Oak Park Single Mother Fighting Eviction Effort

Thursday, February 15, 2018
Lonnie Wong
Fox 40 Sacramento

An Oak Park area renter is fighting an eviction effort that would force her from her apartment for what she says, is no good reason.

Marie Camacho, a single mother who is also disabled, claims apartment owner Blackfriar targeted her for eviction because they wanted a tenant who could pay higher rent.

Camacho is backed by the Alliance of Californians For Community Empowerment in her effort to fight the eviction.

The organization confronted the management company, saying previous efforts fell on deaf ears. With news media in tow, she was able to get a second deadline extension after her doctor recommended that she stay in her current residence.

But Camacho says she still can't find an affordable alternative to her current apartment.

The alliance and Camacho say a proposed rent control measure is the solution.

Meanwhile Oak Park tenant Stacey Gershon, who lives in the same complex as Camacho, says her landlord allowed her to move in without meeting financial requirements. Gershon, a domestic violence victim, is looking to start over. She says rent costs remained affordable for three years, allowing her to get a community college degree.

Gershon admits that rents are going up all over but attributes her rent increase to market forces, including Bay Area tenants moving to the area.

Apartment owners say rent controls will discourage construction of badly needed housing units.

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