Can it get any worse?

[gaudio5]

So i wake up this morning to the police knocking on my door, i invite them in and ask what there here for. The officer says "we got a call from someone worried about guns being out in the open" i say excuses me? im a gun owner and have a valid foid. would you like to see my FOID card officer? he replys yes. after showing him my FOID he contuinues to ask if he can look around i agree as i have nothing to hide. we sit and i show him a few of my guns "he really liked my 460 " so he asks if he can go on my balcony i say sure. as soon as he walks outside i hear a woman yelling "THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE!!! ARREST THAT PEICE OF S***" he looks over to see the STOCK of a rifle a mosin at that. this woman keeps yelling at him i decide to walk outside and give this woman a peice of my mind. all in all the cop tells her to stop yelling and i have done nothing wrong.

ALL IN ALL, i have to deal with this woman now who is starting to make living here very hard. she is calling the rental office and what not, is there anything this woman can do to make matters worse? i mean should i worry about my rental office kicking me out cause im a gun owner? do they have the power to make this a NO GUN apt complex?

 

[ceetee]

Most local Bar associations have an attorney referral service you can make use of. Down here, you call them up , explain your problem, and they refer you to an attorney specializing in the type of practice you need. For a nominal fee (here, it's $50) you get an hour of that attorney's time, and whatever advice he can give you.

In situations like you've described, the best advice is probably to lawyer up, and shut up. If she keeps on making false allegations about you, you could probably take her to civil court, but you'd have to show damages other than pain-in-the-hind-end type in order to collect anything.

 

[ALHunter]

Regarding what the managment of your apartment complex can do, read your lease agreement. That will spell out their powers and your rights and responsibilities.

FWIW, even though you had "nothing to hide" you may want to reconsider under what circumstances you will voluntarily allow a search of your residence. I too have nothing to hide. I am as law-abiding as they come. But, no government employee gets into my home unless invited by me or my wife, or with a valid warrant. Just my .02.

 

[GhostlyKarliion]

I wouldn't worry about them kicking you out, that is if you act quickly.

Call the rental office and complain that a neighbor is harassing you, tell them that she called the police on you and that you feel very uncomfortable with her living next to you, and ask for them to move her (they almost certainly won’t, but it’ll show them how much of a burden this is to you). Express to them that she is the 'bad gal' in the situation and you are a hard working, law abiding, American who doesn't want to be harassed every day.

At the least (hopefully) you'll sterilize the office to her complaints.

 

[Onmilo]

I don't have anything to hide either but I would not have invited them in.
An accusation made by a neighbor is not justification to invade your space.

If your signed rental contract doesn't stipulate anything about not possessing firearms on the property then they cannot legally evict you.
They may be able to evict you if you get nasty with your nosey neighbor.
Of course they may have legal right to evict her if she gets nasty with you.

 

[joshk-k]

It sounds like your neighbor is a pain in the ass. Just make sure that whatever dealing you do have with her stays civil on your end, and that nothing you say to her could be construed as threatening.

As far as gun-free apartments? Landlords can largely rent to who they want or don't want. There are rules in place to prevent certain types of housing discrimination, but I don't think gun ownership qualifies you as a member of the type of group protected by those laws. I would just leave this situation alone and try to let it settle down without the landlord getting involved.

"So i wake up this morning to the police knocking on my door, i invite them in and ask what there here for."

If you value the second amendment, you must also value the rest of them, including the fourth: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

YOU SHOULD NEVER INVITE THE POLICE INTO YOUR HOME! Step out onto the porch, shutting the door behind you, and ask them why they are there.

You do not have to let the FBI or police into your home or office unless they have a search or arrest warrant. Demand to see the warrant. It must specifically describe the place to be searched and the things to be seized. If they do not present a warrant, you do not have to tell them anything other than your name and address. Tell the police that you do not consent to the search-this will limit them to search only where the warrant authorizes. If the officers ask you to give them documents, your computer, or anything else, look to see if the item is listed in the warrant. If it is not, do not consent to them taking it. You have the right to observe what they do. You should take written notes of what they do, their names, badge numbers, etc. Have friends who are present act as witnesses.

Sorry about your jackass neighbor, though. Good luck!
-Josh

 

[LaEscopeta]

do they have the power to make this a NO GUN apt complex?

I don’t know

i mean should i worry about my rental office kicking me out cause im a gun owner?

Apartment rental companies want every unit full with on time paying, no trouble making people. They won’t kick anyone out unless they feel the person is causing enough trouble that they can’t rent to other people, and they can replace the person they kick out with another renter.

You didn’t ask for advice on what to do, but I’m an expert at un-requested advice, so here goes:

1. Call the rental office and tell them the woman was yelling and swearing at you while you were on your balcony. Calmly tell them it is no big deal to you, but you know disruptive renters are a concern to the rental office, so you thought they would like to know.

2. Many posters here on the High Road will say it is best not to advertise you own guns. Burglars sometimes target residences they know have guns (a profitable and easy to move commodity in the crime world.) Plus, no matter how right you are, some people (like the woman screaming at you) will not understand or respect your rights

 

[doubleg]

do they have the power to make this a NO GUN apt complex?

Yes, they can if they want to. But your in the clear since a cop checked out your place and found nothing illegal.

 

[armoredman]

Can you leave Illannoyed?
I would re think letting any portion of a firearm, no matter what it'svalue, be able to be seen from outside my home. Any firearm visible means, "might be more in here, break in and look!".
Get an attorney on this crazy woman.

 

[gaudio5]

i cant leave im in school here 3 year of college. the stock was outside "loosing cosmoline" i contacted the office a bit ago and talked to what seemed to be a PRO GUN person who told me not to worry and there looking into complaints from this woman. apprently she bugs everyone i feel much better

P.S. chill gunnoob the word retard can be offending to some people please edit

 

[Seminole]

As others have said, complain to the apartment complex about the fact that your neighbor is harassing you.

And don't EVER let LEO in your residence without a warrant.

 

[whited]

.

"THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE!!! ARREST THAT PEICE OF S***"

Precisely what did she think you should be arrested for, again ?

She probably thinks that everyone who drives a white car or doesn't trim
their hedges to her specifications should be executed, too. Nut-bag.

 

[gunNoob]

edited..

 

[hotpig]

I love it when people invite me into their cars or homes. It gives me a chance to find a reason to arrest them. If they did not let me in, I would not have been able to do anything other than talk to them.

 

[ARperson]

I am a land lord

First check your lease. Is there anything in there that says you can't have a gun. Closest I can think that they might be able to do, if they don't specifically forbid firearms, is say that you have a hazardous material in your apt. I doubt this will get much traction. If your lease specifically forbids firearms, there is nothing you can do except plead your case very professionally and respectfully. You DO NOT want to be the gun owner seen as prone to flying off the handle.

Second thing. Document all that occured in writing. Take that to your apt. manager and ask that a copy be put in your file. Keep a copy yourself. Explain to him/her very professionally what happened, and be very nice.

Do this everytime you see this gal flying off the handle, yelling and cursing in the street, or calling the cops on you. Just make sure you document it in writing each time, and provide a copy to your landlord.

What you are doing is making a case for them to evict this other gal. In most places, the burden of proof to evict is stacked against the landlord. This will give your landlord all the proof they need to send this nutjob packing for disturbing other residents, as well as showing that you were law abiding, did nothing wrong, and are trying to be co-operative. DO NOT YELL BACK at this gal unless you want to be thrown out too!!! I gaurantee you landlords hate playing "Parent" to tenants. (I have, and I evicted both parties)

You want to play the responsible gun owner. Everytime the gals says something, curses at you, wells at you. Write it down, sign it, and talk very professionally with your landlord about your are being harassed. Don't say a thing back to her. Just make note, about date time, and what occured. If she keeps this up, she will be the one evicted.

Two of the three things landlords hate the most are childish/abusive/disruptive tenants and having the police called out to their units. (The third is tenants "fixing" things themselves)

In summary, play it cool, be polite and professional, and document everything so your landlord can rid of this person.


Reply by ARperson husband.

I wanted to add, they generally CANNOT change their lease with you unless you agree and sign a lease amendment. They CAN change it at renewal, but they don't allow firearms you probably don't want to stay.

 

[the naked prophet]

You could get a restraining order, so she can't come within 500 yards of you. Her apartment is closer than that? Guess she can move...

 

[WeThePeople]

Please don't invite a LEO in to look around. In some very limited circumstances they may enter without a warrant. From what I read, none of the exceptions were in play.

Yes, it worked out well for you this time. You got lucky here. This LEO seems to have been on your side from the start. Chances are that you won't get that twice in a row especially in Illinois.

The 4A needs as much defense as the 2A.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Move to Aurora. The rent will be cheaper and the cops have MUCH more actual work to do than chase down reports filed by local mo-mo's and busybodies.


And I hate to say it, but I wouldn't invite the police to have a look about your place even if you THINK you have nothing to hide. I know it is rude and I hate feeling that way, but common sense dictates that in Illinois are you ever SURE you have nothing to hide??? They may have banned some of your belongings yesterday and NOT informed anyone outside of law enforcement. Sad state of affairs not created by the police, but they'll just be doing their job when they haul you off.


One landlord in DeKalb (when I was in school) put a 'no guns' clause in his lease after dealing with a pal of mine who had a thing for black plastic. Still a really good landlord otherwise and I rented from him after that. His point was that he wanted gun people to keep their hardware more discretely.