Questions for the Board of Directors – Dorie Miller Housing Cooperative
Urgent Call for Accountability & Transparency
Dorie Miller Housing is facing a governance crisis. Since members of the Team Legacy Committee were elected to the Board, shareholders had high hopes for a new era of leadership, transparency, and democracy. Instead, these hopes have been shattered. Shareholders’ transparency, democracy and voting rights have been systematically stripped away as the Board has failed to hold Annual meetings in (2022 and 2024). One-third of the Board was appointed, bypassing any communication and transparency with shareholders on who this people are. Shareholders were neither informed nor were shareholders given the opportunity to meet any of them prior to the boards announcement.
IMPORTANT UPDATE
It is now confirmed that four current Board members were never elected by the shareholders. Genitha Stoney, who has served since 2018, stated in her own candidate bio that she was appointed—not elected. Combined with the three other selected board members, brings the total number of unelected Board members to FOUR.
This undermines the foundation of shareholder democracy and raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the Board’s leadership, particularly under the current President, Michelle Chaffin. Genitha also served on the board during the foreclosure proceedings and has a long history of making bad decisions, which we can still experience today.
The Counsel you all pay for.... yep, stands by not doing anything, and Metro is following the same song and dance.
Is it any wonder we fall into foreclosure and our voting rights are stripped. Not to me it isn't.
Let's add up how many unelected board members we currently have.
GRAND total of UNELECTED members serving on the board
drum roll please...
4 PEOPLE
this for sure is not a winning strategy as we have experienced it during foreclosure proceedings and we can see it now.
Because of a deeply rooted policy at Dorie Miller to divide, isolate, and harass shareholders who speak up, shareholders continue to live in fear of speaking freely, knowing the consequences they may face. I am a prime example. I have been repeatedly intimidated, harassed, falsely accused of harassment, and even subjected to a break-in into our apartment to send me a message, which the police classified as harassment. My reputation has been slandered, and I was billed for repairs that were conducted in the basement—not in my apartment. The Board is actively trying to silence shareholders by willfully violating by-law's to maintain their power for personal gain. This can only go on for so long before we find ourselves facing another crisis.
How the Board Has Strategically Dismantled Transparency & Democracy
Eliminating the distribution of annual meeting minutes—the most critical transparency report for shareholders. Instead, shareholders must now schedule an appointment just to review them.
Blocking direct shareholder communication—One year, shareholders had to submit their questions in writing through the Unit Chair, only to find that questions were edited and others were never answered. At an open Board meeting, shareholders were once again told to submit questions in writing on a little card, where a question to the treasurer was censored and not shared with the shareholders. This is how boards control things, get it? GOOD.
Ignoring the will of shareholders—A Team Legacy survey in 2018 showed that shareholders wanted a direct line of communication with the Board. Despite knowing this, the Board deliberately ignored the request, demonstrating an intentional failure to serve shareholders.
Appointing Board members—Under the leadership of the new President, one-third of the current Board was handpicked by five Board members behind closed doors. Again this is how boards control things. There was no prior announcement, no introduction, and no opportunity for shareholders to meet and question these appointees. Instead, shareholders were merely informed by letter that these new members were now in power—bypassing democracy and transparency.
Failing to hold the Annual Meeting as required by our by-laws—Even though the new President and former Team Legacy members serving on the board were well-educated in by-laws, house rules, and corporate governance (as they attended meetings in my apartment for over a year and a half), they have chosen to ignore what they once advocated for and the wish of the shareholders once in power was no longer considered. That also speaks for itself.
Failure to Protect Shareholders in Times of Crisis
Rejected financial assistance for struggling shareholders – The Board knowingly rejected participation in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program, a government assistance program that would have helped struggling shareholders cover essential costs, such as 100% of the internet at the time. Now we know who this people in power really are, this to me is a disgrace, and I had several conversations with the board and Metro.
Failed to supervise Metro Management – The Board has allowed Metro Management to mismanage property maintenance, security, and shareholder concerns without intervention.
Enabled shareholder harassment & suppression – Instead of protecting shareholders, the Board and legal counsel have allowed intimidation tactics, targeting those who speak out against mismanagement.
Legal Counsel’s Failure to Protect the Cooperative
Failed to prevent Dorie Miller from falling into foreclosure proceedings. Legal counsel admitted the Board was responsible but did nothing to warn shareholders or intervene before it was too late.
Standing by as the Board dismantles democracy. By failing to act while elections were skipped, legal counsel is complicit in suppressing shareholder rights.
Failed to address the abuse of power and harassment by the Board and Metro and they refused to put harassment issues officially on the record when asked, slao speaks for itself.
Key Questions for the Board of Directors
1. Election Suppression & Governance Violations
How does the Board justify not holding elections for two years (2022 and 2024)?
How does the Board justify appointing $ of its members behind closed doors, without shareholder input or introduction?
Why did the Board suppress shareholder questions at an open meeting by censoring and editing submitted questions?
Why did the Board require shareholders to submit questions through a Unit Chair, despite the 2018 survey by Team Legacy clearly showing that shareholders wanted a direct communication line with the Board? Why was this request completely ignored, demonstrating an intentional failure by the Board to serve the shareholders?
2. Failure to Prevent the Foreclosure Crisis
What specific steps did the two remaining Board members take to prevent foreclosure proceedings in 2019? I can not think of ONE, can YOU?
Why was legal counsel not held accountable for failing to educate shareholders or intervene before the foreclosure process began and the papers were filed in court? Well, we know now WHY.
Why was counsel not held accountable when the board violated the by-laws year after year?
Why is the same legal counsel still representing the cooperative despite these failures?
3. Board’s Failure to Supervise Metro Management
Why has Metro Management been allowed to repeatedly violate by-laws without Board oversight?
Why has the Board not taken action against Metro Management for inadequate property maintenance, poor security, and lack of communication?
4. Suppression of Shareholder Rights & Transparency
Why did the Board eliminate the distribution of annual meeting minutes?
Why did the Board require shareholders to submit questions through a Unit Chair, knowing from the 2018 survey by Team Legacy, shareholders requested a direct communication line with the board? This request was completely ignored and is a clear sign of poor leadership and failure to serve the shareholders.
Why did the Board reject government financial aid programs like the EBB, which would have helped struggling shareholders?
I strongly believe those are legitimate questions the board should answer at the April 7th Annual meeting. What are the chances they will tell the truth is another story.
Well we have options: If the Board refuses to address them publicly at the April 7, 2025, Annual Meeting, we actually can take the following actions:
A formal request for a full investigation into Dorie Miller Housing will be submitted to the New York State Attorney General’s Real Estate Finance Bureau.
If evidence of wrongdoing is found, the Attorney General has the power to remove Board members, impose fines, and enforce legal compliance.
A request will be made for an independent audit of financial records to identify any misuse of shareholder funds, unauthorized spending, or conflicts of interest.
This is the worst governance crisis in Dorie Miller’s history. Shareholders deserve transparency, democracy, and leadership that serves their interests not a board that is not even elected and has members with a long history of making bad decisions such as the foreclosure proceedings, has power struggles and continues to violate our bylaws and uses intimidation and fear tactics to cover it all up. This has to stop Shareholders, its time to vote this people off the board of directors and replace them with respectable members from our community who will follow our bylaws.
