The Harbor Light Saga – Flooding, Misconduct & Torture (Cleveland, Ohio)

In new user submissions dated the 4th and 5th of September clients of the Harbor Light half-way house in Cleveland, Ohio are continuously being subjected to below standard living conditions.  In addition to the abhorrent images taking place from within, there is also extensive reports of staff misconduct.  This misconduct stems from intimidation to blatant racism on both white and black clients being perpetuated from Harbor Light employees.

This article will outline in detail, including staff names, dates and times that certain events have transpired.  In addition to these new allegations of misconduct, there is also several photos and videos that were submitted showing extreme flooding of the facilities bathrooms (again).  As a result, the entire premise has been without water for a 24 hour period, making it impossible to flush the toilets and restricting shower access.  The pictures and videos will speak for themselves.

It should be noted, that just last week Harbor Light passed a routine inspection.  One that should raise questions as to how it could have passed in the first place.  When taking into account, the numerous incidents within the facility (overdoses) and the serious dilapidation; toilets over flowing, no bathroom doors, holes in the ceiling, cockroaches in the laundry rooms (and cafeteria) and so on.

The video below looks similar to a previous user submitted video that showed a different bathroom flooding.  This one is far worse and features a 3 stall bathroom on the 4th floor flooding extensively.  We also received word that the 5th floor bathrooms were locked and water was flowing out from underneath the doors.  Pictures also came in showing the toilets filled with urine and feces as a result of the water being turned off for a 24hr period.

Readers Note:  In the past week alone we have featured two articles on the Harbor Light facility:  The Harbor Light Nightmare & The Horror At Harbor Light.  This is the third.  We will continue featuring articles when user submissions warrant any updates and we will not allow this type of conduct to be swept under the rug.  If you keep submitting, we will keep featuring those reports.

Flooding & Fire Footage

SEE THE RARE VIDEO BELOW: 

The video footage above shows the most extreme form of flooding.  So much water can be seen cascading down from the ceilings and light fixtures that it would prevent anyone from being able to use the bathrooms.   One client can be seen making an attempt to soak up the water with a mop at the end of the film, all to no avail.  This is the second such incident in only a week.

Harbor Light Rules & Regulations

The rules and regulations above are handed to each client who enters the Harbor Light half-way house.  Clients are expected to follow each rule diligently or face potential reprimand.  However, these rules are not enforced accordingly by staff members as they deviate from their own rules.  Some staff break the rules blatantly and others simply ignore the rules in an effort to demean and belittle the client.

Various Staff Complaints

Mr. Mercer & Mr. Rymer:  Both of these employees of the Harbor Light half-way house have been reported for showing racism towards clients.  Specifically African American clients.  For example:  A white client can go ask for a pass to go to work, even though it might not be on their schedule and the pass will be granted immediately.  Then a black client will go and attempt to do the same thing and be turned down and flatly telling them no, without reason.

Mr. McCornell:  He will make taunting gestures, threats and continuously intimidates and harasses individuals.  “He tries to provoke clients on a daily” one user submission stated.  In one such case, a client observed another client being approached by Mr. McCornell.  This was stemming over the “Kickstart” energy drink.  Mr. McCornell continued to take the clients drinks even though Mrs. Winston told him “if it’s not an energy drink, give them back and do your job.”  Kickstarts are not classified as energy drinks because they don’t meet the caffeine criteria, at 92 milligrams for a 16-ounce can. A comparable amount of regular Mountain Dew would have 72 milligrams of caffeine.

The client that continuously had his drinks stolen from the staff member had told him he wanted his drinks back and that they better be kept in the fridge until he could get them back.  In this case Mr. McCornell slammed his hands on the desk and stood up and said, “it better what?”  He then went out of his way to find an article that cites Kickstart as an energy drink.  As a result he then took the clients Kickstart energy drinks again.  The client then went to the store and bought more.  Mr. McCornell came running into his room.  The client was laying on his bed at this time when Mr. McCornell threatened him and told him “get your ass up outta that bed”.  Mr. McCornell stood in the clients room in a fighting posture, the client stayed laying in his bed.  Mr. McCornell had two incident reports that we know of as a result stemming from just this incident, no reprimand was made.

On a positive note, there was several submissions regarding a Mr. Becktold.  Mr. Becktold is a real good staff member clients urge.  Stating that “he tries to actually help people, he’s the reason that we have phones”.  His position within the facility is the Associate Director.  He chooses who comes to the facility and who goes.  If he feels you don’t deserve to be there, he’ll send you back to prison.  Another client says that “if you’re doing well, he will reward you and try to help you, hardly anyone does that around here”. 

Client Statement:  Speaking Out

“I’ve been here for 4 1/2 months now.  Here’s what I’ve seen since I’ve been here.  The staff here is dirty as hell, they don’t do their job, when you come in, they don’t actually search you like they are supposed to.  Staff talks shit to us all the time, they talk down to us.  Half give cigarettes like they aren’t supposed to, then yell at you when you get caught.  If you’re cool with staff they’ll do whatever you need and bring in anything you want.  Eight out of nine days had overdoses in May, when someone overdoses they just take you to the hospital and bring you right back.  One dude died on the 4th floor, he went to the hospital and came back here from a previous overdose.  They don’t care about nobody here, were just here for the money.  They don’t do drug tests on everyone, some people can go a month or two without one.  They pick and choose at random.  The showers and bathrooms are trashed, there’s bed bugs and cockroaches everywhere.  One time when I came in from work at 2:30am, the entire microwave downstairs was covered with cockroaches, the fountain drink machine on the floor and the wall, also covered with cock roaches.  Then one time on the 4th floor laundry room, the washer was down for a month and a half and the whole bottom of the washer was filled with cockroaches.  When we use the washers we have to literally kick the side of it to make sure the cockroaches will scatter.  This place makes you want to do drugs…“

Client Statement: Average Day

“ The average day at the Harbor Light half-way house consists of getting up and going to breakfast at 7am.  Sweeping and mopping floors and doing various chores.  Then classes – Thinking for a Change, Drug Classes, but nothing is really done in the classes.  The classes always get sidetracked and we talk about girlfriends, sports and drug dealers.  The classes don’t focus on the root of the issue.  They don’t encourage people to not do it again.  Instead they will say things like “half you guys will be back again”.  After we do classes, there’s count followed by dinner and then maybe an AA meeting (1 or 2x a week).  Some people get passes, all depends on who your case manager is if you can get out, passes for work and to pay bills.  We have no social passes here.  There is no attempt to re-integrate us into society.  It’s go to work and pay us money.  No movies, dinners or home passes with family.  It’s crazy.“

Client Statement:  All About Money

“The facility is all about money.  One client states “Downstairs they are always asking “where’s your money”.  When you turn your paycheck in and go downstairs to get your money, you have no money, like it’s your money, if your working you get a $400 allowance and if not it’s a $200 allowance.  Disbursements are on Thursday but they don’t like giving your money back to you.  One guy was caught with a needle in his arm, they took him down stairs, drug tested him and sent him back upstairs.  Not before they charged him $25 though.   Every single drug test that fails is $25 that the client has to pay.“

Facility Failures & Other Notes

The metal detector goes off every single time.  Whether you pass through it or around it.  It’s rigged to go off no matter what.

Some shakedowns are illegal.  Sometimes they have you strip down and have you pull your boxers down to your ankles and squat and cough.  This isn’t a policy that should exist at a half-way house that is re-introducing someone into society.

Lot’s of robberies and thefts.  Anyone that reports being stolen from they will be drug tested and possibly sanctioned.  Individuals that commit the thefts in most cases are not sanctioned.

False documentation and they lose paperwork all the time.  The also lie to you on a drug test and tell you “a faint line is a pass, but will write you up for a dirty and fine you $25” one client states.

Zero Privacy, the bathroom stalls have no doors and the facilities are all stainless steel which mirrors that of prison.

Family is supposed to come in and support a client.  One family was forced to leave and yelled at for attending an AA meeting.  They were instructed not to socialize with people in AA or NA.  They then threatened the client for having a family member on the premise.

During the inspection, the inspectors only went into certain areas.  Such as the classrooms and clients were essentially bribed beforehand with promises of an extra pass or candy bars if they were good during class.  They also had us put down carpet downstairs to make it look better the day beforehand.

Filthy living conditions, bugs, flooding and so on.

COBRA Says:  Individuals across Greater Cleveland are being sent to this facility in the hopes to get sober or to be re-introduced into society.  However, when they arrive to this facility they are met with some of the poorest living conditions, faced to sleep with cockroaches and bed bugs, flooding, rude and demeaning staff, excessive drugs, fines and so on.  This place is ran by scumbags, plain and fucking simple.  Private investigations need to be launched into the owner of the facility and the administration.  

SCUMBAGGED Tip:  This entire facility starting with the owner of the building to the administrators of the facility need to be entirely reset.  The building needs to have exterminators immediately to eradicate the cockroach and bug infestation.  The bathrooms need to be re-done with modern facilities, the piping within the entire building is old and dilapidated and needs replaced.  Staff needs to follow the rules set forth accordingly, each and every staff member should not deviate from the rules.  Clients shouldn’t be faced with the worst living conditions culminated with impossible rules and staff that is going rogue.  Clients need to be transferred from this facility to other facilities until things get under wraps.  The inspection process is also a failure across the board for all state ran endeavors.  It’s all about money and it’s showing, clearly.

References:

The Horror At Harbor Light Halfway House – Leaked Footage (Cleveland, Ohio)

The Harbor Light Nightmare – Death, Despair & Dilapidation (Cleveland, Ohio)