Posted on 07/26/2026 4:15:07 AM PDT by AbolishCSEU
At the end of January 2026, a colleague’s piece about a couple that was down on its luck was published in the Finger Lakes Times. They were apparently homeless, living out of an abandoned camper and their car for the previous 11 months.
A short time later a connection was facilitated with the couple and Doris Wolf, 84. The longtime Junius resident offered a downstairs apartment in her home. The rent was made affordable since the couple lived on Social Security disability benefits with a combined income of $1,800 per month. Doris waived the first or last month’s deposit.
For those of you who don’t know Doris, there are few people as kind and generous. In 2024, the Seneca County Office for the Aging and Seneca County Senior Center recognized Doris as their 2024 Outstanding Senior Citizen of the Year. She was chosen due to the numerous ways in which she has devoted her life to altruism, philanthropy, and a clear and genuine desire to help others in her community.
She has served on more than 20 boards in Seneca County; was a member of the local and national Red Cross disaster teams; co-founded Trevor’s Gift Backpack Program Inc., which has distributed more than 55,000 bags of food in backpacks for the nutritionally needy; and she was the Seneca County nominee for the 2025 New York Governor’s Exemplary Service Award.
Regardless of her advanced age and health situation (she suffered a stroke a few years ago and has some heart-related issues), she didn’t hesitate to step up when this couple was in need.
Sadly, the saying “no good deed goes unpunished” applies to the present situation.
The couple, Mary Phillips and Rickey Young, both of whom are about 70 years old, have refused to pay rent since late April. They have violated many of the terms of their monthly lease. They choose to prioritize others things like gas for their car, food, and who knows what else because — well, because they can, with apparently no penalties.
Both appear to have some mental health issues, along with physical limitations. Rickey said Mary weighs close to 300 pounds.
The couple claims it can’t move out because the Department of Social Services said it will help only if they are evicted.
Easier said than done.
Junius Town Court currently doesn’t have a court clerk to accept or file eviction forms; the position has been vacant for a while. The town justice has been of no help. Making matters worse is Doris no longer drives; she has logistical issues relying on others to for rides to get things done. Her renters are filthy. The apartment is a mess (inset photo). According to Doris, Mary is incontinent, resulting in multiple accidental “messes.”
Even though Doris’ home sits on 12 acres in the country, the couple refuses to take its dog out to do its business, instead using pee/poop pads inside — and the dog seems to have poor aim.
The stress of the situation has been devastating for Doris. She cries often out of frustration and the fear of the unknown. Doris lives on a fixed income, so that rent money is badly needed.
The couple — even during the recent heat wave — claims they are too cold. The home has central air; I can testify that it is not cold inside. But, just the same, the couple decided to use electric heaters, which has Doris’ utility bill skyrocketing. Their rent included utilities.
I went downstairs and talked with Rickey. His normal voice is more like shouting. He claims their bills are killing them and that they do want to move out but won’t until evicted. I urged them to at least try to be civil to Doris. The sad truth is that it’s hard for people to be reasonable when they are determined to be the opposite.
As if things couldn’t get worse, Mary claims she fell on the patio by the entrance to the apartment. She says she broke her elbow and suffered a shoulder injury. This puts a new fear and stress on Doris, as she worries if she will get sued. Pictures were taken of the patio, and there is nothing that would cause a fall other than someone who is physically unable to walk properly due to limitations — in this case, obesity. There is some optimism to be had for Doris. She was able to finally get the proper eviction forms and filed them.
Anybody who has had to deal with the eviction process knows it does not move fast. The tenants have the right to respond to the eviction notice and can present defenses during a court hearing. A judge will review the case, and if the landlord prevails, a judgment will be issued allowing eviction. If the tenant still does not vacate, a marshal will carry out the eviction, typically giving a 14-day notice before the actual eviction.
The eviction process in New York typically spans 60-120 days or longer.
If and when the couple are finally evicted, Doris is fearing the amount of work and costs that lie ahead in terms of repairing and cleaning the apartment.
Unfortunately, no good deed goes unpunished.
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They’re waiting for Doris to die so they can take over her house.
Homeless people have either substance abuse problems or mental illness problems or both.
The percentage of truly sad stories of people who have been made homeless by tragedy through no fault of their own is vanishingly small.
They belong in institutions, not in some landlord’s apartment complex or home.
Yep! They are squatters who have all the power and the police can’t do a thing because it’s a “civil” matter.
So many lessons here in such a short article.
Yes
Homeless are homeless because most they want to be.
When i worked on trash duty at a state park, I would cart off a barrel full of beer cans from a well-publicized homeless family who checked in for a few nights and never left. People were coming by to give them free food etc.
I read an article about some kindly motorcycle enthusiasts who intervened on a home-owners behalf and convinced belligerent squatters to relocate without delay. This would be a nice project for a similar type group in New York state if they could find time away from their usual charitable activities.
As I recall, isn’t their advice in the new testament about helping people? Something about if they won’t reform their bad habits have nothing to do with them?
Their should be there.
They’re putting their stuff there!
Substance and mental problems are 99% due to untreated childhood issues or chemical imbalances in the brain. Nobody with a healthy mind wants to be killing themselves with junk under a bridge. They end up there because they have a broken brain incapable of making decisions.
People that have support and can afford good rehab often figure out these issues through proper treatment before they cause too much harm and become members of society again. I have seen many homeless come back from absolute rock bottom once these issues are treated.
People who dont have support are left untreated end up evicted and self medicating in the streets until they kill themselves or others. This is the ‘system’ for dealing with the mentally ill in 90% of America.
Our society usually does not consider mental health until people break down and cause harm. And by then it is often too late...
The original article about the hard luck couple was great for the narrative, but missed the real story. How did these people end up in the situation in the first place? Yes, there are people subject to unfortunate circumstances, but these folks were probably a cause of their own situation.
Nice Mnemonic.
If they are 70 they are on regular social security, not SSDI. And based on the amount, they don’t have much of a work history. They need gas for their car, but where do they go? How much gas is needed for a couple of trips to the grocery store each week? Yes, there are poor unfortunates, but basic life skills, like putting the dog out, aren’t hard to do.
So sorry to hear this. Elderly should not be under this stress. The state will also provide free legal advice to the scum.
Have a relative that lived in my grandmothers home while my mother was alive. We are in process of selling it and it’s under contract. She hasn’t lived there for 3-4 years, but last week broke a window to gain entry.
Cops were called. They said it was a civil matter as she had lived there and mail goes there on occasion. She also uses address so her kids can go to school within district. Cops wouldn’t evict her or charge her, so she believes it’s her place to squat. These blue states have no law and will not protect normal people. They have no protections from these feral and deranged psychopaths.
Would like to get her charged with welfare fraud as she has a free apartment somewhere in neighboring city, but apparently has retained our house as her domicile without our knowledge. Never has had a lease there.
Well they are mentally ill and supposedly have about $1k a month in SS income.
But I would think they also have welfare and a state like NY has money for housing.
But being insane they aren’t going to make good decisions. Is the real answer institutionalization?
Wow that’s a long word.
I really hate to say this and most of you will probably say duh. But as I’ve lived longer, I realize any form of “justice” from a political system is a fantasy.
Obvious justice would be to immediately remove them from that house and spare the poor old landlord further pain and expense.
But we don’t have justice we have systems and then they are run by unimpressive people who follow flawed rules. All we can do is protect ourselves and steer clear of the system.
I have a landlord friend with tenants who haven’t paid in years, but go to court with complaints all the time.
Another case of pathological compassion... also known as suicidal empathy.
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