Notorious landlords support attack campaigns against rent control ballot measures

Notorious landlords support attack campaigns against rent control ballot measures

By Lynda Carson - November 6, 2016

The list of notorious big money contributors to the California Apartment Association Issues Committee (CAA) for the campaigns against the rent control ballot measures in the cities of Richmond, Oakland, Alameda, Burlingame, San Mateo, and Mountain View, include $50,000 from wealthy landlord & property speculator Tod Spieker, $85,000 from Woodmont Real Estate Services, LP, $45,000 from G.W. Williams Co., $40,000 from Mountain View Housing Council, $25,000 from ACCO Management CO, $20,000 from the Tan Group, $100,000 contribution from Essex Property trust, $100,000 from Equity Residential, a very wealthy firm out of Chicago owned by billionaire Sam Zell, and $150,000 from Prometheus Real Estate Group, Inc, owned by a billionaire family.

According to public records, the CAA spent $1,041,714 from 1/1/2016 through 10/22/2016 on TV attack ads, radio attack ads, lawn signs, mailers, phone polls, and an assortment of other means to suppress the vote for renter protection ballot measures in 6 cities in the Bay Area that voters can vote on, on November 8.

Some of the biggest contributions to the notorious campaigns being run by the CAA-Issues Committee in opposition to the rent control ballot measures in the Bay Area include $100,000 from Equity Residential. It is a very wealthy firm out of Chicago owned by the notorious billionaire Sam Zell. Sam Zell is the wealthy billionaire who has fought against rent control for many years in California, and even contributed $100,000 to the failed Prop 98 initiative years ago that was voted down by the public. Prop 98 was an initiative that would have ended rent control in California if it was passed by the voters.

The notorious landlord known as Essex Property Trust, gave $100,000 to the CAA in the effort to suppress the vote against rent control ballot measures in the Bay Area. Essex Property Trust has been accused of illegal payroll practices, and has been sued in a class action lawsuit at a number of properties in Fremont recently, involving a $650,000 settlement. Additionally, Essex Property Trust and it’s subsidiaries have been sued for personal injury and property damage due to mold problems in some of their apartments, and properties.

The notorious Woodmont Real Estate Services contributed $85,000 to the CAA, and $45,000 was contributed from G.W. Williams Co., to the CAA and it’s campaign against the rent control ballot measures in the Bay Area. Woodmont Real Estate Services and G.W. Williams Co., were both involved in the mass evictions that occurred at the 73 unit Park Royal apartments in San Mateo.

The notorious Carmel Partners IV Marina View, LLC in Alameda, have been involved in mass evictions by sending eviction notices to 84 families in 2013 at the Marina View Towers. They contributed $25,000 to the CAA and the campaigns against rent control measures in Alameda, and the Bay Area.

The notorious Richard “Tod Spieker” contributed $50,000 to the CAA and the campaigns against the rent control ballot measures in the Bay Area. Tod Spieker has been involved in mass evictions, and has been in trouble with HUD over habitability issues in some of his apartments.

The notorious ACCO Management Co., contributed $25,000 to the CAA and the campaigns against rent control ballot measures in the Bay Area, and tenants have been accusing them of ripping off their security deposits.

The notorious Tan Group contributed $20,000 to the CAA and the campaigns against rent control ballot measures in the Bay Area, and the notorious Prometheus Real Estate Group contributed $150,000 to the CAA and the campaigns against the rent control ballot measures in the Bay Area. Both the Tan Group and the Prometheus Real Estate Group have abused renters and exposed renters to asbestos. Both companies were in trouble for violating Prop 65, by failing to let the tenants know that they were being exposed to cancer causing asbestos in their apartments. Prometheus also displaced 400 people at a mobile home park, and has been sued for exposing people to bed bugs, raw sewage and habitability issues in their apartments.

The grassroots campaigns bringing rent control ballot measures to the cities of Richmond, Oakland, Alameda, Burlingame, San Mateo, and Mountain View, are being attacked by the California Apartment Association (CAA) and the big money contributions funding the campaigns of lies and deceit against the rent control measures, in the Bay Area.

Renter Protection Ballot Measures In 6 Cities

In Oakland Measure JJ is on the ballot in November and if voted into law it will help to protect renters by strengthening existing renter protection laws. Voters are urged to vote YES on Measure JJ to help stabilize communities in Oakland, and slow down greedy landlords involved in price gouging and eviction-for-profit schemes.

In Alameda mass evictions have been occurring due to a lack of strong renter protections, and the Alameda Renters Coalition is urging voters to vote against Measure L1, and to vote for Measure M1 as the way to protect renters and stabilize communities in their city.

The struggle for renter protections in Richmond has been an epic battle against the lies and deceit of the California Apartment Association (CAA), and it’s corrupting influence on local politicians.

Activists are urging voters to vote on Measure L as a way to stop landlords involved in price gouging and eviction-for-profit schemes in Richmond. 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 stop the mass evictions taking place in Richmond that are condoned by Mayor Tom Butt, and Councilmembers Nathaniel Bates and Vinay Pimplé.

In the City of San Mateo, renters and activists collected more than 11,000 signatures to place a renter protection ballot measure on the ballot for November 8 that includes rent control and just cause eviction protections. Activists are urging the voters in San Mateo to vote on Measure Q as a way to stabilize communities and protect families from displacement.

In the City of Mountain View renter protections are also on the ballot. Activists and renters are urging voters to vote on Measure V to protect over 14,000 households, including families, teachers and nurses from rent price gouging and eviction-for-profit schemes. Activists are urging renters to vote for Measure V, and to vote against weak renter protection measure placed on the ballot by the City Council.

Renters and activists have also had a fierce battle in Burlingame over renter protections and activists are urging voters to vote for Measure R in November. If passed by the voters Measure R will provide rent stabilization and just cause eviction protections to help stabilize communities and protect families from displacement of their housing due to speculators, realtors, and greedy landlords.

Renters need strong renter protections to protect them from notorious landlords in the Bay Area who are involved in mass evictions including Nemat Maleksalehi, and Scott Sternberg, James Kilpatrick, Matt Sridhar and Danny Haber and Alon Gutmon.

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.

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

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