Pinoys in Alameda, California Face Eviction from Homes
Rommel Conclara, ABS-CBN News
ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA – Filipino families are among the many tenants facing eviction from their homes at the Bayview Apartments in Alameda.
This is the reason why they stand in front of the Alameda City Hall to send a message to the council that they will not stand for what they call unjust evictions in their city.
Around 30 families received eviction notices last year when San Jose-based Sridhar Equities Incorported purchased the property. Since then, the tenants and their advocates have sought protection from the city council.
This month, the council voted 3-2 to have two rent-related initiatives on the November ballot. One of those measures would expand rent control and eviction protections for tenants.
Pinoy resident of Bayview Rommel Laguardia said he expected more help from the city.
“After going through meetings with the council, asking them, begging them for protection, they never cared for us. There was no sympathy at all,” he said.
Some residents claim they faced daily harassment from the apartment manager and staff.
“Since they started doing construction and the renovation, like we would remove our shoes, leave them outside, we don’t look at it, and it’s gone,” said Austin Durano.
“I asked the manager, and he just laughed at me,” he said.
The tenants and their advocated say that as more families are forced out of the San Francisco Bay area because of rising prices and gentrification, they are taking a stand.
“If they stand together, they can hurt the pocketbook of that landlord because he’s gonna find it very expensive and you want to break him, you want to make trouble for him,” said Emil De Guzman, a tenant advocate.
“I can give up, I can say I can go, but no; that’d just prove to them that they can do whatever they want to do, so I’ll give them a fight,” said Laguardia.
The tenants say they will be protected because they put their faith in the voters.
“Come November, I have no doubt we will win the ballot, and from there on, we go forward,” said Laguardia.
Balitang America tried to contact Sridhar, but no one was available for comment.
(Source: ABS-CBN.com)