Richmond Mayor accepted CAA contributions before he voted no on eviction moratorium

Richmond Mayor accepted CAA contributions before he voted no on eviction moratorium vote

By Lynda Carson - September 21, 2016

Richmond— On September 13, Richmond Mayor Tom Butt, and Councilmembers Nathaniel Bates and Vinay Pimplé blocked a proposed 45-day urgency moratorium on rent increases and no-cause evictions, that was proposed by Councilwoman Gayle McLaughlin, and supported by Councilmembers Jovanka Beckles, Eduardo Martinez, and Jael Myrick.

Before Mayor Tom Butt voted no to block the proposed urgency moratorium on evictions and rent increases the mayor failed to disclose to the residents at the September 13, City Council meeting that he has been accepting political contributions from the California Apartment Association (CAA).

According to public records, on March 9, 2016 (3/9/2016) the California Apartment Association/Political Action Committee (CAA-PAC) gave $500 to Mayor Butt from it’s contributions account. Public records also reveal that on the same day CAA-PAC gave an additional $500 to Mayor Butt from it’s expenditures account. (If there is a problem with the links, click on them again until they work. There are 250 items in the expenditures link).

The CAA is an apartment association that has been meddling in the affairs of the city with big money to block renter protections from taking effect in 2015.

The CAA used signature gatherers that lied to the residents of Richmond to trick them into signing a petition that was used to block renter protections from going into effect. The signature gatherers misled many of the residents and told them the petition would strengthen renter protections. Presently, the City of Santa Rosa is hiring a special investigator to probe into voter fraud in a situation that appears very similar to what happened in Richmond in 2015.

Presently the California Apartment Association (CAA) is running attack ads against the renter protection ballot measures in the cities of Richmond, Alameda, Mountain View, San Mateo and Burlingame.

The CAA attack ad against Measure L in Richmond uses lies and deceit by claiming that Measure L would require landlords to subsidize the renters. This is patently false. Measure L helps to stop the landlords from engaging in price gouging and blocks the landlords from engaging in the eviction-for-profit system. Measure L makes the landlords accountable for their actions when engaging in price gouging. If passed by the voters in November, Measure L would help to stabilize families and communities in Richmond.

At the September 13, City Council meeting, according to reports there were people there literally begging the council members to vote for the urgency moratorium to save their families from unreasonable rent increases, evictions, and displacement from their homes and communities.

A day after the 45 day moratorium failed to pass, Councilwoman Gayle McLaughlin said, “I am troubled by the lack of humanity by some on our City Council.  Even those who don't support rent control should have had the decency to support the moratorium to stop these mass evictions in the interim period before the voters weigh-in on Measure L.  I find this extremely disturbing and an affront to our democracy.”

People across the City of Richmond had high hopes that the council would help them stay in their housing and communities, and were let down by the two council members who voted against the moratorium during their time of need, and the mayor that has been accepting political contributions from the California Apartment Association.

On September 17, in Jovanka’s Real Talk, from Richmond Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles, in part she wrote; “My heart broke this past Tuesday night, September 13th.  I became pained and angry as I watched centuries of oppression and injustices perpetrated against people of color and low-income people continue to be enacted. So much suffering could have been prevented had Mayor Butt and Councilmembers Bates and Pimple voted for the 45-day moratorium on no-cause evictions and rent increases above 3%. As Councilmember Myrick pointed out, this was not a radical measure - the Alameda City Council, also facing a rent control measure on the ballot this November, voted unanimously to pass such a moratorium to avoid the extreme hardships that many would face without it.”

The median price for a rental unit in Richmond has skyrocketed to $2,388 per month according to Zillow.

Renters To Rally In Support Of Rent Control & Eviction Protections

As part of the National Renters’ Day of Action, on September 22, there will be a rally in support of renter’s rights in Oakland and many other cities across the nation. Organizers have planned a day of action for renters in 46 cities on September 22, including some days near September 22 to fight back, and demand a freeze on all unjust evictions and rent increases.

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 Richmond, Oakland, 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.

No one was available when I called the Mayor’s office seeking a comment.

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

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