Tenants & advocates rally for families and renter protections in Burlingame

Tenants & advocates rally for families and renter protections in Burlingame

Douglas N. Robertson is planning to evict and displace a minimum of 8 families from their housing

By Lynda Carson

Douglas N. Robertson is listed as the owner of 117 Anita Rd, in Burlingame, and is listed as the owner of 510 Avenue Alhambra, in nearby El Granada.

Douglas N. Robertson is planning to evict and displace a minimum of 8 families from their longtime housing at 117 Anita Road before the voters of Burlingame can vote on renter protections in November, including just cause eviction protections and rent control. As a result of his actions, Douglas N. Robertson has joined the ranks of other notorious landlords in the Bay Area involved in mass evictions including Scott Sternberg, James Kilpatrick, Matt Sridhar and Danny Haber and Alon Gutmon.

A press conference and prayer vigil for families being displaced in Burlingame, will take place on Thursday, September 1st from 5:30PM - 7:00 PM outside of 117 Anita Road Apartments in Burlingame, CA. Adriana Guzman, Community Organizer Faith in Action Bay Area may be reached at (415) 867-6279, adriana [at] faithinactionba.org .

According to the press release, “Eight families at 117 Anita Road Apartments in Burlingame City, 94010 were given 60 days to leave their homes, two months after receiving an exorbitant rent increase. Families have until October 1st to leave their homes, where they have lived for many years.”

“This is a very frustrating situation, not knowing where we will go, to think that we have to leave our community where we have been for years. My 2 children cry every day fearing that we will not have a home. They are sad because they will miss their school.  I don’t think this is fair to anyone, but especially not fair for our children, our future generation. They just started school a week ago”, said Patricia Vega, tenant facing eviction.”

“This is a trend emerging all over the Peninsula; exorbitant rent increases and sudden evictions leading to mass displacement from Burlingame, San Mateo, Redwood City, Mountain View and elsewhere. When working-class and middle-income families and their children are forced to abandon their schools, church, jobs, and move out of the region, entire communities are destabilized.”

“Residents at 117 Anita Rd. are advocating for concrete solutions that can provide some relief as their lives are thrown into chaos. They ask for the opportunity to stay in their home, or at least more time to allow an easier transition and fair financial compensation to help them relocate within their community.”

“Relocation benefits are a common policy in other areas of the region. Residents at 117 Anita Road are asking for these benefits for their families and advocating for these and other tenant protections for their community at large.”

In Oakland according to the East Bay Express, “Viola Gonzales, who is challenging Councilman Noel Gallo for the District Five seat, said she won't be supporting Measure JJ, the so-called "renters upgrade" that will strengthen rent control and just-cause eviction protections. "I won't be taking a public stand on Measure JJ," she said, adding that Oakland "needs all types of housing" to solve the affordable housing crisis.”

“Gallo, on the other hand, was unequivocal: He plans to actively campaign for Measure JJ, because he has seen how his own children and their friends have been affected by the city's rising rents, forced to crowd into apartments and rental houses, and locked out of homeownership in the future.”

Rent control will be on November ballot for voters to vote on in Humboldt County for 42 mobile home trailer parks, and rent control and just cause eviction protections are now official in Santa Rosa.

In Mountain View, a resident has sued to take a competing rent control measure off the ballot that was placed on the ballot by City Council members to confuse the voters.

Renter protections will be on the ballot in 6 cities during November in the Bay Area. No matter how hard the landlords and the California Apartment Association are trying to stop the renters movement, tenant advocates across the Bay Area are urging renters to vote on strong renter protections during the upcoming November elections in the cities of Oakland, Richmond, Alameda, Burlingame, San Mateo, and Mountain View. The activists are urging people to vote “no” against any weak proposals placed on the ballot by the City Council in Alameda, and Mountain View.

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

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