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San Mateo Renters, Officials Debate How to Keep City Affordable

Diane Fjelstad knew for months that her rent was going up. Her landlord had told her the increase was coming.

But when she finally read the official notice last year, she remembers feeling numb. She would have to pay $1,000 more per month for her two-bedroom apartment, a 54 percent hike.

“It was quite shocking,” says Fjelstad, a retired psychiatric social worker. “I just immediately went into crisis management to figure out what I could do personally.”

Forced Out

Arleen Beale’s latest eviction began with a snowball fight. It was January of 2008, and Milwaukee was experiencing its snowiest winter on record. Arleen’s son Jori and his cousin were cutting up, packing powder tight and taking aim at the passing cars on Arthur Avenue. One jerked to a stop, and a man jumped out, chasing the boys to Arleen’s apartment, where he broke down the door with a few kicks. When the landlord found out about the property damage, she decided to evict. Arleen had been there with her sons—Jori was thirteen, Jafaris five—for eight months.

Earline

For 4 months I have been telling my landlord that my bathroom ceiling was leaking; he laughed it off or he would say I'm busy or I don't have time.

My six-year-old daughter went in to the bathroom. I heard her scream. The roof came down on her. When I told the landlord he laughed, said it was just plaster. He said if I keep it quiet he would give me 1500, but I would have to move. I told him no so he gave me a 60 day notice.

Kristy

To all those facing eviction, please be aware: the lawyers and courts can hurt you worse than your landlord. It happened to me…….

My landlord sold her duplex and needed me out of my rent controlled unit of 10 years in order for her sale to close escrow. She claimed my rent was more than I actually paid and posted 3 day pay or quit and subsequent court action.

Clyde

Our rental home was sold to an investor in New York a little more than a year ago. We have been living in the home now 2 1/2 years. We have never missed a rental payment and we made minor repairs to the property when needed. However, when the dishwasher quit working during the Thanksgiving holidays, we submitted a request to to the property management company to have the dishwasher repaired.

Cilicia

Me and my 5 year old son had a week left on our stay at the homeless shelter. I had to find a place asap. I drove by my old apartment complex and noticed unit #1 was vacant. We got the apt and moved in. Same landlord so I felt ok even though the apt was in terrible shape. It needed a make over. My landlord instructed me to contact the maintenance man and have him start repairs. 11 days in.....nothing. So I wrote out a letter stating what needed to be done asap. He fixed the broken tile in tub and replaced my broken bedroom window. He tried fixing other windows with glue. Bad idea.

Cilicia

Me and my 5 year old son had a week left on our stay at the homeless shelter; I had to find a place asap.

I drove by my old apartment complex and noticed unit #1 was vacant. We got the apartment and moved in. Same landlord so I felt ok even though the apartment was in terrible shape; it needed a make over. My landlord instructed me to contact the maintenance man and have him start repairs. 11 days in.....nothing.

Landlords Can't Circumvent Cities' Tenant Protections, Court Says

Cities can impose restrictions on the grounds for eviction.

Alameda Arrests Tenant Protesters and Passes Rent Moratorium

Last evening, an estimated 200 Alameda renters went to their city council to demand an end to unfair rent hikes and displacement. After a hearing that lasted past 1am, the Alameda City Council voted unanimously for a temporary 8% rent increase moratorium and a ban on no cause evictions. This is a big step forward for a city in which rent increases have been unregulated to date, but it is clearly not enough. The City needs to adopt a rent control ordinance that ties rent increases to the inflation rate and prohibits no cause evictions.

Liezl

Our landlord has told us on numerous occasions and letter postings that she is not in foreclosure. Now the sheriff has posted a notice of foreclosure on our door scheduled 3 days from today and the landlord refuses to give us our deposit so we can move out and gave us a 3 day notice to pay the rent or quit! This has been a nightmare ever since we moved in! She has no remorse for what she has put us through! What are my options?

Eviction