Tony Purdum

A man sits on a deck looking at the camera

My name is Tony Purdum, and I’ve lived in Baltimore Terrace in Hastings, Michigan, for 7 years. I worked in concrete for 25 years with our family business before I injured my back and had to have surgery that left me disabled. 

Homes of America took over a couple years ago. One night, they came to my door with a notice that my rent was going up $200 and it was due the next day. I said I couldn’t come up with that much that fast. They said I’d be charged late fees. I scrambled, cut off my car insurance, and didn’t renew the tags to try to pay it. I can’t get around, even to the food pantry. After all the rent, fees, and utilities, I have $220 a month to live.

To add insult to injury, they charged me $480 in late fees for rent postmarked by the due date. The water is orange and they won’t do anything about that, but they found the time to add on a garbage pick up fee.