East Palo Alto Tenants Ask: "When Will Justice be Served?"

Tenants eager to come out and demonstrate for their rights rallied in the early morning before a critical hearing in Redwood City yesterday.

Unfortunately San Mateo Superior Court Judge Beth Freeman ruled against the tenants at that hearing. The East Palo residents were seeking affirmation of their city's authority to enforce and implement its own Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Hard-working people, most with families, the tenants have become victims of landlord Page Mill Properties' predatory equity practices. Minority families have in particular been hit hard by the investor-landlord's actions.

Tenants and the City of East Palo Alto have been in a legal dispute with Page Mill. Properties/Woodland Park Management since January 2008 over Page Mill’s repeated violations of the city’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance, raising tenant rents 2 or 3 times in one year totaling raises of 20%, 30%, and even up to 100%.

Monday's hearing was to address Page Mill's challenge of the legitimacy of the revised Rules and Regulations for Implementation of the Rent Stabilization Ordinance that East Palo Alto's Rent Board passed in early July. These revised Rules and Regulations keep the intent of the original 1984 rent stabilization ordinance very clear; it is illegal for a landlord to raise anyone's rent more than the annual general adjustment in a given year--averaging around 3% each year.

East Palo Alto resident and member of the Fair Rent Now Coalition Matt Martin said that if the judge had affirmed the city’s authority it would have been a victory for tenants and the city, but yesterday's judgment "may allow predatory corporations like Page Mill Properties to undermine and override the city’s authority by forcing current tenants out through illegal rent increases."

Tenant and activist Matthew Fremont, who addressed the rally shortly before the hearing began, said later in the day that although the ruling went against the tenants on the most important point, the judge's decision still "leaves open a couple of possibilities to get relief for tenants." He and others said they plan to continue to assert the Rent Stabilization Board's authority to enforce the ordinance.

Tenants say they will continue the struggle to preserve meaningful rent control.