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Tenants Challenge Arbitrary Eviction of Disabled Tenant from Tioga Apartments in Merced

by Simone Cranston-Rhodes
Merced tenants and allies will hold a press conference on Monday demanding an end to the eviction of Bruce Shand, a long-term, disabled tenant who has called the Tioga Apartments home for over 10 years. The Tioga management served a 60-day eviction notice on Shand that is set to expire this week.
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Twenty Merced tenants and allies gather outside the Tioga Apartments earlier today on Monday September 29th 2014 demanding an end to the eviction of Bruce Shand. Shand is a long-term, disabled tenant who has called the Tioga Apartments home for over 10 years. The Tioga management served a 60-day eviction notice on Shand that is set to expire this week. Management has refused to identify a reason for the eviction, instead invoking a state law that allows eviction for no cause in communities like Merced that do not have “just cause for eviction” laws.

Merced had a just cause law that provided basic eviction protections for tenants at no cost to the city. Immediately upon taking office, Mayor Thurston moved to repeal the law. With votes from Thurston, Councilmembers Murphy, Pedrozo and Dosetti, the law was repealed. As a result, arbitrary eviction is legal in Merced, leaving tenants vulnerable to sudden displacement and homelessness.

Shand’s case has drawn attention because he is a long-term tenant at Merced’s biggest building, and he has overcome personal obstacles to become a tenant leader in the city. Shand was one of the key tenants who stood up to the prior management at the Tioga when bogus rent notices were distributed to tenants throughout the building after a prior manager was reportedly pocketing rent money. Thanks to Shand and other local members of Tenants Together, the eviction notices were rescinded.

“We consider Bruce a key member and we will do everything within our power to stop this eviction and keep Bruce in his home”, said Dean Preston, Executive Director of Tenants Together, California’s statewide organization for renters’ rights.

The Tioga also came under scrutiny in 2013 for roaches and other substandard conditions. After advocacy from residents and Tenants Together, the owners dumped Manco Abbott, the prior management company, and hired BRL Commercial Real Estate. The new management has claimed to want better relations with Tenants Together, but the eviction of Shand is undermining progress in the relationship.

The closest thing to an explanation for the eviction came in a recent letter from Noel Knight, the Tioga’s attorney, who insisted that the landlord has the right to evict simply by serving a notice and need not specify any further reason. He claimed that “the Tioga is in the process of major change” and would “from time to time” be exercising that right. He did not explain what kind of change was in the works or what further evictions were planned.

Speakers at the press conference will demand the withdrawal of the eviction notice served on Shand.

The press conference will be held at the Tioga, 1715 N. Street, Merced, CA at 11:30 am this morning.
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by Simone Cranston-Rhodes
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by Simone Cranston-Rhodes
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