Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - Members and supporters with the Queen City Workers' Center have been rallying in support of Deborah Brenner over the recent months, as she has been fighting for the return of her security deposit from her former landlords. The group claims that the landlords, Brian and Patricia Leslie, have been illegally withholding the deposit from Brenner.
Monday morning saw a number of protestors representing the Queen City Workers' Center gathered outside the Leslie residence in Tonawanda demanding the security deposit be returned to Brenner.
"She was a model tenant for a very long time and had no problems with them until she busted her leg in an accident, asked for some disability accommodations - very reasonable ones, it was just her leg," said Harper Arida in support of Brenner on Monday. "They refused to fix her heat, National Fuel came out and said whatever was going on downstairs was fine, but upstairs - they have admitted this in court in front of me - the thermostat wasn't working, so it'd basically be freezing, completely off, or it'd be at 100 degrees, which is obviously not tenable for anybody in any position, but especially somebody who was recently disabled."
It was towards the end of Brenner's tenancy at her residence where she withheld rent to secure access to proper heating. When the Leslies sought back rent in Buffalo Housing Court, they were awarded a judgment, which Brenner is currently appealing.
In addition, the Leslies have taken Brenner to the City of Tonawanda Small Claims Court for back rent, but were denied by the judge there. That then led to them taking Brenner to the Town of Tonawanda Court to seek the same funds, all while the appeal of the judgment by the Buffalo Housing Court is under appeal.
"They think as landlords, they own the property and I have no rights," said Brenner, who was on-hand for Monday's protest. "I asked for reasonable accommodation back in July of 2020, I fell and blew out my ACL. She didn't believe me. She used the tenants to watch me and film me. Ultimately, I asked for reasonable accommodation because I was being locked in the basement and I couldn't get upstairs. It's just snowballed from there. They feel that they're entitled to one thing, and that's the rent money. Part of their evicting me, and they said it in court in the City of Tonawanda was the money didn't come out of my pocket. I got the ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program), I did everything - dotted my i's and crossed my t's - from the very beginning. I followed the law, I looked up the laws. Right now, they won't give me back my security deposit. My eviction was very illegal."
According to Patricia Leslie, she says Brenner was legally evicted after having not paid rent in six months, since December of 2021.
Leslie adds that she and her husband don't understand what message the Queen City Workers' Center are trying to send. They also claim Brenner was not a model tenant, saying she would swear and curse, and yell outside in the neighborhood.
The Leslies also says Brenner stole a number of items without any permission, including a thermostat, two lock sets to the doors in the apartment, and also say a window screen was missing while she was living in the apartment.
In addition, the Leslies claim Brenner has not legally filed anything as an appeal to any of the decisions made in court. They say whatever has been said about an appeal is all hearsay.
"It's one lie after another," said Patricia Leslie of Brenner.
As of right now, Brenner is currently homeless and staying at the Extended Stay America hotel off Niagara Falls Boulevard. While she works part-time as a server, she says she can't get ahead and can't find affordable housing. It has left her at a point where she does not know where to go or what to do.
"We really feel like working class people are what makes this city run. Yet, we are really not being given the bare minimum to survive and have a decent quality of life," said Mary Lister from the Queen City Workers' Center. "When Debbie came to our group, she was actively being evicted... and did not really have the support to safely move her things out of her home, and her landlords were really not trying to give her enough time to reasonably do so. We were able to help her move out and work with her in a bit of a longer term about the overall problems that she was facing even before this and even continuing. Things like the landlords not wanting to give reasonable accommodations, that's something that many of our members experience, many of our members with disabilities. Or something like the landlord's not wanting to renew, and not having to give any reason why. If someone's fighting for their rights, like Debbie, then they can very easily be put out."
"This is not an isolated problem," Arida added. "We are here supporting our friend and trying to improve her life, she's in a very rough situation, but this is not specific to Patty and Brian Leslie. This is a thing that a lot of landlords do, where they will refuse to get back your deposit, not give you a reason, or make up a bunch of move out charges. We're basically, as a group, have decided that we don't want that to continue to happen. It's happened to pretty much everybody who's here, and that was why we are here. This is hopefully the beginning of that not happening on such a systemic level anymore."
As for what comes next, Arida says they will continue to push and escalate the matter as much as possible, while making sure they stay within the law.
"We have to decide on a week-by-week basis, because every day the cops show up and tell us something else," he said. "Last week there was a town ordinance that was no megaphone, so we had to lose that. This week, it was, 'Maybe tamper down on the the cursing.' That's where we're at. We take it week-by-week, and it is ongoing until they give her the money."
More from Monday's protest is available in the player below: