News and Views
January 5, 2010
The recent upholding by the Appellate Panel of the eviction of Susan Suval stands as the latest example of judicial bias against renters in San Francisco’s Superior Courts. Despite its progressive political climate, San Francisco continues to be one of the worst places in California when it comes to judicial bias against tenants.
January 5, 2010
The San Francisco Housing Authority has stopped taking applications from residents who want to live in public housing. The SFHA will close its waiting list at the end of January.
January 5, 2010
Some suggest that the homebuyers tax credit amounts to a regressive tax on renters. The author of this article suggests the federal government should implement a rent credit for renters.
As 24-year-old Re'Anita enters a second decade of organizing in her community of color, she fights for tenants who need relief from illegal rent increases implemented by predatory landlord Page Mill Properties / David Taran.
January 3, 2010
NBA team owner and LA mega-landlord, Donald Sterling, who was charged by the US Dept.of Justice for race-based housing discrimination, and is the subject of Tenants Togethers' "NBA: Show You Care" campaign, has been accused for years for being a bigot.
January 2, 2010
Tenants living in properties suffering neglect after the collapse of predatory equity schemes in New York demand that the properties be sold to a responsible owner and that they be consulted during the sale process.
Public housing residents of Berkeley have received notice announcing that the Berkeley Housing Authority is preparing to convert their public housing units into privately owned housing subsidized by Section 8 voucher rental assistance, and that their housing would be transferred to a local non profit housing developer.
December 31, 2009
In one last rally for the year 2009, housing activists said a long overdue "good riddance" to mega-landlord Page Mill. They raised cups of sparkling apple juice and pledged to continue working for rent relief for Page Mill tenants.
The collapse of landlord Page Mill Properties / David Taran's predatory equity scheme in East Palo Alto was one of the most important economic stories for 2009 in San Mateo County.
December 31, 2009
Low-income renters suing the city of Antioch for alleged racial discrimination are accusing city officials of censoring critical evidence.
December 30, 2009
Tenant advocates say San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom is trying to undermine a strong tenant bill that would give thousands of tenants in newer buildings the same protections as tenants in buildings constructed before 1979.
December 30, 2009
Judges in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Kansas have made decisions that have raised serious questions as to the legality of hundreds of thousands of foreclosures that have transpired as well as the legal standing of the subsequent purchasers of those homes, who are more and more frequently the Wall Street banks themselves.
December 29, 2009
This article take a look at the often harsh reality of daily life for families who are SRO tenants in San Francisco's Chinatown.
December 29, 2009
The East Palo Alto City Council is discussing whether to accept a settlement proposal with a court-appointed receiver that would put to rest about 10 active lawsuits with predatory landlord Page Mill Properties/David Taran, city officials said Tuesday. Meanwhile tenant advocates say "many tenants still feel crunched by the high rents and feel there are many questions left unanswered."
December 28, 2009
According to Pension and Investments, "behind CalPERS' staggering real estate losses lies a strategy that took on too much risk and lacked adequate oversight." One example is their predatory equity investment with Page Mill Properties in East Palo Alto that not only will likely result in a $100M loss, but also had a devastating impact on the tenants who suffered displacement, harassment and excessive rent increases.
December 27, 2009
The Los Angeles Times interviews plaintiff tenants from 621 S. Union Ave. in LA and lawyers from the Inner City Law Center who won a settlement from the landlord this fall that netted each resident $40,000 each.
December 26, 2009
A federal stimulus program aimed at preventing tenants from being evicted because of the recession is arousing lots of interest but qualification guidelines are strict. The lead agency in distributing $3 million earmarked for Contra Costa has received 574 inquiries and 87 applications but has approved 16.