Oakland renters are wondering why landlord Elizabeth Williams is not in jail

Oakland renters are wondering why landlord Elizabeth Williams is not in jail

By Lynda Carson - November 29, 2018

Oakland renters are wondering why landlord Elizabeth Ann Williams is not in jail, after recent reports came out revealing that landlord Elizabeth Williams (alleged Oakland slumlord) may have bribed one or more Oakland building inspectors.

According to an October 26, 2018 investigative report from Milad Dalju, Chief Enforcement, and Simon Russell, Investigator, to the Oakland Public Ethics Commission, allegedly former Oakland Inspector, Thomas Alton Espinosa, accepted a number of payments totaling $176,000 from landlord Elizabeth Williams, which reportedly may have been illegal bribes made to Espinosa.

In past years, Elizabeth Williams has been identified as allegedly being a notorious Oakland slumlord who owns many Oakland properties, and was sued by the City of Oakland during October 2006. According to the Office of the City Attorney, “The property owner (Elizabeth Williams) received multiple tenant complaints regarding broken windows, infestations of rats, mice and cockroaches, as well as natural gas leaks, non-functioning toilets and broken heating units. The surrounding neighbors also complained regarding the blight and illegal activities which spilled out into their neighborhoods from these properties.”

According to public records, “In 2009, the City and Elizabeth Williams entered into a stipulated final judgment and permanent injunction that prohibited Ms. Williams and her agents from maintaining any of her properties in substandard, dangerous, uninhabitable, unhealthy, or unsanitary condition, and failing to correct code violations in a timely manner when directed to make repairs by City code compliance inspectors.”

Possible violation of agreement between Williams and the City of Oakland

Regardless of the agreement made in 2009 between the City of Oakland and Williams for Williams to maintain her properties, allegedly Williams violated the agreement with the City.

On December 19, 2013, at around noon an electrical fire occurred in the attic of 732 Apgar St., in Oakland, due to faulty old electrical wiring. The Oakland Fire Department had to chop a hole in the roof of the building to be able to put the fire out. The residents in all three residential units of the building were displaced by the fire.

According to sources, the Fire Department also tore out some old electrical square copper rods that may have been installed in the building back during the 1920s, that were part of an old electrical system that was never upgraded by Williams.

All three units in the residential triplex building sustained damage, with the residents on the top floor losing everything due to water damage. One tenant allegedly lost a number of possessions since the fire occurred because management left the apartment door open, or unlocked. Another unit in the building sustained heavy smoke damage, and currently had mold problems due to the water used to put the fire out, according to sources.

All the tenants were displaced by the fire on December 19, and according to sources the landlord allegedly is demanding that the tenants must continue to pay the full amount of rent at the damaged building while the building is being repaired, and the electrical system is being upgraded.

Complaint filed by Danielle Johnson

Public records reveal that Danielle Johnson filed a complaint with the City of Oakland against Elizabeth Williams on 2/26/2014, due to a water damaged ceiling in the bedroom, the bathroom, including a complaint about a missing carpet in the apartment.

On November 29, 2018, according to Danielle Johnson a former Oakland tenant of a Elizabeth Williams at 2731 Market St., “Elizabeth Williams is the landlord from hell. She had workers remove the roof of the building I was living in, and the ceiling in my apartment collapsed while I was living there. At times there used to be feces coming up from the sewage line in the backyard. I would call the blight hotline to make complaints. I spoke with Inspector Anthony Harbaugh of the Department of Planning, Building and Neighborhood Preservation. Anthony Harbaugh was close friends with Elizabeth Williams. Harbaugh said that he would talk to Williams about my complaints, but he would not come by to verify my complaints. Finally someone from the city came by after someone complained about debris from the roof sitting in the yard of the property.”

Other renters of Elizabeth Williams are alleging that Williams is drunk much of the time when they see her, claiming that she is an alcoholic, and that a fellow named Reggie (allegedly a former prison inmate) is currently her right hand man. William’s tenants also allege that she is renting many of her rental units to former prison inmates.

Public records reveal that Elizabeth Williams resides in Gilroy, and tenants say that they send their monthly rents to PO Box 1436, San Martin, CA. 95046. For maintenance or other problems tenants call (510)395-4477, or they can email Elizabeth Williams at eawrentals [at] aol.com.

Oakland renters are wondering why landlord Elizabeth Ann Williams is not in jail or under investigation, after recent reports came out revealing that landlord Elizabeth Williams (alleged Oakland slumlord) may have bribed one or more Oakland building inspectors.

Linda Vargas works for Williams and passed along my request asking Elizabeth Williams for an interview about this story, but so far Williams has not responded to my request.

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com

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