Is Rep. Luxenberg a ‘bold change agent’ or ‘just plain mean’?
State Rep. Geoffrey Luxenberg is in the real estate business. The Manchester Democrat owns residential properties that he and a partner in D&G, LLC, rent to tenants. Luxenberg proclaimed himself last year “a bleeding heart liberal Democrat” trying to desegregate towns by renting condominiums to people of color.
Administrators of rental subsidy programs do not share Luxenberg’s self-regard. One alleged last year in emails that Luxenberg is verbally “disrespectful, abusive and confrontational to all of us.” A West Hartford housing program official claimed in writing last November that Luxenberg ”has consistently been abusive and unreasonable at a level I have never before experienced,” and that he is “just plain mean,” a document shows.
Jill M. Corrado, CEO of the West Hartford Housing Authority, complained in an email that Luxenberg had engaged in “a repeated pattern of abusive communications from him to our staff and it really needs to end.” Corrado wrote that housing authorities “are no strangers to complaints, false accusations and downright nasty behavior.
I’m sorry, but this one (Luxenberg) is crossing the line and we can no longer tolerate it.” Corrado explained Thursday in an email that she intervened because Luxenberg was violating the agency’s Civility Policy, adopted last year, “to protect our staff from threatening and abusive behavior …”
Luxenberg’s alleged accusatory messages raise several questions, chief of which is: how is it possible that House Democrats have installed Luxenberg as co-chairman of the Housing Committee? How can he be allowed to continue in that position?
Michelle Molina, program director at J. D’Amelia & Associates, the company that oversees the administration of rental subsidies programs in Connecticut, received and responded to many of Luxenberg’s screeds and complaints, documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests show. Luxenberg sent repeated emails to the West Hartford agency and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development complaining about the pace of property inspections. Luxenberg claimed he was being ignored “and discriminated against regarding my learning disability.” He added, “It’s almost as if the WH Housing Authority mission is to hurt the woman (a prospective tenant) who desperately wants what we all want/a decent place to live.” He described himself as a “Concerned Citizen and native of West Hartford.”
Housing authority inspections have not always gone well for Luxenberg. A Housing Quality Standards inspection of a condominium unit in Avon last October found seven alleged violations, including water damage in the kitchen and evidence of mice, a document shows. The prospective tenant decided not to move into that 900-square-foot, four room condominium that Luxenberg’s business purchased last fall for $90,000. When the prospective tenant declined to move in, Luxenberg told her in a text message that she was giving up a chance to live in a town with the “very best school district in the United States.” In another email message Luxenberg condemned Avon as “the most segregated place in the United States.”
Luxenberg described the Avon property after improvements as “nicer than my own house” in an email blaming the West Hartford agency — which also serves Avon — of failing to respond to him, documents show. “The system,” he told Molina in an email, “doesn’t prioritize people of color living in luxury condos in Avon.”
The prospective tenant told Molina she would “not be taking this apartment due to disrespect constant harassment lies and being threatening somewhat racist discriminatory towards
me.” The day before, she wrote in an email, “I had the worst experience with Geoff demanding money,” documents show.
Luxenberg accused that prospective tenant of lying about access to the unit, a text message shows. “And I proved it to” housing officials, he wrote. “They likely will just take away your voucher if you keep lying. I think you should just move out and get a new place.” Luxenberg warns the woman, “if you did any damage to the place I’ll document it.”
When the whereabouts of a key is in question, Luxenberg accuses her of stealing it and contemplated calling the police. Whatever the state of Luxenberg’s heart, it appears not to be bleeding for the dispossessed who dare to disagree.
As noted above, Luxenberg is no ordinary landlord. As co-chair of housing, Luxenberg commands a different forum in which he could unleash his fury at having to follow rules in exchange for government rental payments.
In response to questions about his emails and texts, he wrote on Thursday, that he is “a fierce advocate for housing people who have experienced homelessness” and other deprivations. As is his apparent custom, Luxenberg hurls more accusations than he answers questions. That protective tenant who declined to rent Luxenberg’s “luxury” unit in Avon because she felt threatened and found him “somewhat racist”? Luxenberg calls her feelings, “ironic.”
Aaron Turner, DOH spokesperson, said Thursday that a meeting between John D’Amelia, Molina, Luxenberg and his business partner Dan Zak, lowered the temperature on the disputes.
Maybe not. On Thursday, Luxenberg accused J. D’Amelia of disliking a “bold change agent” — him — and having been in cahoots with former Gov. John G. Rowland, who resigned his office 19 years ago. He criticizes the company for receiving a PPP loan at the height of the pandemic. This does not sound like peace.