Resident file · Room 7 · Thistledown Assisted Living
Newest resident. Arrived 2019. Requires no assistance, has never requested any, and has asked management to stop writing “as needed” on things. Management describes her, in the minutes, in his own handwriting, as his next ambitious frontier. Her lease is the most active document on either property.
Lease K-7 · Clause 7(e) · Reproduced in full
Every lease at Thistledown renews automatically. Only one of them says so in four words.
Drafted 1659 · Never amended · Has never needed to be
The clause governing renewal of the term at Room 7 is set out below in its entirety. Nothing has been omitted. There is no subsection. There is no second sentence. Counsel was paid by the word and counsel did not care.
Management has read the clause four thousand times looking for a termination provision. Management has confirmed, in writing, quarterly, that there is not one. Management files the confirmation. The confirmation renews the lease.
The county’s position is that a four-word clause is enforceable but “extremely annoying.” Ownership’s position is that it was written by somebody who knew exactly what they were doing.
I have read this clause four thousand times. It says the same thing every time. I check anyway. — B.
Renewal history · Lease K-7 · Filed with the county
The term has been shortened eleven times. Every shortening was filed by management. None was requested by the resident. Running total kept by hand, on a card, in a pocket.
| Period | Renewal term | Renewals filed | Filed by | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Annual | 1 | Automatic | Standard. Unremarkable. He remembers it fondly. |
| 2020 | Semi-annual | 2 | Amendment R-3 | Reason given: “tidier.” |
| 2021 | Quarterly | 4 | Amendment R-5 | Filed on a Sunday. Office was shut. He waited. |
| 2022 | Monthly | 12 | Amendment R-7 | Bought a second folder. |
| 2023 | Weekly | 52 | Amendment R-9 | Bought a third folder. And a label maker. |
| 2024 | Daily | 365 | Amendment R-10 | Set an alarm. Has never once needed the alarm. |
| 5 Feb 2025, 2:04 AM | Hourly | 8,760 proposed | Draft, withdrawn | Withdrawn at 2:09 AM. Stated reason: not enough. |
| 5 Feb 2025, 2:14 AM | Continuous | Ongoing | Amendment R-11 | Approved. Unopposed. Nobody was awake. It was his birthday. |
| 2026 — | Continuous | Continuous | Automatic, and also by hand | He does both. He would like the redundancy noted. |
Equipment · Procedure · Delivery
Office equipment · Purchased 1994
Note
Had it made while I waited for the laminator to cool. Two items, one trip. The man asked what a property manager needs a RENEWED stamp for and I told him and he said “sure.”
They still have the artwork on file. I checked in March. — B.
System configuration · Enabled 2019
Note
The system does it at midnight. I do it again at six. If the system ever fails there will be no gap.
There has never been a gap. There is not going to be a gap. — B.
Delivered in person · Room 7
Note
She was standing right there. I renewed it. Then I gave her the notice about the renewal, and then the copy for her records.
She reads the whole thing. Every time. She always reads the whole thing. — B.
Correspondence · Office of the County Recorder · Third request
From: the County Recorder · Third request · Tone: tired
The Recorder writes that her office received 1,140 renewal filings for a single one-bedroom unit last quarter; that this is more filings than the county received for every other property combined; and that the office has had to buy a second cabinet, which came out of the parks budget.
The matter is marked ongoing in the county system, which management has pointed out is also a kind of renewal, and which the Recorder has asked management to stop pointing out.
They know me down there. Denise at the window has a stamp for my stamp. — B.
Lease K-7 · Current term · Posted in the office
Next renewal in
NowThis field has read NOW since 5 February 2025, 2:14 AM. It is not broken. It was checked twice, by him, and then verified by a second party, who was also him, holding a clipboard, being thorough.
Resident comment · Collected annually · One received
She has been asked for comment four times. She has given it once. It is on the wall.
★★★★★
He renewed it while I was standing in front of him. I had come down about a lightbulb. I left with the lightbulb, a renewal notice, a copy of the renewal notice for my records, and a copy of the copy, for his.
I am not going anywhere. He knows I am not going anywhere. He would like it in writing four thousand times, so it is in writing four thousand times. He is very pleased with himself and he ought to be. It is a good lease.
— Kendra, Room 7. Resident since 2019. Renewed since.
She said “I am not going anywhere.” I wrote it down. It is exhibit C now. — B.
Filed questions · Residents’ committee · Answered by management
Yes. At any time, in writing, with no notice period, on a one-page form management drafted himself and has twice offered to help her fill out. She has never asked to. She has never been asked to. Management renews before the question can reach the floor.
The lease renews anyway. Clause 7(e) is self-executing and requires no filing, no stamp, no notice, no copy of the notice, and no man in a cardigan on the third floor at six in the morning. Management is aware of this. Management has been made aware of this eleven times. Management files anyway.
No. The county average for a one-bedroom is one. The Thistledown average, excluding Room 7, is also one. Room 7 has moved the average for the entire county, which the Recorder has mentioned twice, in writing, underlined.
The question was raised at the December meeting by six of the seven residents. Management entered it into the minutes, read it back aloud to confirm accuracy, asked who wanted coffee, and moved to item nine. The item remains open. It renews monthly.
He has been told.