 | | by Terrrie Frye |
On Monday, May 12, 2008 at 1 PM, tenants from across San Francisco testified at the Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee against CitiApartments, one of the biggest landlords in the San Francisco.
For the last three
years CitiSTOP, a group of CitiApartment tenants and housing
organizations, have demanded that CitiApartments be a responsible
landlord, and on May 12 tenants got another chance to bring their concerns to City Hall.
Supervisor Chris Daly
sponsored the hearing for CitiApartment tenants and their allies to
voice their concerns, and tell their personal stories of how
CitiApartments has affected them. Over 100 tenants came to testify at
the hearing. CitiApartments bused in
employees and may have compensated others to appear at the hearing in t-shirts
that said "I support CitiApartments." Only 3 testified in
support of CitiApartments, though, while over 100 tenants came out to
voice their complaints.
The
City Attorney's Office also gave a brief update about their pending lawsuit against CitiApartments
because of their bad business tactics and treatment of tenants. It is
scheduled to go to court in 2009.
Video coverage of the hearing is available by clicking here and following the link in the archives for the 5/12/08 Hearing Archive.
This hearing was requested by: Supervisor Chris Daly, CitiSTOP, The Queer Youth Organizing Project of Pride at Work, St. Peter's Housing Committee, Tenderloin Housing Clinic and the SF Tenant's Union
Photos from the hearing (by Terrrie Frye) :
Sarah Lazare of the Queer Youth Organizing Project:
“Tenants rights and human rights must be respected.” Guadalupe Arreola of St Peters:
Supervisor Chris Daly champions the cause of tenants from CitiApartments:
Joseles De La Cruz:
Commissioner Debra Walker, Department of Building Inspection
In the hearing Room:
Emma Gerould and Jane Martin of Pride at Work:
Wendy Lee translating for Leonor Lopez
Sarah Garmisa:
Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Supervisor Chris Daly:
Josue Arguelles
Robert Haaland of Pride at Work SF
Tim Durning and other Citi tenants in the hearing room:
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