Rent Scam Manager Claims It's A Mistake

Rent Scam Manager Claims It\'s A Mistake
Oakland Ca--Jan 29,2001 By Lynda Carson

Oakland-In a letter dated January 23,2001,
Joseph Villareal the Leased Housing Director
of the Oakland Housing Authority states that
the Manager,Juanita Ortega who faced numerous
allegations in Oaklands Section 8 Rent Scam
Investigations claims that she made a mistake.

Recently turned up documents from a court
appearance,plus others from the public records
of Oaklands City clerks Office reveals names,dates,
and amounts of money overcharges that the H.U.D.
Funded Section 8 Renters were being charged by
Ortega.In one document signed by Ortega,theres a
section #2 called \"Certifications By The Landlord\"in which Ortega Certifies that she was charging 3 renters $600.00 per month.Other documents reveal
that she was only allowed to collect $537.00 per
month on one of those units,and $532.00 per month
on another.Both of these renters who payed more than their contracts required to avoid eviction proceedings,made statements to the OHA and the F.B.I. According
to Patrick McCammon,he had to pay Ortega $68.00
per month extra in cash or face eviction,which also
is the amount of overcharges listed in the signed Certifications by Ortega.It is unlawful for landlords to charge more for H.U.D. Funded Units than what was determined by a process of calculations.

When faced with documents that have her own signature that Certify the overcharges the Section 8 Renters were forced to pay to avoid eviction,Ortega
now claims that it was just a mistake when recently
questioned by Housing Authority Officials.A mistake that she was dumb enough to put it in writing?No matter, the Oakland Housing Authority accepts this explanation,and states in the Jan 23,letter that;This is consistant with the use of this form,which is a negotiating tool.

In one Oakland Tribune Story called, \"Under-the-table
rent returned\";dated Oct 1,1999,Juanita Ortega and her employers Doug and Theodora Stuteville also deny alleged overcharges by other renters at a diferent location in Oakland.Amy Rich and family claimed that Ortega was demanding an extra $131.00 per month above her Section 8 Contract.Amy Rich,the tenant who is disabled,was then reimbursed by David Kaher the property owner when he learned about the scheme forced upon his renter.He also fired Ortega/Stuvilles,and sued them in court in an effort
to get back his money. Ortega and Stutevilles are property managers for at least 64 units in the City Of Oakland,and around 20 of them are Federaly Funded H.U.D. Units.

The corruption of the Section 8 Program is ongoing,and though Ortega herself is on Section 8,she manages 64 units from a location that is subsidized by the Section 8 Program. The Section 8 Program was originaly meant to
subsidize the poor,but now slick property managers are
learning how to corrupt the program for their own needs.

Whistleblower Lynda Carson who refused to pay the extra $50.00 cash per month under the table to Ortega has been served 5 Notices to move,was evicted and has until Feb 28,2001,to find a new home.Others evicted who
gave statements regarding the Section 8 Rent Scams are Tangerine Smith,Amy Rich/family,and Patrick McCammon was served notice to move recently. Victims in these scams did not fare very well,and without a Just Cause
Evistions Measure in place in Oakland,renters continue
to be ripped off by greedy landlords one way or another.In Oakland landlords evict for profit after stealing as much
as possible from their renters first.

Oakland has a 2 Year Moritorium on rent increases after evictions,but without enforcement the landlords refuse to comply with the law.Renters in Oakland are well
aware of the double standards they face when legal matters are at stake.

The Section 8 Rent Scams are so extensive that in a diferent Tribune Article dated Sept 29,1999,it quotes OHA Commission Vice Chairperson Gloria Taylor as stating
\"This is probably happening to poor people all over Oakland.

As for the scams run by Ortega/Stutevilles,despite
testimony from witnesses, signed statements,and the
document signed by Ortega that Certifies a few of the
overcharges in writing,the Oakland Housing Authority
declines to prosecute,and still demands further evidence.

In closing,the Jan 23,2001,letter from the OHA reveals that it plans to suspend the investigation into these rent scams
unless more evidence is submitted.

The victims of the scams,have no doubt that
unitl there is a Just Cause Evictions Measure in the
City Of Oakland,landlords
shall continue to ripp off the
renters without facing any
prosecution.