Slums and Slum Lords of Idaho Falls
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Today’s Post Register front page article featured an interesting subject that is not often publicly discussed around Idaho Falls: slums and slum lords.
The core subject for the article was that past city government hopeful Brett Manwaring (who confessed to fraud in 1983) is essentially accused of being a slumlord. The allegations include Brett not installing smoke detectors, not repairing or upgrading dangerous electrical wiring, and not repairing doors and windows with large outside gaps.
Brett Manwaring had his side of the story, but in my opinion it sounded like Brett was making excuses for running a slum. One of the most telling facts was that the fire marshall condemned two of Manwaring’s trailers.
I could not believe it when I read Brett Manwaring trying to pass himself off as the victim in his tenant’s fire. Who would have thought someone with proclaiming family values would portray himself as a victim when his tenant lost their possessions and home in a fire that could have possibly been prevented by Brett Manwaring himself?
What makes a slum, or a slum lord? Wikipedia describes a slum lord (a.k.a. absentee landlord, a.k.a. ghetto landlord) as one who does only the bare minimum property maintenance to meet minimum local laws, and in turn they charge significantly lower rents than the general rental market. Landlords normally work in the opposite direction, maintaining and upgrading their properties so they can charge higher rent and/or eventually sell the entire project for profit.
Slumlords are often accused of accepting rent in cash form, then failing to report the taxable income. They are also accused of dragging down surrounding property values and creating unsafe and inhumane conditions for human habitation.
It is said that slumlords long-term goal is to have a large developer or municipal government buy out the entire property and bulldoze it for an urban renewal effort. They do not care about the negative impact their rentals have on the surrounding area in the meantime.
On the flip side, slum lords are viewed as serving a critical niche role in society, providing affordable rental units to people who cannot afford other low-cost housing. If slums are all eliminated, where are these people supposed to go? What is the solution?
Visitors to IFz often include people looking to move to Idaho Falls, and a frequent question in our live chatbox is “Where are the Idaho Falls slums? Where are the places to absolutely avoid in Idaho Falls?”
Where do you think the Idaho Falls slums are? Maybe not just a neighborhood, but specific rental units, trailer parks, etc.
Who do you think the Idaho Falls slumlords are? The reason I bring this up is that maybe someone moves into a low-rent unit that has just been bought by a known slumlord, and they do not know this slumlord will not upkeep the property. Identifying past slumlords can be helpful to people in newly purchased properties.
Please do not describe landlords you just did not get along with, but rather true slum lords who charged noticeably lower rents and seem to minimally upkeep the property. In fairness, anyone identified as a local slum lord has the opportunity to defend themselves.
What do you think?
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Comments
Slums are different here I.F area ,than big cities where occupancy rates are low[slum areas] homeless set up in run down unnoccupied rentals open fires no electricity , no running water drug deals usually are obvious often a hotbed for prostituton{no pun intended} I dont have any slum areas locally to report. I am only showing the power of a word.
I think you mean to differentiate slums and squatting.
As I understand it, slum tenants are there legitimately but accept to live in squalid conditions.
As I understand it, squatting is where homeless people move into an abandoned building and carry out various activities in those spaces. Their tenancy is more illegitimate, and of course the landlord is not required to fix anything on the property.
I have passed some of those slums around Idaho Falls. They do not look healthy from the street.
One thing I thought was interesting is Manwaring said he had tried to put smoke detectors in, but never was able too. If he really was trying all he had to do is give her 24 hours notice and come and install them or have someone else do it for him. Was it that he just didn’t want to be seen at that neighbor? He owns alot of realestate his son owns a mortgage company, he definately isn’t hurting for money. So is he just pocketing the money and saying it is for his mom.
I didn’t read the PR article, but as the former manager of an apartment that would probably be considered a ’slum’ I feel like I should input.
It is important to distinguish between the property owners, who are financially responsible for making upgrades and maintaining the property, and the landlord whose dutys include collecting rent, unclogging toilets, and changing lightbulbs. As a manager, I took over management over a property that was frankly pretty run down, and I did this as a favor to a friend who lives out of state.
The tenants had all made verbal ‘arrangements’ with the previous owners regarding all sorts of special treatment, like bi-weekly rent, money off for lawn maintenence, etc. As a courtesy, the new owner decided to honor these agreements. This turned out to be a bad idea, as the tenants constantly tried to take advantage of us, the new landlords. Constantly riding the deadline for rent payment, sharing the apartment with people not on the lease, failing to do agreed upon maintenence work, calling the landlord for a drunken rant about the state of the property, etc.
In the meantime, the tenants kept flushing things down the toilets and clogging the pipes, costing the owners over $2000 dollars that could have been spent on updating the building. One tenant even threatened to sue the owner after he burned himself on his own stove! Needless to say, the whole ‘landlord’ experience was not fun, and we asked the friend to find someone else to manage the property.
So, let’s please remember the difference between those who own these less-than-desirable properties, and those who manage them. All the managers can do is notify the owner of changes/upgrades that need to be made, then hope that the owner provides the funds to do so. And, if they don’t, then the manager may be labeled a ’slum lord’ even if that isn’t what he wants for the property.
I lived in a place under a slumlord in Pocatello, and if your kids end up going to ISU in the city, I strongly recommend you not live in the apartments on S. Arthur across from the newspaper (the address escapes me). The electrical was so outdated that if we tried to run a blow-drier and a lamp at the same time, it blew the circuits for 1/4 of the floor. We regularly found insects in our food. There were rodents and animals all over the place. We lived with drug dealers, crazy people, and all kinds of unsavory fellows. Not a good place.
The willow tree apartments in Idaho falls are very bad.
unless your a man. Women get treated real bad there.
(Name Deleted) the landlord solicits sex from women tenants there.
He says if you want an easy life there you must sleep with him.
His dad is a lawyer.
everyone has tried to sue this guy and can’t win because his father is a lawyer.
Here is the problem with anonymous speech, Joe: The person above me just made a pretty serious claim about a local person, even mentioning him by name! So how are we to verify the claim or even discuss it when we’re dealing with just some random person? Mr. (Edited)’s reputation and business is on the line, and some will blindly accept what anonymous has just said blindly, without base, and without any evidence to support the claim. (Name Edited) may very well be a great person, but our Mr. Anonymous may have had a negative run-in with him and decided to smear his name without any negative affect on himself.
Hence, why anonymous speech is dangerous.
That is a great point. I am not sure what to do.
I can see I invited it in because of the idea to try identifying local landlords/owners who could be considered slumlords. I did not think I would get that kind of allegation, but I can see how I bought it.
So what to do? People can email me and ask for something to be edited if they think it is libelous. They can file a lawsuit and subpoena me for that commenter’s IP address to try chasing them down.
Should I edit the entire remark, or just that allegation, or just that person’s name?
The original point was to help people identify and stay away from bad landlords and bad rentals. Bad landlord behaviors can apparently extend beyond what you would think of as property upkeep.
But isn’t this the point, for people to talk and share this kind of information, knowing that you cannot believe everything you read and you must investigate it themselves?
If we were in a bar and this conversation came up, and someone spoke that same comment, isn’t that their freedom to do so, and isn’t everyone else’s freedoms to not believe the remark still valid?
What if we delete the person’s name, or that allegation, and in a short time later that person is arrested and all over the news for conducting that type of behavior? Wouldn’t we feel like idiots for squashing what could have been important information?
What if a woman is considering moving into those apartments right now? If she reads that, she may reconsider. If she does not read it, what if she experiences that behavior, and we could have prevented it by leaving the comment published as is?
Didn’t I say that anyone identified as a slum lord here has the chance to respond? Is it the responsibility for locals to go to a silly blog and respond to charges? If the same allegation were printed in the paper or aired on the evening news, does it become an opportunity to respond or is it still a burden of responsibility?
I am not willing to protect bad people in our community. I do not want to harm innocent people. How to balance those two legitimate concerns?
I may edit it, but I obviously have many questions on the subject before I do.
What do you think?
I think you should edit the comment just to be on the safe side.
I mean, their claim could very well be true, but if it’s not….well that’s a pretty slanderous thing to say about somebody. We have no proof that it happened, so I think the poster should refrase their comment. Walking a very thin line on this one!
Yes, indeed.
I started reading up on libel again at wikipedia.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libel
The anonymous commenter would have the burden of proving their allegation had some truth. I may be off base, but I suspect they would need at least two current or former tenants to testify under oath that they experienced this alleged behavior. Of course, if this testimony occurred, it would undoubtedly unleash sexual harassment lawsuits, so it really comes down to if the landlord is confident in their ability to prove or disprove those allegations.
There may even be a valid defense if the anonymous commenter had a reasonable belief that their information was true, such as if their sister told them the story of sexual harassment.
“show a benefit to the public good in having the information brought to light” That is an interesting angle, and it was the antecedent to this whole conversation.
I cannot judge the truth of the statement, and I cannot reasonably chase down every allegation made on this site, since much of the comments left here are personal opinions anyways.
I will leave the comment unless contacted by the person, as per published site policies.
I like to mention periodically that I am immune to personal lawsuits for the content published by other people here. If you read the two paragraphs above ‘Singapore Law’ on that wikipedia page, you’ll see what I mean.
Now then, any other slums to avoid around Idaho Falls?
At least delete the person’s name. I’d prefer identifying information wasn’t involved at all.
Ronin’s post was excellent.
Jeremy’s one about the apt. in Pocatello made me glad I didn’t live there. He also raises a very valid question about the pros and cons of being anonymous.
Here’s another suggestion, Joe. How about removing the name of the business the the person (given how common it is, you could easily be contacted by the wrong one).
What I would suggest and offer in return, to “anonymous” is to give “anonymous’” e-mail address to anyone requesting more specific details. That way, if there truly are people who should be warned about dangers, the author will make him or herself available to inform others, but via a private e-mail.
I guess this question has never really come previously as users have been careful to not name specific names with such strong allegations (other than elected officials, but that’s different).
The big problem I have with post #9 is…why does having a father for a lawyer make you “sue” proof? I have a best friend who is a lawyer, I think I could afford the best lawyer money could buy, both these things do not make me immune from lawsuits if I’m doing something against the law. Kimball Mason was a lawyer, all his friends were the elite lawyers in town, it didn’t stop him from being prosecuted. I think you need to come up with a better reason other than his dad is a lawyer in Utah so no one could sue him, it makes no sense at all.
well I wasnt trying to make everyone angry by telling a true story. I was so amazed that over 10 women came forward and claimed of that harrassment. There are many land lords that are out of control. The fact his father is a lawyer makes it hard for a low income woman to sue him and continue to pay the legal fee’s the housing there is low income housing. So yes his father being a lawyer does make it hard to fight him in court. Only the rich can get justice in this country.
Chill out! You say you were not even tell the truth in the first place? You don’t need to be rich to go after someone breaking the law, only civilly will it cost you money, otherwise the prosecuting attorney does it. Won’t cost you a dime. sounds like your accusations hold no water or this guy would be up on charges. You have some issues woman.
Anonymous - we’re not saying delete your comment because of your opinion. You made statements that go against a person’s character and business without legal backing and without fact. That’s called libel and it’s illegal.
If you want to express an opinion, have some facts to back it up or you will never be taken seriously.
I LOL at post 21.
“My wife heard about this at work from a lady who knows the mother in law of the accussed apartment owners brother who said he saw it here on this website he only knew the building name though.” Oh well then it MUST be true!
Are you kidding me? LOL
Well, my baby sisters friend from highschool said her brothers aunt had a cousin who talked to his dad and said it was all just a rumour!
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I also LOL at post 23. ” I don’t have internet, I use someones wireless internet connection from home, I can’t be traced” ROFLMAO!! Now THAT is funny! Some people are really naive’.
Seriously though, the fact that “anonymous” got SO upset and defensive in posts 19-24, makes ME think they were just unhappy tenants and were out to damage someones name/reputation.
And Xman is right in saying you don’t need alot of money to go after somebody that’s harming you or breaking the law. You and the 10 other women file a complaint with the Police and have the prosecuting attorney handle the rest.
But that’s just MY opinion.
Looks like the Sundowner apartments got new siding! Not just new paint but new white/gray siding, and they do not look too bad.
Wonder if that landlord improved anything on the inside of those apartments?
Wouldn’t it be nice to not describe that place as a slum anymore? Especially since that place is right there for tourists arriving from the west to see.
I suggested Joe remove the #9 post because if indeed it is true then isn’t it a matter for legal authorities to take care of, and if it is true then those making the accusations should put their energy into legally prosecuting the matter, if it is false then a person’s name and reputation has been permanently damaged.
to reiterate what JeremyPlo said:
“…the problem with anonymous speech…”
I see that a name was deleted from post #9, but post #10 refers to a person by name. Is this the same name (making the edit pointless, as one can still easily infer who was being defamed by Anonymous - different Anonymous BTW), or is the name used in post #10 some sort of “John Doe” equivalent that I am simply not familiar with?
Yay! We can reach consensus (or at least a happy balance) through intelligent and respectful discussion!
Back to the topic…
What city codes or ordinances usually apply to slums? What are the minimums that slumlords usually get hit on, and cause them to make the few repairs they do?
Are there any areas that could be strengthened or improved to motivate slumlords to improve their slum conditions?
Aren’t smoke detectors required in rentals?
Although I can’t answer the questions to post #35, I’m sure someone in the city ordinance enforcement office could. Hopefully a reader will pass this to them and they can direct us to the location of such information. Maybe the PR can do an article providing information on ordinace and city housing laws.
I appreciate honesty in this thread, and locations of bad places to live. I have an older relative with a lower-paying job who is looking to relocate to IF. This info will help us steer clear of places when out apartment searching.
Hopefully a reader will pass this to them and they can direct us to the location of such information.
Well, City Ordinances are on-line.
There you can see that the City has adopted both the Intenational Fire Code and the International Property Maintenance Code. Those codes apply to all rentals, whether “slums” or not, and contain requirements for everything from structural features to lighting, ventilation, mechanical, plumbing, and of course, fire safety.
As far as smoke detectors, both codes require smoke detectors outside sleeping areas, in each bedroom, and at least one on each story.
I know alot of people are on a fixed income or budget, but I’ve always gone by a certain rule of thumb when renting at an apartment complex. Sometimes looks can be deceiving so I’ve always gone by the types of cars parked in the parking lot. If you see some decent late model cars in the driveways, chances are you’re going to find a decent rental. That may be bias but it’s true. The next time you’re out about town, look at the apt parking lots. The run down apartments are going to have your beat up fords with the rusted out quarter panels and the little 1980 corollas parked out front. The nicer apartments are going to have your cleaner later model cars. And your more high end apartments are going to have the beemers and acuras parked in the driveway. It’s really quite a simple way to find a decent apt, and its a rule I’ve used for years. (you really do get what you pay for when it comes to apartment living and rentals)
Hey, I heard that a police officer by the name of Joe Cowley is the manager of the 201 Nevada units that have been an eye sore for years. Lets not blame Joe for managing a crappy property…I know some other landlords in the area and they work their butts off to make a decent place for people to live. You have to look at the clientele that live there too. They are difficult people to deal with to begin with…try being their landlord…not an easy task. I think this issue should be looked at from BOTH sides to be fair and give some credit and blame where it is due.
You’re right there Joe. My parents own a number of rental properties and have a hard time finding decent people to occupy them. They keep them very clean inside and out and all are kept up to city code. But as much as they screen the tenants in the beginning, they still end up getting deadbeats sometimes who don’t take care of the place and are always late paying their rent. Then they give them the boot and end up having to spend a grand fixing holes in the walls, water damage, etc.
They would never let their property go down the drain because they have too much invested, not to mention too much pride and a good reputation. But its easy to see how some landlords would let their property upkeep slide because of monetary issues.
But then of course you have the owners that just don’t care and are only out to get the dollar each month no matter what the cost.
Its usually the privately owned apartments where this type of thing happens the most. Larger complexes that have money behind them and do extensive credit checks, don’t usually have this problem. But then the tenants that don’t respect their living enviroment or keep their rent paid on time, can’t usually get into a decent apartment complex anyway.
Joe, I think it is caused by both the owner and tenant. An owner buys a property that is a bit run down at a good price, the tenants are lower income, and sometimes its hard to pay the rent on time, the owner reacts by not not making the repairs because he dosent have the money, and he spends half his time trying to collect. Repairs dont get done, tenants rebel and grow nastier by not paying rent on time and being distructive….the cycle continues to spiral out of control, and you have a rundown property, not worth what it would take to repair, the rent is forced lower, the poorest of society then move in and the cycle takes another turn downward, till the property in its present state is almost worthless unless it is just bulldozed.
In the bigger cities where there is rent control, the owners cannot afford the upkeep on the meager rent they collect so they let it go to hell so the tenants will move, then you have the crack houses and subsidized people living there and the owner tries to force them out by negelict so he can sell to a developer and build a non-rent controlled apartment building or condos.
Wanted to give a positive review of a landlord. I’m not actually sure that he still owns anything as its been over a decade since I rented from him but Don Bluth was an awesome landlord. He owned some properties in areas surrounded by slum lord dwellings. Despite the shabby conditions all around, Bluth did an excellent job of maintaining his properties and tried his best to screen his applicants. He once came out at a really bad hour and let me in when I locked myself out. And when my dishwasher went kaput he had people there the next day fixing them. My apartment building, owned by Bluth, looked like a penthouse amid shanty dwellings that were owned by others.
But… but, but that was a positive comment left by an anonymous person! That shouldn’t have happened. The fabric of the universe may have just tore.
Thanks for the great comment. I think the people who own property next to shabbyvilles have a harder time keeping their place nice. It can be depressing to look around at the slums around your place.
Oh, and while we’re being positive, I have had some terrible, horrible property managers in my days, but Rooftop Realty restored my faith in mankind. We’ve used them for a year, in our current rental in Fenway Park, and they’ve been amazing. The only reason we’re moving is because we just purchased our first home.
The management at Rooftop are friendly, responsible, and take care of any and all problems in a timely manner. I recommend them highly.
In regards to post #9 and others,
Those are nothing but allegations of a landlord soliciting sexual favors from women tenants at the willowtree apartments in Idaho Falls.
I live here at willowtree apartments and all I can tell you, the landlord does a great job of upkeeping.
A lot of women do take advantage of a man especially when being a landlord of a apartment complex. Something goes wrong, the woman puts up a nasty recognization and in the process damage the landlord’s reputation by stating these things on the internet and starts countless rumors.
We have people monitoring the willowtree apartments and the surrounding areas with outside security cameras. It is great sense of security in this way.
Willowtree apartments can and still be a great place to live only if people learn how to keep their personal problems to themselves.
response to post #23
You’re wrong about being untraceable since you are using a wireless connection which belongs to another computer user.
Your computer MAC address can be recorded in the wireless router system when you connect to the wireless system. That MAC (Media Access Control) address is traceable with a special software which can be utilized to find any MAC address in the world.
Next time you are connecting anonymously to a wireless connection, that person could be tracing you and accessing your computer as well since it is a remote procedure call. That is, if the owner of the wireless connection knows computers well.
I’d just like to say that I’m glad you left the warning about Willowtree. I’m a single female college student looking for a place to live this summer and even if it’s just a rumer I’d rather not take any chances. Better to be safe than VERY VERY sorry. Thanks. And can anyone reccomend safe and affordable apartments?
Just use common sense and you’ll usually do fine.
1. If it looks bad it probably is bad.
2. If its a big apartment complex its 100% guaranteed there will be a lot of undesirable people there unless its priced high and then there will still probably be a few bad people - simple law of averages, not all apartment people are bad but on the other hand your really bad people usually can’t afford homes.. If its an isolated apartment building with only a few apartments maybe you’ll get lucky.
3. If its cheap, its probably going to be bad. There is a reason its cheap.
I rented in the four units just immediately south across from Smith’s, the landlord was really nice, the rent was reasonable, and it came with two garages and a small yard, fireplace, and really interesting architectural spaces inside. The only downside was the Jack in the box in Smith’s lot; when the bars let out a long line of cars form and they are loud and drunk.
I am surprised there has been no follow-up to the Brett Manwaring issue.
Has he installed smoke detectors in his rentals? Have any of his condemned buildings been cleared for human habitation? Have any other tenants left his rentals, or more moved in? What’s happened to the lady who’s trailer burned down? Is the lady suing Brett for damages since there was no smoke detector?
wow i cant really believe this. new slumlord?
i was helping a friend move out of the apartment on chasewood drive in ammon. I was told this landlord is a new landlord because the property were sold to a new company namely the Exit Realty-Destinations of Idaho and I have met him before. He seemed like a nice guy until today. He really pressed the tenant in paying him the rent while hes moving out of the apartment. He was pushed back to move out immediately today instead of waiting until next monday.
I cant believe this guy. How can he be a new landlord when the tenant made a new lease agreement but decided to cancel that lease agreement within the 30 days agreement and he was really pressuring him, giving him a uncomfortable time.
Even the neighbors I talked to, complained about the same new landlord/manager, pressuring tenants to do this and that for many other reasons. They too are moving out.
Boy, anyone going up on chasewood drive in ammon, looking for a place to live, watch out for this guy… hes a real. Too bad, if he ever provoked me in the same manner, I would punch his lights out! Making me wish I was the tenant because I know very well the laws of “Landlord-Tenant” in this state and what he did was extremely illegal in the eyes of the law. Pushing tenants to move out.. for what reasons, I dont know.
That sucked.
sounds like a real jerk. There is another one just like that on Lomax. He wanted us to pay for the black mold in his apartment. It flooded a few summers ago and he didnt do anything about it. We had been ill for almost a year until district seven found out there was black mold spores in the air. I had it growing in my lungs. I could have died and my kids could have died too. I turned him in to the health dept. They are shuting his rentals down till he gets rid of the mold. I will not comment on his name because there are legal matters being persued against that land lord for alot of money and damages.

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Manwaring flat out lied today about the trailers at 231 Hill. They have always been slummy but they’ve gotten much worse over the last few years. I’d know as my job takes me there a lot.
I don’t know who the slum lords are but some of their other ritzy offerings are:
201 Nevada - the trailer park behind Broadway Ford. This is being razed in a few months so its kind of moot now.
3570 S Yellowstone - Trailer park where the floors are rotting out of the some of the trailers. Very comparable to the ones on Hill.
2930 S Yellowstone - Trailer park with a few apartments. A cut above the other Yellowstone one and the ones on Hill. Still very slummy though.
2001 W Broadway - Sundowner Apartments kitty corner across from Pizza Hut.
Half the houses on the tree streets near the YMCA are slumlord offerings as the houses have been chopped up into many small units. Same with many around the aquatic center. Half these apartments are one room only with a community bathroom on each floor.
Of all of the ones I’ve mentioned the ones at 201 Nevada and Manwarings on Hill were the worst by far out of the trailer parks. Manwaring’s just didn’t get as much attention because there were only five or six trailers there.