The Tenant Protection Ordinance recognizes tenants’ right to live in dignified, harassment-free homes. We enforce that right.
“City Attorney Parker and the Neighborhood Law Corps were just there for me – because you can’t fight these battles by yourself. We have the power collectively.”
—Jahahara Amen-Ra Alkebulan Ma’at
Case: City v. Kilpatrick
We brought a lawsuit with the housing rights law firm Sundeen Salinas & Pyle and San Francisco’s Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus. The lawsuit charged the owners and manager of the property with violating the Tenant Protection Ordinance, negligence, fair housing violations and elder abuse. Investors purchased the former Fremont Hotel, a SRO with predominantly monolingual Chinese tenants in Oakland’s Chinatown. The owners’ stated purpose was to renovate and attract a new, market-rate demographic, including students and tech workers. East Bay Community Law Center defended one of the tenants against an eviction action and quickly discovered a campaign of harassment: 4 of 7 communal bathrooms demolished for nine months, Chinese New Year decorations torn down, surveillance cameras installed throughout the building. The City Attorney’s Office filed a TPO lawsuit with Asian Law Caucus and the firm Sundeen Salinas.
RESULTS
In a successful result, the owners were ordered to fix the facilities at the property and remove surveillance cameras that were ruled to be in violation of the residents' privacy. The case resulted in a $1,000,000 settlement and permanent injunction against the owners of the building, a resounding victory for the tenants.
Case: People v. Oakland Redevelopment Group
City Attorney Parker filed a lawsuit against the owners of a property near Lake Merritt who illegally demolished a tenant’s home while he was living in it. The owners had illegally locked the tenant out with his medication still inside, cut utilities such as heat and hot water in the middle of winter, and threatened the tenant with physical harm – all while Eviction Defense Center joined the tenant in contesting the pending eviction.
Results
Together with counsel for the tenant, the City Attorney’s office reached a $750,000 settlement of the case.
Case: People v. DODG Corp.
The City Attorney’s Office has sued the leaders of a prominent local real estate empire with systematically violating the rights of tenants at buildings owned by their family companies. The defendants own and operate numerous rental properties where tenants, including families with young children and pregnant women, have been subjected to grave risks to their health, safety and lives in flagrant violation of Oakland’s Tenant Protection Ordinance. Since at least 2016, the defendants have rented uninhabitable or dilapidated units in buildings across the City of Oakland to tenants who are often low-income immigrants, some of whom speak little to no English. Defendants have profited from this predatory business model by renting unsafe units to tenants who are desperate to find affordable housing, and often are unable to take legal action to defend their rights.
Results
The City’s lawsuit focuses on six properties located in East Oakland where defendants have received at least 22 notices from the City regarding serious violations of local law. The City filed this lawsuit in June 2019 and the litigation is ongoing.
Case: People v. Jaber
In collaboration with Centro Legal de la Raza, we sued the owners of this Fruitvale apartment for multiple violations of Oakland's 2014 Tenant Protection Ordinance.
Tenants complained of lack of heat, faulty smoke detectors, bedbug and cockroach infestations and other habitability problems including a fire in July 2016 that caused extensive damage in multiple units.
RESULTS
We won an order against the landlords who were required to address various issues over 40 days or face contempt of court.
Case: People v. Empyrean Towers, LLC
The Neighborhood Law Corps’ first Tenant Protection Ordinance lawsuit involved a 96 unit Single Room Occupancy (“SRO”) hotel. The Eviction Defense Center discovered horrific conditions at the Empyrean Towers, including sewage running down walls and contaminated water. City officials declared the property an imminent health hazard. The City Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit against the owners and pursued the case through bankruptcy. The City settled the lawsuit for over $475,000. The Empyrean Towers were recently sold to a nonprofit developer to serve as affordable housing.
results
The City Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit against the owners, got a receiver appointed over the property, and pursued the case through bankruptcy. The City settled the lawsuit for over $475,000, and the Empyrean Towers were recently sold to a nonprofit developer to serve as affordable housing for at least 55 years.
People v. Miller
CASE
The owners of a fourplex on 69th Avenue waged a campaign of harassment to displace their four tenants. The owner used City of Oakland stationery in an apparent attempt to mislead tenants. They also filed a series of retaliatory lawsuits against one tenant, including false owner move-ins. The owner’s partner and property manager threatened tenants with physical harm.
RESULTS
Defendants agreed to settlement including $22,000 payment to the City.
Case: City v. Rong Fu Lee
City Attorney Parker and Centro Legal de la Raza sued landlords who attempted to illegally increase their long-term tenant’s rent. The landlord claimed to be living downstairs, but utility bills showed months with zero water usage in the unit. The owners harassed the family by repeatedly entering their home without notice and refusing to make repairs to their unit. The City and Centro settled the case for $300,000. The settlement requires that the landlords hire property management and notify the City whenever they file an eviction for the next five years.
RESULTS
The case was settled for $300,000, along with requirements that the landlords hire professional property management and notify the City whenever they file an eviction for the next five years.
