SF Politicians, Tenant's Rights Groups Rally To Support Family Facing Ellis Act Eviction
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Politicians and tenants' rights activists blocked the stairwell of a Jackson Street apartment building in San Francisco Wednesday to show support for the Lee family who were scheduled to be evicted.
Mrs. Lee sat in the middle of a crowd of supporters after deciding that her family would not follow a court order to vacate her apartment in this eight-unit complex near Larkin.
San Francisco Politicians, Tenant's Rights Groups Rally To Support Family Facing Ellis Act Eviction
Lee and her husband, both senior citizens, live with their disabled adult daughter who they care for. They've lived in the building since 1979, but when a new property owner bought their building, he evoked the Ellis Act to empty the building of its tenants.
A sheriff was scheduled to enforce the eviction at an unannounced time on Wednesday.
Supervisor Jane Kim was amongst the Lee's supporters and said while the law allows this type of eviction that it doesn't make it right.
"When policy makers and politicians and the law have not been able to protect the community, the community comes out to protect the community and that is why we are here," she said.
The Lee's also had support of Unite Here! Local 2's Mike Casey and Ted Gullicksen of the San Francisco Tenants Union.
"Speculation on people's misery is wrong any way you look at it. We need to get the politicians to act and the city officials to act, because it is a crisis," Gullicksen said.
The Lee's said they've been looking for a place to rent and are on the city's affordable housing waiting list, but maintain they have no place to go for the moment.
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