against me. But it was almost like living in hell. Everyday something coming out of her mouth was a lie to what I had already heard.
Then when what she would say fell through it was somebody else's fault. After awhile I noticed it seems no matter who it is, she liked to have some kind of power over everyone she ran across. If not one way, another. For most it was ruining their credit. I found that if she didn't like them. (Which was most) She would tag on extra charges on the last bill after they moved out knowing they couldn't pay it. Just to make their credit bad. After all who are they going to believe? The tenant or the Management?

I lost count on how many this was done to. I just didn't know what to tell them when I got confronted about it. I felt sorry for them, but it was out of my control. Finally I got my chance to leave. Get my family out of there and get a new life somewhere else. Not only was the area bad, but the weather and every thing else in the area was just not a place to have kids. Reminded me of the gettos of California.

I put in my 2 week notice. Finally I'm gonna be free. But then somehow she manipulated me into thinking that staying a couple more months would work out better. lol I don't know how I fell for this. Not with the track record I already knew. Then a week later the new buddy she wanted in there started. I knew something was up. Guess what? I was right. We worked together the next weeks then, Thursday came. She pulls me aside and said I'm sorry tomorrow has to be your last day. Knowing we had made plans to stay. This gave us very little time to move out.

Luckily we still had the money to move. Now just a little while ago I finally got my check after 3 1/2 weeks with a bill for almost 900 dollars, Oh and guess how much the check is? 900 dollars. No sick day pay. Or Holiday, or anything saying thank you for all your hard work. Just a big fat bill for the entire amount of my check. knowing we can't pay it.

How is this legal? How can somebody like this get by with all this stuff? How is it possible that somebody can be so evil, deceitful, lying and backbiting to everyone that crosses her path and get by with it? How is it possible that someone like this has the Power to ruin everyones credit and get by with it?

Some say have you tried going over her? There is nobody above her that will listen to anyone but her. She is on the top. All complaints go to her. That is the end of the line.

In case your wondering. What this is about? It's not only a warning about living at Orchard Terrace in Tacoma. If you do? Do it at your own risk. Expect to be over charged when you leave. If I worked there and did a good job and got reamed, know that you will also. This is also a big question. Is it possible for this person to do this and get by with it?

This isn't to slander, or a way to try to just make someone look bad. This is a very major problem and somebody somewhere needs to make a stand on this. This is an area and a business being put into the wrong hands and it seems everyone I have talked to is to scared to talk to anyone about this. This is America, Nobody should have to worry about moving into an apartment complex to find out that there credit is going to be ran up purposely by someone like this. Isn't there a way to warn others and take control over people like this? If you have any suggestions or way to help out? Please by all means. Let me know. Thank you for reading, and letting me vent.