Millennia Resistance Campaign Statement On Federal Raid Of Millennia Ceo Frank Sinito
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Millennia Resistance Campaign released the following statements in response to federal agents with the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUD) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) raiding the home of Frank Sinito, CEO of Millennia Housing Management, Ltd (Millennia):
“Our campaign and the thousands of Millennia tenants we represent warned HUD for years about Millennia’s unlawful and discriminatory practices that forced tenants to live in inhumane conditions and even die. Now, Frank Sinito has to deal with the consequences. Unfortunately, Millennia is just part of a system that lets corporate landlords take HUD’s money and leave tenants’ homes to rot. If corporate landlords are in business with the government, the government shouldn’t let them profit with no strings attached. We need our government to correct the power imbalance between landlords and tenants,” said community organizer with the Atlanta Economic Justice Program at American Friends Service Committee Foluke Nunn. “This is an opportunity for HUD to honor Millennia tenants’ demands for protection from bad owners like Frank Sinito, and to overhaul its oversight of project-based rental assistance owners. HUD must set terms on the sale of the Millennia portfolio so Frank Sinito does not profit off of tenant suffering. In the immediate term, Millennia tenants want a seat at the negotiating table while their homes are being sold, and a written and enforceable agreement with any new property owner that protects them and ensures that they will live in safe and habitable housing going forward.”
“Frank Sinito didn’t care about us. We were living like trash. I hope he gets everything taken from him. Every dime. I hope he has to start from the bottom like we did. I hope they take him for everything he got. I pray that HUD can find a new owner who promises to work with Millennia tenants, buys the other properties, and repairs them so nobody will be homeless and have to go through what we went through,” said former Forest Cove resident Yolanda Tamplin.
After learning that Millennia intended to sell its entire affordable housing portfolio, the Millennia Resistance Campaign sent a letter to HUD in April, demanding that the agency protect tenants from having their homes sold to new, irresponsible landlords. The campaign also commented on the debarment of Millennia, which triggered Millennia’s announcement of a mass sale of its portfolio, and urged HUD to only approve sales of Millennia properties that meet the physical and social needs of the property and where tenants are valued partners. The Millennia Resistance Campaign also urged HUD to launch a national investigation into Millennia and other problem owners with a pattern of failing to maintain HUD housing. The campaign first presented their demands to HUD in 2022. They organized meetings with the agency and sent several letters demanding a national investigation into Millennia, increased oversight of project-based Section 8 owners, protecting and making whole Millennia tenants harmed by the landlord’s actions, and protecting the right of tenants to organize and be free from retaliation.
###
The Millennia Resistance Campaign is a national coalition of Millennia tenants, community organizers, legal advocates, and housing justice allies. We are committed to exposing Millennia’s pattern of bad behavior, amplifying Millennia tenant stories, and calling on HUD to hold Millennia accountable.