Mega-Landlord Offers Tenant Activist $20,000, then Twists Bribe into Extortion Charge

Last November East Palo Alto's biggest landlord tried to bribe community organizer Christopher Lund with a large sum of money to make him cease his efforts on behalf of his fellow renters. This week for the first time, Lund became aware that the mega-landlord twisted the story around, calling it an act of extortion committed by the activist. Not only that, but Page Mill Properties then filed a report against Lund with the Palo Alto police.

East Palo Alto City lawyers, large law firm pro-bono lawyers, and Stanford Law School students worked together with community activists for years in a prolonged legal challenge to get Page Mill properties to recognize East Palo Alto's rent stabilization ordinance. The giant landlord put money and muscle behind fighting the City of East Palo Alto, challenging the city's ordinance on multiple fronts. All the while Page Mill Properties continued to harass tenants with threatening notices, neglected to perform some of the most minimal services and maintenance, and levied exorbitant and multiple rent increases.

The property company is located in the city of Palo Alto, which is adjacent to the city of East Palo Alto. Palo Alto police investigated the alleged "extortion" at the behest of Page Mill, recording phone calls between Lund and the property company.

But after reviewing the facts of the investigation, the District Attoney's Office declined to file any charges against Mr. Lund. Lund said that the landlord has made every effort to discredit his reputation and has portrayed him as a "crazy activist". Community organizers say that the landlord will use any means in its power to increase profits at the expense of the low-income tenants, and that filing absurd charges against a tenant activist is just another weapon in Page Mill's arsenal.