[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
October 7, 2025
To:
New Ulm Economic Development Authority
100 North Broadway
New Ulm, MN 56073
Subject: Ongoing Neglect of Repairs, Inspection Concerns, and Serious Health & Safety Risks at [Property Name or Address]
Dear New Ulm EDA,
I am writing to formally notify your office of serious, ongoing health and safety issues at [property name/address], which have gone unaddressed by property management despite multiple inspections, extermination efforts, and direct communication with city agencies and housing officials.
While I understand that management may temporarily clean up shared spaces ahead of inspections, I need to make it clear that the internal conditions of my unit have been neglected since February 2024—directly following my refusal of repeated sexual harassment and advances from the on-site manager, Rick Newmann.
On August 20, 2024, I filed a related complaint with Animal Control due to deteriorating conditions caused by unresolved repairs. Between August 20 and November 14, 2024, the unit was under inspection by either the city inspector or fire chief for approximately 120 days. During that time, management failed to complete any repairs inside my unit.
While an extermination effort took place—presumably to protect neighboring properties—it neither fully eliminated the roaches and fleas, nor addressed the damage already caused. The infestation had already destroyed my furniture, electronics, small appliances, and even the property’s refrigerator before any extermination or inspection ever began. These items were not moved and cannot be salvaged.
To date, there is no agreement or offer from the property for the replacement of these essential items. I cannot safely take them with me due to the risk of spreading the infestation, and I am deeply concerned that if I leave them behind, the owner could try to flip the narrative, destroy my rental history, damage my credit, or charge me for damage I did not cause. Because of the city’s past inaction, I do not trust the system to protect me.
Importantly, the New Ulm EDA has been aware of these issues:
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On September 26, 2024, during my recertification appointment, then-housing specialist Kellie Roe told me that City Inspector Steve Carson had reached out to her and said, “I heard that it's really bad over there, but I told him there’s nothing we can do.”
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Again, on September 23, 2025, during a reinspection with a new housing specialist, I was asked whether the conditions at the unit had improved. I responded that things had actually gotten worse.
Despite this, not a single internal repair has been made. While the extermination significantly reduced the roaches, the infestation is still active—and the damage was done long before those efforts even began.
I was especially hurt by what happened with the fire alarms. On camera, the city inspector acknowledged that he had ordered the property to replace my alarms, which were destroyed by the roach infestation. The property ignored that order, made no repairs, yet somehow passed inspection.
That same month, I fell asleep with a candle burning, and it ignited a massive fire on my living room table—feet from where I was sleeping. There was no alarm. The heat and flames woke me. It’s unclear if the candle reacted with a cleaning product or the cheap holder it sat on, but the fire was so sudden and intense it could have easily killed me.
I shared this with Ms. Roe, who only responded by wondering aloud how much the landlord might charge me for leaving the property in the condition his neglect caused. I told her: Why should I be charged at all? Why am I not being reimbursed? I cannot afford to replace my property—that’s why I would never destroy it.
Additionally, there is now a growing safety concern I must report. As shown in the attached photos taken on August 8, 2025, the main guardrails outside the building are rusted through. One image shows visible rust transferred onto my hand after only light contact.
As someone with limited mobility, I rely on those guardrails for stability—when carrying groceries, laundry, and deliveries. The risks from rusted railings include:
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Physical injury from weak structural support
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Cuts, abrasions, and infections (especially for those with health vulnerabilities)
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Potential exposure to tetanus, should any injury occur
I wanted to bring this to your attention directly so that there is a clear record of what has happened—and what continues to happen—at this property.
Thank you for your time and attention. I respectfully ask that your office review these conditions and hold property management accountable being that there is a pending reinspection of the property by your office. As a tenant who has done everything by the book, I should not be forced to live in unsafe, unsanitary conditions, with no protection, no restitution, and no accountability from the very systems meant to ensure housing rights and the elimination of slums.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Signature, if mailing]
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