Tenants Slam Newsom for Veto of Eviction Protection Legislation

by Casey Mills via Beyond Chron (reposted)

Thu, Jan 26, 2006 8:13AM

Responding to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s recent veto of a piece of legislation designed to slow evictions in San Francisco and his promise to veto another proposal aimed at achieving the same goal, over 50 tenants and housing activists gathered at City Hall yesterday to blast the Mayor’s decisions. A wide variety of tenants forced out of their homes by the Ellis Act spoke at the rally, providing human faces to the statistics that show the current wave of evictions sweeping across the city represents one of the worst in recent history. Tenant advocates also announced plans to push for a citywide moratorium on allowing buildings where evictions of seniors and disabled people occurred to be converted to condos. Should it fail to pass the Board of Supervisors, advocates announced their plans to take the moratorium to the ballot.

Late last Friday, Newsom vetoed legislation passed by the Board of Supervisors requiring realtors to notify potential home buyers early on if any seniors or disabled tenants were evicted to empty the building for sale. Considered a common-sense measure by most, the veto represented more of a statement to landlords by Newsom that he remained on their side in the battle over evictions than a policy decision. Newsom also has promised to veto another measure recently passed by the Board forcing any attempted Ellis Act evictions to go before the Planning Commission for a hearing before gaining approval.

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