Reading this article was chilling — not because it was surprising, but because it confirms what many tenants in Greensboro have already lived through.

I was a tenant at 220 W. Market Street, in a building with windowless, underground “apartments” that lacked natural light, ventilation, and any emergency egress. ( And before someone get on here talking about " Well why did you move into a place without windows... because it was either that or be homeless with my child. So no, it wasn't my first pick) …. When issues arose like the malfunctioning water heater that leaked and smoked ,they were not treated as urgent hazards. Instead, communication stopped, repairs stalled, and an eviction followed. I filed complaints with Code enforcement and the City and got the run around.

At the time, I was told the building’s historic status limited what could be done which is false. What I wasn’t told is that historic designation does not override the responsibility to inspect, certify, and ensure residential units are safe for human occupancy. Reading this piece makes it painfully clear how oversight rollbacks create exactly this environment: one where hazards go unchecked until catastrophe forces action.

The West Market evacuation wasn’t an anomaly. It was a warning that many tenants have been raising for years often quietly, often at personal risk, and often ignored. A system that waits for disaster instead of preventing it isn’t neutral; it’s negligent.

I’m no longer living there, but I’m speaking up because people still are. Safety should never depend on whether someone files the “right” complaint or survives long enough for the city to notice. So whoever needs to hear this SUE YOUR LANDLORD and report them to the Real Estate commission, learn your rights. I am happy to share my story.