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Belltown tenants resist rent hikes, fight for relocation |
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Monday, 04 January 2010 |
Not long before Christmas, Sound Mental Health (SMH), the property managers of downtown Seattle's Kasota apartments, began going door to door in the building trying to get tenants to sign a new lease. SMH houses both mentally ill 'clients' and roughly seventeen low-income tenants at the Kasota, but the new lease seemed to indicate that they wanted that to change. The terms of the new lease for SMH's non-client tenants included rent increases by as much as fifty percent. Many of the low-income residents of the Kasota are dependent on Social Security and other fixed incomes for survival and cannot afford to pay rent increases of this magnitude. They were outraged as it became apparent that the terms of the new lease would drive them from their homes and out into the street. For many residents, the new lease would mean desperation and homelessness. It was at this point that one tenant saw a Seattle Solidarity Network (SeaSol) poster and decided to start fighting back.
In their first meeting with SeaSol the tenants decided that if SMH wanted them out of the Kasota so badly, then they would make a pact: unless and until each and every one of them has received adequate relocation assistance, none of them will pay the increased rent or voluntarily vacate the building. Most felt that relocation would be the best solution, because the Kasota had gone downhill ever since SMH took over in spring of 2009. SMH had failed to make long promised improvements to the apartments, and there had been two fires and one flood during that time. While the tenants make it clear that they hold nothing against their neighbors, they do resent the fact that SMH has repeatedly failed to provide them with safe living conditions.
On December 28th eight Kasota tenants and twenty-two other SeaSol'ers formally delivered the tenants' demand in mass at SMH's offices on Capitol Hill. Two days later SMH posted notices on every tenant's door promising to make much needed repairs, draw up new leases which would not raise the rent by more than 10%, and consider providing relocation assistance. Despite these conciliatory promises, the very next day SMH celebrated New Years Eve by retaliating against the tenants who had decided to fight back. SMH posted three-day Pay or Vacate notices on many tenants' doors, even though only some of them actually owed any back rent. It would seem that SMH is moving to reconcile with one hand while reaching out to strangle with the other. Nonetheless, the tenants are standing strong and have told SMH it needs to stop these intimidation tactics immediately and begin negotiating in good faith, or they will be forced to take further action in conjunction with SeaSol. |
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Victory: Tenant action takes back stolen deposit |
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Thursday, 17 December 2009 |
 
Tephra, an active SeaSol volunteer, lived at the Capitola Apartments for six months before deciding to move on to a better living situation. Like many before her, she found the building terribly managed, with the landlord leaving tenants' basic requests unaddressed for months at a time. When Tephra decided to leave the Capitola, she gave 30 days notice and deep-cleaned the apartment, leaving it in better condition she found it. After a walkthrough in which the manager agreed the place was in excellent condition, Tephra rightfully expected to receive her refundable deposit.
When two weeks passed without any communication from her landlord, Tephra became concerned and tried several times to contact The Capitola management. She got no answers, and no one returned her calls. Finally she realized the company had no intention of returning her deposit. With bills piling up, she couldn't afford to let them steal it.
On October 21st, 13 people joined Tephra for a visit to the Capitola's management company, Coast Capital. They walked into the Chase Bank building on Mercer Island, filling the small front room of Coast Capital's office, and Tephra presented a demand for the return of her deposit. A Coast Capital manager came out and argued - both in the office and later on our voicemail - that we were going after the wrong company, that our information was wrong, and that we should really be talking to a different business whose phone number he would try to help us find.
We weren't willing to go for the runaround. After waiting two more weeks for the deposit, Tephra and other SeaSol'ers started posting flyers around the Capitola building (which was trying to fill vacancies), pointing out some of the problems future tenants would face if they chose to moved into the building.
Almost immediately, the Capitola's owner started frantically calling Tephra, saying he wanted to resolve the dispute. Tephra began trying to get in touch with him and trying to arrange to get her check, and we put further actions on hold. Then, three more weeks passed with nothing but phone tag and delay. Running out of patience, we put the word out and mobilized to confront management again. Just before we did so, the deposit check arrived in Tephra's mailbox, sent by none other than Coast Capital on Mercer Island. They'd had it all along!
Thanks to everyone who supported Tephra in this fight. |
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Sunday, 06 December 2009 |
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Thanks for all the messages and offers of support in our fight against Lorig! Keep them coming: info@seasol.net or www.seasol.net/contact. If you'd like to do it the old-fashioned way, letters of support should be addressed to our Lorig Picket Captain, Francis Morato: 4314 S Ferdinand St, Seattle, WA, 98118. |
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Victory - Threat of direct action halts eviction! |
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Saturday, 05 December 2009 |
In early November, Kiesha and her family were served with an unjust eviction notice for nothing more than a paperwork technicality. Kiesha's husband was listed on some forms as a tenant but had been unable to sign the lease as he was in Iraq. After returning he was greeted by unwarranted harassment by the management staff and finally threatened with eviction. As good tenants who paid their rent on time and had no complaints against them, Kiesha's husband and daughter were suddenly faced with eviction a mere week before Kiesha was to leave for Afghanistan. With no family or support network in the area, homelessness became a very real possibility. They decided to confront their landlord and contacted us for support.
We mobilized our network and easily found a surplus of supporters who were outraged by this landlord's behaviour. Kiesha made one last effort of many to speak to her landlord. She let the managers know that Seattle Solidarity Network and our many allies and supporters were committed to a direct action campaign until justice was met and Kiesha's home was secure. After it was made clear that the community would not stand for this injustice and that their business would suffer, the landlord caved. A mutual termination agreement was drawn up which will allow Kiesha's family to stay in their home until their desired move date in early 2010. Yet again a strong network of supporters committed to direct action wins the fight. Thanks to all for the quick mobilization on this action! |
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Lorig Sues to Silence Seasol! |
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Saturday, 21 November 2009 |
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In an attempt to gag our ongoing anti-discrimination protests, the real estate company Lorig Associates has launched a lawsuit against Seattle Solidarity Network. Their lawyers are the notorious union-busting firm Jackson Lewis. They are attempting to get an injunction to prevent SeaSol from participating in any activity that "disparages Lorig" in any way, as well as seeking unspecified damages. The first court date will be next Tuesday, November 24th. SeaSol is a volunteer organization whose members are working people with no assets - what damages do they hope to sue us for? We will not allow Lorig to use their wealth and legal clout to bully us into silence.
UPDATE - We are publishing the relevant court documents:
The original motions and complaint from Jackson Lewis (Lorig's union-busting firm)
Initial response (on behalf of SeaSol) to the restraining-order motion (by Jennifer Robbins)
Jackson Lewis's reply to our response, after the initial court hearing
Jennifer Robbins's "surreply", i.e. reply-to-reply (on behalf of SeaSol) after Jackson Lewis's reply
SeaSol's "Answer and Counterclaim" to the original Complaint
UPDATE - The judge has denied all of Lorig's initial motions! Their lawsuit continues, along with our countersuit.
Court Order Denying Temporary Restraining Order |
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