Artists' Homes Under Attack as Mid-Market Evictions Continue - Press Conference

Press Conference at 1061 Market Street Thursday, March 26, Noon
Contact: Molly Champlin (626) 497-6344, or Joe Bender (415) 271-0760

ARTISTS HOMES UNDER ATTACK AS MID-MARKET EVICTIONS CONTINUE

San Francisco – Twenty-three tenants from 15 units at 1061 Market will announce at a press conference on Thursday, March 26th, 2015 at 12 noon at 1061 Market Street that they are fighting yet another mass eviction of artists from mid-Market where rents have skyrocketed since the city gave tax-break incentives for tech companies to move into the area.

Last week, residents of the collective received 30-day eviction notices from landlord, Jennifer Chen, treating them as if they were not under rent control, which requires a 60-day notice and a just cause for tenancies of one year or longer.

In order to determine if their live-work studios are indeed under rent control, the artists have petitioned the San Francisco Rent Board and expect a hearing on the matter soon. In an effort to avoid a hearing on this case, Chen initially offered tenants a $2,500 dollar (per unit) buyout . Less than a week later on March 13th half of the residents received their eviction notices.

The 1061 collective says it is no coincidence that another mid-market artist space would be battling an eviction not long after tech companies decided to join the neighborhood.
Said Molly Champlin, a tenant at 1061 Market, “This area is hot real estate now and low-income people, including artists like us, are being pushed out in favor of tech companies and others who can pay much higher rents. Still, we’re staying and fighting. Hell, no, we won’t go.”