I had rented 30 years a 1+1 in Los Feliz right by Observatory. Starting was $525. When I moved out 2 years ago I paid $850. My landlord raised me his 3% rent control increase only a handful of times. All the time I pretended I was paying market rent. Whatever the difference I saved up. I bought a retirement home 2 years ago with cash so I moved out and retired. I never bothered my landlord and stayed low profile. I am thankful for the rent control to enable me to save aggressively over the decades.
@@chatbud I was looking to buy in 2010 to 2011 but every property I submitted a bid I was outbid by someone. After 10+ properties I couldn’t go thru with falling in love with a place and having it dashed again. If I did buy a property, I would not be able to retire early because I would still be paying mortgage. I can’t stomach working full time for another 5/10 years. My current housing expense is about $1200 to $1500 a month including insurance and property tax (depending on utility usage). I also put aside $ for repair and replacement. It is about 30% of my retirement take home. I don’t need to touch savings unless the inflation makes my pension not enough to live on.
It’s just greed, plain and simple. The landlord has already demonstrated an inability be honest and trustworthy. Makes you wonder how many other apartments they’ve illegally jacked up the rent for?
@@erich8203 The San Francisco Rent Board sets the percentage by which landlords can raise the rents, up to a maximum of 7% per year. (In 2020, the increase was 1.8%.) Landlords cannot increase the rent (except by petition proving increased operating expenses). This applies to any building that was renting prior to June 1979. There are a lot of caveats and exceptions. Additionally if repairs aren’t done or if you lose a service you had ie when you pool was closed for indefinitely undetermined reasons you can petition the board to have your rent lowered accordingly.
They shouldn’t have to do any of that. They don’t want them as tenants so they need to get the fudge out. They need to move to a cheaper place to live.
It's ridiculous, America 🇺🇸 is all about money 💰 after these companies Zapp u of your youth and life they want you to disappear, they don't care how they have no use for you anymore, I wish this lovely couple best
Great News concerning our Ellis Act Eviction case! The Superior court judge made the following ruling against our landlord. "Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED. Triable issues of fact exist regarding retaliation and bona fide intent to exit the residential market under Drouet." Our Landlord’s attorney contested the ruling and was denied. I’m sure that they didn’t want to face a jury trial and decided to rescind the Ellis Act Eviction Notice and drop the Unlawful Detainer against us. The bottom line is that we get to stay here. 🙏🏼
Happy to hear, but if I were you I would look to see what you can do to get out in the near future, they will surely find another way to get you out, they may even just sell the building, people are savages
This is of course only one side of the story. I can tell you at the current 500 dollars rent the landlord is losing money. Property taxes and insurance would cost more then that in SF.
What do you mean this is the only story that they've done on the tenant side the past like more than 20 mentions have been only have the landlord's complaining and protesting and not saying anything about people who are wrongfully being evicted. You're just pro scumlord.
Why is the landlord responsible for the tenant s life? The landlord is not the local government. How is this the landlord s responsibility? $500 rent is ridiculously low. California is an expensive place to live. The landlord has bills to pay as well and is not responsible for the current tax and cost of living situations 😮
@malibujoe01 you are why we fail. There has to be limits and caps in the economic situation. If you wantwd to buy a house today they screwed that up too. Nearly 7 percent interest. Why?
Zero maintenance for over a year now is the retaliation for complaining of "cockroaches" in my rented unit. Landlords always gets unaccountable for these offenses. There oughta be a Law. So sorry for this senior couple 😢 They deserve better.
Who are these faceless landlords and property owners who hide behind their attorneys? They know what they're doing is wrong. Even if this is related to the housing market and what people are willing to pay, at some point you just can't pay anymore. The money just isn't there. Especially when you're their age. I don't believe they're taking this place off the market for "five years". This makes no sense. Why are they being targeted?
@@ChatBloom If the owners of that property purchased decades ago, their property tax is negligible, maybe as low as that couple's rent. Some of my neighbors here in SF are original owners (bought in 1957), and their annual property tax is around $500 while those who purchased 30 years ago pay about $8000 annually. As for today's buyers where houses on my street have appreciated 500% since 1990, I'm not sure how anyone can afford to buy a home in SF today.
@@ChatBloom Understood. Those property taxes will still come due even with the property being unoccupied for five years. Something isn’t right about this. Many of us will never have the ability to buy a home. We will be paying rent somewhere until We take our final breath. The rent increases being put on the backs of low income and retired people is becoming unbearable. Along with food, utilities and all the rest. Who or what is causing all this. It’s not enough to point the finger at “inflation”. This is how it is at the moment. I can’t help asking whose profiting from it all?
That's insane that the city thinks that someone can be a LL in SF with only $500/month in revenue. No wonder they are getting out of the business. I'd sell it too.
The problem with this is, that if they loose this battle, they will have an eviction on their record and no one will rent to them with an eviction on their record.
There's no actual "record" unless the sheriff actually forces you to leave Even if you lose an unlawful detainer suit...it's not technically an eviction unless you're actually evicted
What you do is you wait 3 weeks after you send your landlord a letter about the broken heater and then you call a professional to come and fix it and take it off your rent payment
I had a roof leak at one of my past apartments. I told the landlord when I paid my rent one month. Nothing was done when my rent came due again. I paid the rent and attached a note saying I was going to start having roofers come out and do estimates on the repair...still nothing. When my rent came due again I sent him the bank notice that I opened a rent escrow account and was going to hire the lowest bidding roofer to do the work and bill him. The next day he drove from New York to Boston and looked at the damage himself...then and only then did he approve the roofers I had hired. 60 days later I sent him a bill for my time in solving the problem @$25.00/hour. He did not renew my lease...no big loss
@Old Man Mercenary Good for you. You lost your apartment, but you took control, did everything by the book, and in the end, defending your principles were more valuable than that crappy apartment Some people are just late to the game, like this couple, but when they finally did take control, they ended up getting the boot too, just like you did
@terry lee Who are you referring to? There are two options: "Repair and Deduct" and "Withholding Rent", aka Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1942, 1942.5 (2023) He followed the steps. I guess you just like to post replies that make you look stupid
$2,100 is a steal for San Francisco, but i get they are on fixed income. No landlord could afford renting there for $550 though. Its a no win situation:/
they had their whole lifetime to save up and invest. "Fixed income" is elderly that didn't prepare for their senior years, such as buying a home vs renting for 40 years.
@@Blue_Star_flyer $90k in illegal rent increases might've put their 'preparedness' on hold for some time. $90k is more than enough to have you exploring better options, possibly even putting a hit out on a shitlord gaming the system in SF.
@@waterspirit8053 They denied the $90K and settled for much less, then got evicted. I wonder if the excessive rent fine is correct. Rent from $550 to $2100 over 40 years comes to 3.4% annual increase. I'm not sure how much SF allows in rent increase but it certainly sounds like an appropriate amount to increase.
I'm sorry, but $2,100/month is a bargain anywhere in CA, let alone the upscale neighborhood they're in. In 35 years, their rent increased from $550 to $2,100...that's only about $44 increase per year, which is nominal in comparison to inflation. The landlord offered them $27,928 plus rolled their rent back to $550/month. The tenants literally said "it's ok, we'll just accept that", as if they had a better offer to rent somewhere else, or as if they were getting the short end of the stick. Just because they live in rent control" doesn't mean that they should be able to get away with a killing while the landlord is stuck with taxes and all the other expenses that come with owning a property. They mentioned that there's a big hole in their master closet. How did it get there? Was it already there when they first rented the place, or did they damage the wall? I'm sure the landlord didn't come in their closet and kick a hole in it. If the tenants caused the damage, why don't they replace the drywall & repair it themselves? I'm sorry, but these people sound like they're trying to get way more than they should be. They say that if you're greedy grasping for too much, you can end up with nothing. In forty years, they certainly could've saved up and purchased a home a long time ago. Where are their two adult children? How come they aren't helping with a few hundred bucks to help if their parents truly can't afford the $2,100/month. If their kids cant help, it says a lot about the financial teachings being passed down. Their English is perfect, so they should've had no problem getting good jobs to ensure a better financial situation. I know so many immigrants who have only been here 5-10 years and barely speak English, but they work so hard and already able to buy homes. Something about this couple doesn't add up, and neither does their financial situation. I hope something fair & equitable is worked out for all parties involved though. They should've been happy with what they had and not stirred things up for their landlord who allowed them to rent for 40 years. The landlord could've evicted them long ago to get $3,500/month instead, but they didn't. If I were the landlord, I'd feel like these people have no appreciation for the long-standing relationship, opportunity to rent well below market & loyalty. These relationships go both ways.
This is sad for both parties. It’s not fair for the landlord who still has to pay property taxes and other expenses, even if the mortgage is paid off. It’s sad for the tenants too. But I suspect the tenants felt ownership of the apt since they have been there for 40 years. They probably assumed they would never be forced to leave due to the rent control. Now they will have a hard time finding another place to live in California. I also think they should of just accepted the $985 “increase,” which was actually a huge decrease from the $2100 they were paying. But again, I suspect they felt ownership to the apt, and that the landlord wouldn’t be able to do anything to them. Rent Control usually does give that power to the renter.
I dont know what you were listening to but this greedy slumlord literally stole $90,000 from them over the years , with interest they were owed over $100,000 but instead he gave back less than $28,000 with a signed agreement to put their rent back to $550 , basically making payments of the rest of the money he owed them but then 2 weeks later he turns around and breaks the contract and tries to evict them when he should have been sitting in a jail cell for stealing from them all those years . To top it off on top of stealing from them for years their heater hasnt worked in DECADES , they havent had ANY heat in decades while he continued stealing from them ! You have no idea what they did for work , what their circumstances were/are or what they spent their money on or what their kids do for work or what their circumstances are and every one of those things are irrelevant to this story and absolutely none of your business .smdh
@@ComplicatedLADYcom__Blog Technically, property taxes in CA only change with a change in ownership. So the landlord is paying taxes based on the sale price pre-1985.
1. I feel for the couple, but sr living in someone's house for a long time doesn't make it your house. In the end of the day, you don't own it. The landlord need to pay their bills too. 2. As an Asian, I feel ashamed for their children. Asians always take care of their parents.
Maybe in your Asian country you treat people like shit here we have rights and it's on the news because this is not fair and people are already outraged they need to be given enough notice they never claimed to own the house it's not every child who can take care of their elderly parents what is wrong with you
In any other developed country, tenants are entitled to certain rights. In this case, it's not like some nice family who owns the property. It's a property management company who exploits people trying to avoid homelessness, and this act is clearly retaliatory.
@Ciara in other developed countries, you don't have to pay huge property taxes. If you own a house, you will know $900 is nothing to off set those property taxes
@Ricky Bobby well, where do they get money to pay for property taxes? $900 is nothing to pay for the property taxes, mortgage, trash, sewer fee,....it's the government who pushes the people out of their home
*Understanding Tenant's Rent Withholding Rights in California* *(stop paying rent until HABITABILITY issues are resolved. These are all habitability issues):* -Lack of access to hot, cold, and potable water. -Broken heaters. -Sewage leaks and unusable plumbing. -Broken stairwells, railings, and floors. -Substantial leaks in roofs and windows. -Vermin and pest infestations. -Garbage overflow and unsanitary property conditions. I used to be a property manager, and while I totally sympathize with this nice couple's dilemma, I'm just surprised that in all the years they lived there they did not seek to educate themselves about their rights as tenants in the city of SF... I wonder if they have family. Surely someone -- a family member, a coworker, one of their neighbors -- could have informed them of their rights? I suspect they both just wanted to avoid confrontation; some people are just not built to handle the stress of facing someone who supposedly can rule over your right to a peaceful habitation. They are very soft-spoken and kind... BUT: there comes a time when you need to advocate for yourself and learn what your rights are! This, to me, appears to be long-standing issues ignored by both parties -- the couple's lack of due diligence and the landlord taking advantage of that and ignoring their requests for repairs -- coming to an inevitable head, years and years later. The final showdown, so to speak... But, better late than never...this lovely couple are *finally* standing up for themselves and learning to take control of their lives I say kudos and *DO NOT MOVE!!* Stay right where you are. The odds are highly in your favor that there will be an outcome that will either allow you to continue living in your long-time home with all the necessary repairs plus a settlement, or a settlement substantial enough for you to move wherever you want. I believe the Ellis Act has loopholes and work-arounds; whether this landlord is "bona-fide" in not exploiting the EA remains to be seen... Best of luck. Courage doesn't come just when you feel strong and confident. It also comes when your voice shakes and your palms sweat; when that happens you become a GIANT!
First they complain that the apartment is such a derelict, broken shit hole, yet, they are fighting to stay there? Make it make sense. The landlord owns the property and is exercising their rights under the Ellis Act. So what’s the matter here? Sure, it sucks for the couple, but that’s what happens you rent. Renters don’t get to decide what other people do with their property.
That's the problem with SF rent control. Tenants never want to move out as their effective rent subsidy increases with each passing year. So apartments desperately in need of complete renovations never get them because they're never vacated. Adding to the narrative that all landlords are greedy scum based on the condition of these derelict units, causing increased acrimony between landlord and tenant as time goes on.
Rent these days is out of control. Mostly because the rental market is owned by corporations who set high prices and then the smaller landlords who own 3 -10 rental properties follow suit. Housing is a right and land is for everyone by the way.
I left SF years ago. You couldn’t pay me to live in those dumps. Right now, their rent is more than my mortgage, including taxes and insurance. People need to realize the world is bigger than SF.
@maryfields877 I was born here, and have a house here. I can afford it. I have been all over the world. It's the best city. Better than Tokyo. NYC. Munich. Paris. Barcelona. Madrid. London. Geneva. Rio. Beijing. Moscow. Like I said, if you can afford it, it's the best city. Does it have a few areas that aren't the best? Yes, but it still is the best. In the best state, no less.
@@thecreditsavageofwallstreet98 Yes, the best state, absolutely. I would never leave. I don't care what the California haters say! I respectfully disagree with you about being the best city. Waking up without have piss, puke, or poop on my doorstep has skewed my opinion.
Oh Ben n Cat, so sorry to hear your still fighting the landlords. It is good you put this to the news as it may help others in the same situation. I haven't been in touch with you two as my fb was hacked. I love you cuz n Cat.
They got a $28,000 dlls. refund and a $895 a month rent, what else do they want? Currently you can't get A ROOM in a home or apartment for under $1,000 dlls in San Francisco. The owner will not be able to pay property taxes, and expenses out of $550 dlls. a month for rent. With these kind of tenants there will be less housing for rent in San Francisco. I wouldn't own rental property with these tenants and laws, and if I owned it I would sell it immediately because instead of an asset it is a liability...
Key words “rent controlled”. They were overcharged for years, and with their home falling apart around them, no heat etc… Maybe they want heat, and not to pay above the rent control limit.
@@hugoballs : Watch the video again and this time pay attention... their initial rent was $550. People like this make it very difficult for other tenants to find a place with a decent rent to live. That is what happened in our building, the family who owned the building got tired of the abusive tenants backed by the tenants rights association or something like that who sued the family who opted to pay the tenants $2 million as settlement (they sued for $25 million in partnership with ambulance-chasing lawyers who took $1.5 million for them and gave the tenants $500K to divide among themselves) then the family sold the building and a large company bought it and our rents have gone up 100% in two years, even though we supposedly have rent control but the company lawyers found loopholes in the law to charge us for a bunch of stuff and raise the rent 100%) Now we live under pressure from the company lawyers and they already sent a notice that this year they will raise the rent again for "capital improvements" and even for expenses they incur in the operation of the building like paying the lawyers and other stuff. Abusive landlords are bad, abusive tenants are also bad.
@@marlastohr1969 : You are not well informed, the rent control is a joke; there are a lot of loopholes in it... abusive landlords are bad, abusive tenants are also bad.
@@sigmundgroth6452 I dont understand your aguement. Are you FOR lower rent? or are you arguing for higher rent so the owners can pay expenses and make money?
Happened almost similar to us. Landlords due whatever they want. They broke the law and find the way to put you out. My Husband and I fixed many things because the landlord didn't. He lied saying he was moving in and that was the reason we have to move and of course it was not true. It was hard because we couldn't afford to pay the rent in other places, were to high. We are already living with relatives what we never did. As elderly people 70 and 60s, we feel disposables. We don't wanna go to lawyers and courts because we don't wanna more stress. I am praying for this couple. God never forsake us.
Should have bought a house when they were cheap and easy to qualify for. I couldn't buy a home in SF so I moved to Az where I could buy a house, working as a hairdresser, and even bought 11 rental properties. Go where you'll grow. We had decades to buy affordable homes back in the 1970s-2000s. If you didn't bother to prepare for your old age it's YOUR fault.
Move. Why stay in SF and put up with this nonsense? Whole rest of the country to live in, where this stuff doesn't happen and cost of living is a fraction of what it is here. It's bizarre to retire in one of the most expensive places in the world, unless you're rich.
@@eckankar7756 if she didn’t prepare is not your business plus who knows maybe they couldn’t!!!! So your last part of your comment save it!!! Never judge someone by its cover!!!!
Im not shockef the owner wants to take it off the market if they are firced to accept 1970 rates. Thats not realistic either. Im glad Mrs Wong is ok but they need to pack and move to a more affordable state
So many people I know in the same situation. They spent their whole lives in SF renting, then get pushed out by their landlords, and have no equity, nothing in retirement and have to leave the area. It's sad. It's these folks that made SF a great city.
I live in Texas in an elderly apartment complex and they raise our rent every time you renew ! I live on only $914.00 a month due to my $73.00 SS raise! My rent went up by $100.00 and also due to this raise my food stamps were lowered by $ 80.00 !
@@hoapres I have it . But the rent goes up and the section 8 still only pays so much and to also take away $80.00 of my stamps!!!!!! “ REALLY “ !!!! I am now in the- NEGATIVE!!!! The BIG $73.00 increase doesn’t Help !!!!
That's what happens when the government gives zero percent loans to Wall Street .... they buy up everything and raise your rents. The government is an arm of Wall Street.
$500 rent for an entire apartment to yourself in San Francisco is beyond the bargain bin price for rent in 2023 and they are retired and on fixed income so its not like they can just easily get a new apartment based on their massive tech salary.
@@residentevil4life Exactly who 'fixed' their incomes?? They had 40 years cheap rent they could have saved and invested. I'm retired, own my home, on Social Security, have a nice savings and great investments making moderate income all my life. Why didn't they prepare for old age? My sister was born without legs. She became a nail tech in a salon, worked and invested in rental properties. She's 66 now and wealthy. You have to be willing to invest in your own wellbeing through out your life. 40 years paying rent and they have nothing to show for it...they did it to themselves. oh well.
$2100 for a two bedroom given the property taxes, insurance and labor costs in SF? Where was the landlord suppose to get money to repair the apartment? I am a Bay Area landlord and I subsidize my tenants $700 a month due to the sheer costs of owning property there and my rent is $200 under market.
umm, the landlord's mortgage hasn't gone up in 40 years. Property taxes, sure. But the landlord has a moral, and legal responsibility to maintain the property.
IF SOMEONE IS A LANDLORD; THEY ARE LEGALLY AND MORALLY RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THE DWELLING THEY RENT IS IN GOOD CONDITION, AND TO REMEDY REPAIRS NOT DUE TO THE TENANT'S FAULT. DID YOU NOT SEE THE LEAKING WATER PIPE IN THEIR KITCHEN; THE HOLE IN THE WALL COVERED BY CARDBOARD? I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THERE IS BLACK MOLD IN THT KITCHEN FLOOR AND KITCHEN FLOOR BECAUSE OF THE LEAK...AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE HEATER THAT HASN'T WORKED FOR YEARS. MRS. WOND STATED THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND CONTACTED THE LANDLORD REGARDING THOSE ISSUES AND NOTHING WAS EVER REPAIRED. I HOPE THE JURY FINDS IN THE WONG'S FAVOR AND I HOPE IT'S A HUGE AWARD. THAT LANDLORD IS A DIRTY GREEDY DOG.
@@bjmurray1842 You act like you know the terms on their mortgage. They could have refinanced, done Heloc etc etc. That landlord does not owe those tenants anything. No wonder why landlord could not fix anything. There was nothing left after going negative every month. I'm a landlord in San Diego and people act like they know before they become a landlord themselves. Then reality kicks in on how expensive it is to have rentals. It costs a lot of money.
True. I own my home. I sold my house in Pasadena, took the equity and purchased a home outright the central valley. The thought of renting terrifies me. You have zero control. I purchased my first condo in my 30s and haven't looked back.
There is special rent control mandates that protect people who have lived in places for a certain amount of time and are of a certain age. It’s illegal rent increases and eviction due to retaliation. If they want to pull and Ellis Act then for up to 5 years that building can’t be on the market or rented to anyone except the landlords family. Then there is other laws that kick in to get the original tenants to come back.
Good luck to them. The prevailing sentiment is shifting back to the landlords and people are starting not to care about tenants. Landlords are tired of the pandemic protections or rent controlled buildings.
The cops can make you leave. A lot of these homeless used to be home owners. In this transient society, a 90 day sentence and inability to call out of jail can mean foreclosure before you get released, making one homeless. I work with homeless and have verified this.
@@robinlavois4483 of course you can’t stay if you don’t pay. But even after foreclosure you still have six months to sell or either work something out with the bank. The point is renters and owners do not and SHOULD NOT have the same rights. It’s not their property.
Clearly, most commenters here don't know how the rent control law works in San Francisco, but they feel free to judge this couple anyway, displaying an incredible lack of compassion and humanity.
That they did not know about rent control, which had already been in effect by the year they began to live there is sad. They should be paying way less for rent.
I hope the court also charges for retroactive damages. The landlord was knowingly over-charging rent for years, and he was not providing a healthy and livable residence for years. I say I hope the court throws the book at the landlord, and then calls him back and....hits him with it again!
These situations are so complex. Can a couple renting an apartment be shielded from inflation and long-term maintenance expenses? $500/month is an insane monthly rent for the area and unfair to the landlord. The landlord's expenses (property tax, insurance, etc.) have not been fixed during their rental period. Of course the couple is on fixed income but that does not entitle them to live in one of the most expensive cities into perpetuity. The landlord should not be required to make improvements when their rent is so far below market rate. Are the couple still pay the same for food, clothes, and other services as they did when they moved in? Of course not. The landlord cannot make improvements with them living in the apartment and never leaving. Sadly, there is probably no place they can rent in the area on their fixed income. Reality should have hit them 20 years ago and that was the time they should have moved to a place they could actually afford but they were in denial and did not want to make a hard decision.
Exactly who 'fixed' their income? Did they not save up and invest for their old age? I did. I paid off a house in 20 years. Why didn't these two? I'm retired. I have Social Security but also savings and investments. "Fixed Income" is just a way for people to play victim. 40 years paying cheap rent in San Francisco would be a dream. They should be happy they spent half their life in a beautiful city.
For such a LONG post, you would think the writer would have watched and listened to the entirety of the video! They were paying over $2000 monthly! Instead of giving you the facts, Maybe try to listen to the video before writing your Book here. landlords should have been honest in the first place.
@@firehorse66elaine Thank you for showing the world how much you DO NOT know about the Bay Area housing market. For the location of their apartment, rents average twice the amount they were paying. PLUS, the couple was complaining about the conditions. When you are not paying market rate for decades, the landlord has zero incentive /resources to perform upgrades/maintain the unit. Facts do matter and next time try to bring some facts instead of acting so catty and emotional.
Hopefully their kids can take them in. For $2,100 mon, they can rent a larger home with a yard in the central valley like Lathrop or Manteca which is 1 hour away. There are options. San Fran is just too expensive.
@@valerieneal2747 yes it is. Tracy, French Camp, Lathrop & Manteca is Central Valley. I know the drive very well to SF. Lots of commuters where I live.
@@Zero11_ss you are most likely correct. Many Asian parents prioritize their kids education before themselves. That's why I hope the kids take them in if the kids have their own homes.
@Robin Lavois I sure can judge... this is a couple who, for many years, paid $2,000 a month, which is the average mortgage people who purchased homes after the 2008 financial collapse. The homes in San Francisco were as cheap as $200k from 2009 until 2012. Yet this couple didn't move on it. They knew how to work and save a pension. And raised children in the most expensive city in the U.S. and NOW, they claim not knowing they were in a rent control unit??? They knew, and what they are doing is pushing an anti-landlord rhetoric and crying foul when I'm sure they had 30 years' worth of an opportunity to buy.
@@apllu17 I live in SF and that $200k figure doesn't sound right. Of course, it does depend on whether it's a house, condo, or hovel and the neighborhood and the state of disrepair.
Why are the owners of the building allowed to get away with not fixing things? There is hardly any protection as a renter and pretty much zero consequences for the owner being outright neglectful of the property. I feel bad for this couple they have just been screwing them over for years
What money should the owners use to fix the building? $550 a month and you think the owners should be paying to keep the property updated 😂 have you seen how much it costs to upkeep property
Why are they shocked? As a landlord I can decide whatever I want to do with my properties. I don’t care if you have medical issues like heart attacks or going through chemo or whatever financial issues
I’m a landlord too and what the landlord did was wrong. That was a massive rent increase of nowhere. $50-$100 increase is more common and more reasonable.
These people are an example of what is wrong with rent control. You can’t let somebody live in an apartment for 40 years we’re not talking 10 years 20 years 30 years for 40 years and below market rates. How is the owner of that building ever going to recoup their investment
exactly.....why is it the landlords responsibility to make sure they can keep living there on a fixed income. I'm TOTALLY sympathetic to their struggles but that doesn't give them the right to basically make it impossible for someone who owns that place to make some money. Let's be real, that's what owning these properties is all about and while there are slumlords, $550 a month is ridiculous. To be that since 1985? I'm glad they love their neighborhood but put yourself in the shoes of the landlord.....you can't get any increase in rent while they are a lovely couple, their love of the neighbors, older age, fixed income and more is in no way the responsibility of the landlord to take a hit on rent. If it were any of us, we'd want the market value....that's fair (and with that market value they should fix every single thing in that apartment).
He did recoup his investment. They paid him 90 in overages. The building is 125 years old and he never once made any fixes for them. In my book, he owes them. As the owner, you are obligated to make repairs as they come up and he didn't.
Then what would be the solution for someone who is on fixed income. It is very easy to say something that benefits 1 side and not consider the other? Maybe not this elderly couple, but people on smaller incomes on jobs the public rely on face lack of affordable rent as well.
Surely the landlord has been aware of the rent control law, but simply did not honor it, even raising the rent above the cost of inflation. Adjusted for inflation $550.00 in 1984 would be $1353 in 2019, a far cry from $2,100. Bless the Wongs, maybe they won't make any landlord wealthy, but sometimes money is the cheapest thing we have.
If the owner/landlord doesn't want to be a landlord anymore, they should have that right, they own it. If the owner wants to store his bottle cap collection in it, that should be his right. Nobody should be forced to be a houseing provider. Retalitory perhaps, or self preservation, at a rent controled price of 550 a month, that amount would not even cover the property tax, plus a ton of other expenses. When the couple was paying 2100, the landlord was probably just breaking even.
This is why you buy property for your children, as soon as possible. Always try own property. Even if it's 3 families under one roof. The equity allows all 3 families to buy another home. Suffer for 10 years. It sucks but that's how get ahead being poor, team up with other poor people
I hate to say in fear of it being taken the wrong way but what you just described is what a lot of Mexicans are doing here in California. It's brilliant. I've seen my neighbors do this and now both of the families that live in that house have their own houses. I've seen many latino families start from the bottom, now they are prospering. My husband and I are putting an ADU on our property for our children trying to do something similar to what you described.
@@I_like_turtles_67 Yup. My Filipino parents sold their primary residence to other Filipinos. The buyers were farm workers who joined together to buy the property. 4 couples ended up in that house. My parents came to the States in the 70s. No money. They worked in agriculture. My Dad worked 2 jobs. My Mom worked double shift as a nurse. They saved up. They bought their own home. They put 2 kids through school. Years later, my parents were happy to see who the buyers were as they saw themselves in those buyers.
We bought our house in Brentwood 10 years ago under 3% down FHA 3K a month with PMI. 1 family only. My wife and I work in Hayward. Long commute. We took the risk with lots of ramen noodles LOL but we still have the house now it is worth 900 K double. They don't accept FHA applicants here no more not in our street. We refinanced it after we got equity and removed PMI. We are planning to pass it on to our son after his Berkeley college.Filipino family here :)
There's so much BS in this. First of all, they got cheap rent in rent controlled market. The house was in good condition when they first moved in, right? Use that money they saved to fix the damage they caused, landlord didn't do any of damage. They are so ungrateful for what they have and yet, they abused it.
If you are renting, this applies if you are elderly or young. The property does not belong to you, and the landlord has the right to take back the property at any time. It's normal for rent to increase as the landlord is renting to make a profit. The fact they are fighting the eviction means they would not be able to find something similar for the same rent.
Landlords need to be taxed heavily for leaving their homes unoccupied. The Ellis Act is exploited as a loophole to evict people who are paying less than what the landlord wants and then to hike it up once the 3-5 year period is over. They need to be taxed heavily and disincentivized from deliberately and intentionally keeping the unit empty to farm dollars.
It is private property and the owner doesn’t owe anybody else anything. If they don’t put it on the market, it is their right to do what they want with what is their private property. You don’t owe anybody else . I had a tenant in Los Angeles DESTROY my house ($50k damage)and skip out on 4 months rent in addition to the FILTH they left there. I fixed the damage (insurance doesn’t cover that btw) and took it off the market and sold it. Never again!
How come the Landlord did not offer them a deal they could not refuse, A relocation fee given and added monies for pain and suffering. I hope the judge does it for them..We treat our elderly horrible here in the States, sad...In some Countries their elderly are treated like gold, respected to the highest level.
They've had 40 years of cheap rent, why didn't they save up for retirement, or move where they could buy a house? I couldn't buy in SF, loved it there, but as a hairdresser no way could I afford a home. I moved to AZ and bought a home and a few rental properties doing perms and haircuts. Go where you'll grow. This couple playing victim, they simply failed to prepare for change. Then playing the victim with a hear attack due to the stress...it takes more than stress to cause a heart attack. Such game players.
@@XUrbanSimsX These 'victims' choose to go public..it's not like any of us are sneaking through their private lives, THEY CHOSE TO GO ON THE NEWS WORLD WIDE. Once they go public EVERYONE is allowed to have an opinion. They failed to provide for their old age..period. Multiple others agree with me
@@eckankar7756 Exactly. They have had every opportunity to buy a house and have it paid for by now. 40 years of rent and they have nothing to show for it. They've had their whole lives pay cheap rent in a beautiful city and didn't save for retirement, either. "Fixed Income" who fixed it? They did. I'm retired and have Social Security and a paid off house and a nice savings and investments. What did these two do for themselves? Nothing.
I wish people like these landlords didn't exist. What they are doing is unconscionable. The fact that they enticed the couple into a smaller settlement by agreeing to lower their rent then turn around and evict them is just monstrous.
Maybe the two renting for 40 years should have bought a house when they were cheap. I loved SF but moved to AZ where I could afford a home working as a hairdresser. These two have done nothing to prepare for their senior years.
@@eckankar7756 This is the issue with seemingly well meaning rent control laws. Hundred year old building foregoes renovation because it's never been vacant in 40 years. Because tenants never want to move and give up their below market rent. Causing fewer housing units to be available with all the red tape and laws favoring tenants- many existing units in SF are held off the market.
It's a no-win situation for both tenants and landlords and has been for a hundred years. Same as in New York. This is by design. It's a structure built on quicksand and maintained by the people who profit the most, and it ain't the landlords It's taxes. Property tax , mortgage tax, property mortage insurance tax, garbage tax, water and sewer tax, inheritance tax... FOLLOW THE MONEY! Where does it actually go and into whose pockets? Oh, for city and government services, you say? For infrastructure? Not all of it. Just a small percent Theft by taxation. One of the results which is, the age-old insanity in the housing market. And it has to end
This couple doesn’t make sense. If they had such a terrible landlord, and their home is in such terrible condition, why not just move? I understand that moving is not always an option, but in this case it is 100% justified. Why risk their health and the health of their family to stay with a landlord that’s clearly a crook? Also they’ve had 40 years, why haven’t they buy a house? These old fools are holding on to the nostalgia of the past, insisting on living somewhere they’re not welcome, and making themselves and everyone else miserable in the process.
This is a prime example of feelings over facts. This couple lived there so long they could've bought the house or moved. They can't expect to have the same rent they paid over a decade ago. Time Flys, cost of living rises and everyone has to adjust to it. They fighting to keep the rent at their affordable fixed income hut dont think how it affects the landlord whose not renting to them under market value while everything is rising up. I really don't get this whole thing about this situation smh.
Come on, 40 years? The landlord is losing his ASS on that deal. I don't why you people think someone is entitled to someone else property. If you can't afford to live there you need to move.
What's better than rent control? A market in which landlords have to compete against each other for tenants, instead of the other way around. How do you create that sort of market? Not by making it less attractive to supply accommodation (which is what rent control does), but by making it less attractive NOT to-with a tax on vacant lots and unoccupied buildings. The "vacancy tax", as it is sometimes called, is not limited to what real-estate agents call vacancies, i.e. properties available for rent; it also applies to vacant lots and empty properties that are not on the rental market, and prompts the owners to get them occupied in order to avoid the tax. Yes, a vacant-property tax is meant to be AVOIDED. It's not meant to be paid. Better still, avoidance of it would generate economic activity, expanding the bases of other taxes and allowing their rates to be reduced, so that everyone else-including tenants, home owners, and landlords with tenants-would pay LESS tax!
I feel bad for them. But why didn't they buy a home instead of renting all these years. In all of those years of renting they could have bought and entirely paid for a house of their own. When you rent your subjected to increases, not so much with buying a home
What about the $90,000 worth of money that was stolen through illegal means from these old people? That was against the law. Do they at least get that back if they move out?
I don't understand why people spend time and effort fighting for property that they don't own. Who pays rent for 40 years, if they bought a property back in 1984 in that area? That property would be worth millions in that area.
I feel bad for the landlord. What a sad joke San Francisco and California in general has become. Glad he’s selling. Hope he takes his money to a far better state.
You feel bad that he's committing capital fraud in the amount of around $90,000 where he illegally exploited his tenants rights? He exploited some old folks for thousands of dollars, that's reprehensible.
@@eggsinsideme except you would just be saying that without actually meaning and real exploitation. It's like saying "no you are" lol. A childrens guide to debating.
I wish them the very best!
I had rented 30 years a 1+1 in Los Feliz right by Observatory. Starting was $525. When I moved out 2 years ago I paid $850. My landlord raised me his 3% rent control increase only a handful of times. All the time I pretended I was paying market rent. Whatever the difference I saved up. I bought a retirement home 2 years ago with cash so I moved out and retired. I never bothered my landlord and stayed low profile. I am thankful for the rent control to enable me to save aggressively over the decades.
Do you think you would have saved more if you bought a property 10 years ago?
That's what they should have done.
@@chatbud I was looking to buy in 2010 to 2011 but every property I submitted a bid I was outbid by someone. After 10+ properties I couldn’t go thru with falling in love with a place and having it dashed again. If I did buy a property, I would not be able to retire early because I would still be paying mortgage. I can’t stomach working full time for another 5/10 years. My current housing expense is about $1200 to $1500 a month including insurance and property tax (depending on utility usage). I also put aside $ for repair and replacement. It is about 30% of my retirement take home. I don’t need to touch savings unless the inflation makes my pension not enough to live on.
Congratulations! Unlike most of your fellow Americans (myself included), you are a good saver and financial planner!
Parasite !
I am happy Mrs. Wong's life was saved.
It’s just greed, plain and simple. The landlord has already demonstrated an inability be honest and trustworthy. Makes you wonder how many other apartments they’ve illegally jacked up the rent for?
greed my ass . You must be a renter too .
The landlord has to pay the cost of living also. Property taxes sure go up!
@@erich8203 so the landlord should violate the law? Interesting.
@@Mxyzptlksac you can't raise rent?
@@erich8203 The San Francisco Rent Board sets the percentage by which landlords can raise the rents, up to a maximum of 7% per year. (In 2020, the increase was 1.8%.) Landlords cannot increase the rent (except by petition proving increased operating expenses). This applies to any building that was renting prior to June 1979. There are a lot of caveats and exceptions. Additionally if repairs aren’t done or if you lose a service you had ie when you pool was closed for indefinitely undetermined reasons you can petition the board to have your rent lowered accordingly.
If the landlord is going to do an ellis act eviction then they need to give 1 year notice along with paying a relocation fee.
...and pay them the original $90,000 they overcharged them over the years.
They shouldn’t have to do any of that. They don’t want them as tenants so they need to get the fudge out. They need to move to a cheaper place to live.
@@jerrymylove1754 You sound nice. NOT!
In Oregon and Washington the cops let them illegally evict, harrass, threaten, injure, harm, abuse and steal home and property from paying tenants.
@@jerrymylove1754 But they *DO* have to do that. It's the law.
Please follow-up on this story and let us know what happens! Thank you!
Would li w an update on this couple as things progress.
America why do you do this to you seniors this is unheard of in other rich countries
It's ridiculous, America 🇺🇸 is all about money 💰 after these companies Zapp u of your youth and life they want you to disappear, they don't care how they have no use for you anymore, I wish this lovely couple best
These living conditions are terrible 😢
I really hope this wonderful elderly couple wina this battle. 😢❤
Great News concerning our Ellis Act Eviction case!
The Superior court judge made the following ruling against our landlord. "Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED. Triable issues of fact exist regarding retaliation and bona fide intent to exit the residential market under Drouet."
Our Landlord’s attorney contested the ruling and was denied.
I’m sure that they didn’t want to face a jury trial and decided to rescind the Ellis Act Eviction Notice and drop the Unlawful Detainer against us.
The bottom line is that we get to stay here. 🙏🏼
I wish both of you all the best, all the way from Warsaw, Poland.
@@adamdygnarowicz5127 Thank you so much! :)
Happy to hear, but if I were you I would look to see what you can do to get out in the near future, they will surely find another way to get you out, they may even just sell the building, people are savages
This is of course only one side of the story. I can tell you at the current 500 dollars rent the landlord is losing money. Property taxes and insurance would cost more then that in SF.
What do you mean this is the only story that they've done on the tenant side the past like more than 20 mentions have been only have the landlord's complaining and protesting and not saying anything about people who are wrongfully being evicted. You're just pro scumlord.
Still moral of the story is our economic status is unfair and manipulated to hurt ppl like them
Why is the landlord responsible for the tenant s life? The landlord is not the local government. How is this the landlord s responsibility? $500 rent is ridiculously low. California is an expensive place to live.
The landlord has bills to pay as well and is not responsible for the current tax and cost of living situations 😮
Yeah, even $900 is not enough to pay property taxes, mortgage, trash, sewer, and management fee.
@malibujoe01 you are why we fail. There has to be limits and caps in the economic situation. If you wantwd to buy a house today they screwed that up too. Nearly 7 percent interest. Why?
Zero maintenance for over a year now is the retaliation for complaining of "cockroaches" in my rented unit. Landlords always gets unaccountable for these offenses. There oughta be a Law.
So sorry for this senior couple 😢 They deserve better.
Why don't you move on if it's so bad?
It’s amazing what slum lords get away with
You can get rid of roaches yourself. Boric acid.
Was the lease for 100 years?
They seemed to think it's a lease to own.
Who are these faceless landlords and property owners who hide behind their attorneys? They know what they're doing is wrong. Even if this is related to the housing market and what people are willing to pay, at some point you
just can't pay anymore. The money just isn't there. Especially when you're their age. I don't believe they're taking this
place off the market for "five years". This makes no sense. Why are they being targeted?
You know how expensive property taxes are there?!!
@@ChatBloom If the owners of that property purchased decades ago, their property tax is negligible, maybe as low as that couple's rent. Some of my neighbors here in SF are original owners (bought in 1957), and their annual property tax is around $500 while those who purchased 30 years ago pay about $8000 annually. As for today's buyers where houses on my street have appreciated 500% since 1990, I'm not sure how anyone can afford to buy a home in SF today.
@@ChatBloom Understood. Those property taxes will still come due even with the property being unoccupied for five years.
Something isn’t right about this. Many of us will never have the ability to buy a home. We will be paying rent somewhere until
We take our final breath. The rent increases being put on the backs of low income and retired people is becoming unbearable.
Along with food, utilities and all the rest. Who or what is causing all this. It’s not enough to point the finger at “inflation”.
This is how it is at the moment. I can’t help asking whose profiting from it all?
answer: u tube major shareholders
The owner is a dentist named Alexander Ja.
That's insane that the city thinks that someone can be a LL in SF with only $500/month in revenue. No wonder they are getting out of the business. I'd sell it too.
The problem with this is, that if they loose this battle, they will have an eviction on their record and no one will rent to them with an eviction on their record.
Maybe they can point to this video to explain.
Maybe they should find a new place than!!!
There's no actual "record" unless the sheriff actually forces you to leave
Even if you lose an unlawful detainer suit...it's not technically an eviction unless you're actually evicted
What you do is you wait 3 weeks after you send your landlord a letter about the broken heater and then you call a professional to come and fix it and take it off your rent payment
I had a roof leak at one of my past apartments. I told the landlord when I paid my rent one month. Nothing was done when my rent came due again. I paid the rent and attached a note saying I was going to start having roofers come out and do estimates on the repair...still nothing. When my rent came due again I sent him the bank notice that I opened a rent escrow account and was going to hire the lowest bidding roofer to do the work and bill him. The next day he drove from New York to Boston and looked at the damage himself...then and only then did he approve the roofers I had hired. 60 days later I sent him a bill for my time in solving the problem @$25.00/hour. He did not renew my lease...no big loss
@Old Man Mercenary Good for you. You lost your apartment, but you took control, did everything by the book, and in the end, defending your principles were more valuable than that crappy apartment
Some people are just late to the game, like this couple, but when they finally did take control, they ended up getting the boot too, just like you did
yeah you seem like a renter and a scammer .
@terry lee Who are you referring to? There are two options: "Repair and Deduct" and "Withholding Rent", aka
Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1942, 1942.5 (2023)
He followed the steps.
I guess you just like to post replies that make you look stupid
Dude,, THEY"RE POOR,,, regular people can't AFFORD to do those things!,, Geeez,,, You never been poor i guess
Just leave SF. It's too expensive for most of us. Yes it sucks. Life goes on.
What a lovely couple. Wishing them the absolute best outcome.
Update us on what happens to them!
$2,100 is a steal for San Francisco, but i get they are on fixed income.
No landlord could afford renting there for $550 though. Its a no win situation:/
they had their whole lifetime to save up and invest. "Fixed income" is elderly that didn't prepare for their senior years, such as buying a home vs renting for 40 years.
@@Blue_Star_flyer $90k in illegal rent increases might've put their 'preparedness' on hold for some time. $90k is more than enough to have you exploring better options, possibly even putting a hit out on a shitlord gaming the system in SF.
@@waterspirit8053 OMG!!!! just stop your nonsense 🤦🏻♂️
@@waterspirit8053 They denied the $90K and settled for much less, then got evicted. I wonder if the excessive rent fine is correct. Rent from $550 to $2100 over 40 years comes to 3.4% annual increase. I'm not sure how much SF allows in rent increase but it certainly sounds like an appropriate amount to increase.
I'm sorry, but $2,100/month is a bargain anywhere in CA, let alone the upscale neighborhood they're in. In 35 years, their rent increased from $550 to $2,100...that's only about $44 increase per year, which is nominal in comparison to inflation. The landlord offered them $27,928 plus rolled their rent back to $550/month. The tenants literally said "it's ok, we'll just accept that", as if they had a better offer to rent somewhere else, or as if they were getting the short end of the stick. Just because they live in rent control" doesn't mean that they should be able to get away with a killing while the landlord is stuck with taxes and all the other expenses that come with owning a property.
They mentioned that there's a big hole in their master closet. How did it get there? Was it already there when they first rented the place, or did they damage the wall? I'm sure the landlord didn't come in their closet and kick a hole in it. If the tenants caused the damage, why don't they replace the drywall & repair it themselves? I'm sorry, but these people sound like they're trying to get way more than they should be. They say that if you're greedy grasping for too much, you can end up with nothing. In forty years, they certainly could've saved up and purchased a home a long time ago. Where are their two adult children? How come they aren't helping with a few hundred bucks to help if their parents truly can't afford the $2,100/month. If their kids cant help, it says a lot about the financial teachings being passed down. Their English is perfect, so they should've had no problem getting good jobs to ensure a better financial situation.
I know so many immigrants who have only been here 5-10 years and barely speak English, but they work so hard and already able to buy homes. Something about this couple doesn't add up, and neither does their financial situation. I hope something fair & equitable is worked out for all parties involved though. They should've been happy with what they had and not stirred things up for their landlord who allowed them to rent for 40 years. The landlord could've evicted them long ago to get $3,500/month instead, but they didn't. If I were the landlord, I'd feel like these people have no appreciation for the long-standing relationship, opportunity to rent well below market & loyalty. These relationships go both ways.
This is sad for both parties. It’s not fair for the landlord who still has to pay property taxes and other expenses, even if the mortgage is paid off.
It’s sad for the tenants too. But I suspect the tenants felt ownership of the apt since they have been there for 40 years. They probably assumed they would never be forced to leave due to the rent control. Now they will have a hard time finding another place to live in California.
I also think they should of just accepted the $985 “increase,” which was actually a huge decrease from the $2100 they were paying. But again, I suspect they felt ownership to the apt, and that the landlord wouldn’t be able to do anything to them. Rent Control usually does give that power to the renter.
Totally agree! This couple are making the rental market worse for everyone else.
@ComplicatedLADY by Francesca you nailed it. They feel ownership & entitled.
I dont know what you were listening to but this greedy slumlord literally stole $90,000 from them over the years , with interest they were owed over $100,000 but instead he gave back less than $28,000 with a signed agreement to put their rent back to $550 , basically making payments of the rest of the money he owed them but then 2 weeks later he turns around and breaks the contract and tries to evict them when he should have been sitting in a jail cell for stealing from them all those years . To top it off on top of stealing from them for years their heater hasnt worked in DECADES , they havent had ANY heat in decades while he continued stealing from them !
You have no idea what they did for work , what their circumstances were/are or what they spent their money on or what their kids do for work or what their circumstances are and every one of those things are irrelevant to this story and absolutely none of your business .smdh
@@ComplicatedLADYcom__Blog Technically, property taxes in CA only change with a change in ownership. So the landlord is paying taxes based on the sale price pre-1985.
1. I feel for the couple, but sr living in someone's house for a long time doesn't make it your house. In the end of the day, you don't own it.
The landlord need to pay their bills too.
2. As an Asian, I feel ashamed for their children. Asians always take care of their parents.
Maybe in your Asian country you treat people like shit here we have rights and it's on the news because this is not fair and people are already outraged they need to be given enough notice they never claimed to own the house it's not every child who can take care of their elderly parents what is wrong with you
In any other developed country, tenants are entitled to certain rights. In this case, it's not like some nice family who owns the property. It's a property management company who exploits people trying to avoid homelessness, and this act is clearly retaliatory.
Landlords are not entitled to price gouge their tenants
@Ciara in other developed countries, you don't have to pay huge property taxes. If you own a house, you will know $900 is nothing to off set those property taxes
@Ricky Bobby well, where do they get money to pay for property taxes? $900 is nothing to pay for the property taxes, mortgage, trash, sewer fee,....it's the government who pushes the people out of their home
Please do a follow up
*Understanding Tenant's Rent Withholding Rights in California*
*(stop paying rent until HABITABILITY issues are resolved. These are all habitability issues):*
-Lack of access to hot, cold, and potable water.
-Broken heaters.
-Sewage leaks and unusable plumbing.
-Broken stairwells, railings, and floors.
-Substantial leaks in roofs and windows.
-Vermin and pest infestations.
-Garbage overflow and unsanitary property conditions.
I used to be a property manager, and while I totally sympathize with this nice couple's dilemma, I'm just surprised that in all the years they lived there they did not seek to educate themselves about their rights as tenants in the city of SF...
I wonder if they have family. Surely someone -- a family member, a coworker, one of their neighbors -- could have informed them of their rights?
I suspect they both just wanted to avoid confrontation; some people are just not built to handle the stress of facing someone who supposedly can rule over your right to a peaceful habitation. They are very soft-spoken and kind...
BUT: there comes a time when you need to advocate for yourself and learn what your rights are!
This, to me, appears to be long-standing issues ignored by both parties -- the couple's lack of due diligence and the landlord taking advantage of that and ignoring their requests for repairs -- coming to an inevitable head, years and years later. The final showdown, so to speak...
But, better late than never...this lovely couple are *finally* standing up for themselves and learning to take control of their lives
I say kudos and *DO NOT MOVE!!*
Stay right where you are. The odds are highly in your favor that there will be an outcome that will either allow you to continue living in your long-time home with all the necessary repairs plus a settlement, or a settlement substantial enough for you to move wherever you want. I believe the Ellis Act has loopholes and work-arounds; whether this landlord is "bona-fide" in not exploiting the EA remains to be seen...
Best of luck. Courage doesn't come just when you feel strong and confident. It also comes when your voice shakes and your palms sweat; when that happens you become a GIANT!
Thank you. I'm sure the information you provide from experience will help others.
@@slc4226 You're welcome
All good things must come to an end unfortunately. Especially if you don't own the property. The property owner has the rights too.
@Cam Yuen what are you talking about? The lanlord has been lenient for 40 yrs, their losing money thats not fair!
Landlord will Lose.
Bless them….. they deserve respect ❣️
Rent control is unfair to young people
Truth!
First they complain that the apartment is such a derelict, broken shit hole, yet, they are fighting to stay there? Make it make sense. The landlord owns the property and is exercising their rights under the Ellis Act. So what’s the matter here? Sure, it sucks for the couple, but that’s what happens you rent. Renters don’t get to decide what other people do with their property.
That's the problem with SF rent control. Tenants never want to move out as their effective rent subsidy increases with each passing year. So apartments desperately in need of complete renovations never get them because they're never vacated. Adding to the narrative that all landlords are greedy scum based on the condition of these derelict units, causing increased acrimony between landlord and tenant as time goes on.
your a terrible joke
$550 in 1984 is about $1600 today. that extra $500 where i live actually still has some value, but in SF that's probably nothing.
Rent these days is out of control. Mostly because the rental market is owned by corporations who set high prices and then the smaller landlords who own 3 -10 rental properties follow suit. Housing is a right and land is for everyone by the way.
They got a really good deal if the rent less than quadrupled in 38 or 39 years.
@@michaeln.2383 The rent control law which the landlord unlawfully ignored would have kept the rent lower than what the couple paid.
The travesty is that the rent is rent-controlled but the increases to landlords expenses are not limited
I left SF years ago. You couldn’t pay me to live in those dumps. Right now, their rent is more than my mortgage, including taxes and insurance. People need to realize the world is bigger than SF.
But it's NOT San Francisco. BEST city in the world. Not everyone can afford to live here.
@@thecreditsavageofwallstreet98 I grew up there, I beg to differ. Beautiful yes, best no.
@maryfields877 I was born here, and have a house here. I can afford it. I have been all over the world. It's the best city. Better than Tokyo. NYC. Munich. Paris. Barcelona. Madrid. London. Geneva. Rio. Beijing. Moscow. Like I said, if you can afford it, it's the best city. Does it have a few areas that aren't the best? Yes, but it still is the best. In the best state, no less.
@@thecreditsavageofwallstreet98 Yes, the best state, absolutely. I would never leave. I don't care what the California haters say! I respectfully disagree with you about being the best city. Waking up without have piss, puke, or poop on my doorstep has skewed my opinion.
@@thecreditsavageofwallstreet98 They don't want them there!!!
Oh Ben n Cat, so sorry to hear your still fighting the landlords. It is good you put this to the news as it may help others in the same situation.
I haven't been in touch with you two as my fb was hacked. I love you cuz n Cat.
Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and support, cuz. We love you too! 🙏❤
They got a $28,000 dlls. refund and a $895 a month rent, what else do they want? Currently you can't get A ROOM in a home or apartment for under $1,000 dlls in San Francisco. The owner will not be able to pay property taxes, and expenses out of $550 dlls. a month for rent. With these kind of tenants there will be less housing for rent in San Francisco. I wouldn't own rental property with these tenants and laws, and if I owned it I would sell it immediately because instead of an asset it is a liability...
I'm pretty sure that $895/month was their initial rent. @1:23 says they are paying $2100/month in 2019.
Key words “rent controlled”. They were overcharged for years, and with their home falling apart around them, no heat etc… Maybe they want heat, and not to pay above the rent control limit.
@@hugoballs : Watch the video again and this time pay attention... their initial rent was $550. People like this make it very difficult for other tenants to find a place with a decent rent to live.
That is what happened in our building, the family who owned the building got tired of the abusive tenants backed by the tenants rights association or something like that who sued the family who opted to pay the tenants $2 million as settlement (they sued for $25 million in partnership with ambulance-chasing lawyers who took $1.5 million for them and gave the tenants $500K to divide among themselves) then the family sold the building and a large company bought it and our rents have gone up 100% in two years, even though we supposedly have rent control but the company lawyers found loopholes in the law to charge us for a bunch of stuff and raise the rent 100%) Now we live under pressure from the company lawyers and they already sent a notice that this year they will raise the rent again for "capital improvements" and even for expenses they incur in the operation of the building like paying the lawyers and other stuff. Abusive landlords are bad, abusive tenants are also bad.
@@marlastohr1969 : You are not well informed, the rent control is a joke; there are a lot of loopholes in it... abusive landlords are bad, abusive tenants are also bad.
@@sigmundgroth6452 I dont understand your aguement. Are you FOR lower rent? or are you arguing for higher rent so the owners can pay expenses and make money?
Happened almost similar to us. Landlords due whatever they want. They broke the law and find the way to put you out.
My Husband and I fixed many things because the landlord didn't.
He lied saying he was moving in and that was the reason we have to move and of course it was not true. It was hard because we couldn't afford to pay the rent in other places, were to high.
We are already living with relatives what we never did. As elderly people 70 and 60s, we feel disposables.
We don't wanna go to lawyers and courts because we don't wanna more stress.
I am praying for this couple. God never forsake us.
@The T.I. Experience They're public interest lawyers and by definition non-profit. They do exist. I used to be one.
There are probono lawyers that would have helped. By you not pursuing this, you're allowing this person to evade the law with someone else.
Should have bought a house when they were cheap and easy to qualify for. I couldn't buy a home in SF so I moved to Az where I could buy a house, working as a hairdresser, and even bought 11 rental properties. Go where you'll grow. We had decades to buy affordable homes back in the 1970s-2000s. If you didn't bother to prepare for your old age it's YOUR fault.
Move. Why stay in SF and put up with this nonsense? Whole rest of the country to live in, where this stuff doesn't happen and cost of living is a fraction of what it is here. It's bizarre to retire in one of the most expensive places in the world, unless you're rich.
@@eckankar7756 if she didn’t prepare is not your business plus who knows maybe they couldn’t!!!! So your last part of your comment save it!!! Never judge someone by its cover!!!!
So incredibly sad, praying for your justice in court!
Im not shockef the owner wants to take it off the market if they are firced to accept 1970 rates. Thats not realistic either. Im glad Mrs Wong is ok but they need to pack and move to a more affordable state
I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE $90K AND LEFT!
$27,928 was what the landlord agreed to pay back, not the whole $90K they deserve. 2:12
So many people I know in the same situation. They spent their whole lives in SF renting, then get pushed out by their landlords, and have no equity, nothing in retirement and have to leave the area. It's sad. It's these folks that made SF a great city.
It should be illegal to evict an elderly couple just for claiming their rights. How could some landlords be so shameless?
forever renter
Never be a landlord in San Francisco
Don't be a landlord anywhere. There are many other ways to invest money.
I live in Texas in an elderly apartment complex and they raise our rent every time you renew ! I live on only $914.00 a month due to my $73.00 SS raise! My rent went up by $100.00 and also due to this raise my food stamps were lowered by $ 80.00 !
You need to get subsidized Section 8 housing.
@@hoapres I have it . But the rent goes up and the section 8 still only pays so much and to also take away $80.00 of my stamps!!!!!! “ REALLY “ !!!! I am now in the- NEGATIVE!!!! The BIG $73.00 increase doesn’t Help !!!!
That's what happens when the government gives zero percent loans to Wall Street .... they buy up everything and raise your rents. The government is an arm of Wall Street.
@@pattibelcher2659 Do you have children? If so, maybe they can help you pay the difference.
@@hoapres Good luck with that.
My heart goes out to this couple.
No heat, water leaks, drywall ruined, and they want to fight to stay there, pay high rent. Crazy.
Because the rent is probably still way lower than everyone else on that street. They want everything fixed and updated without paying normal rents.
$500 rent for an entire apartment to yourself in San Francisco is beyond the bargain bin price for rent in 2023 and they are retired and on fixed income so its not like they can just easily get a new apartment based on their massive tech salary.
@@residentevil4life Exactly who 'fixed' their incomes?? They had 40 years cheap rent they could have saved and invested. I'm retired, own my home, on Social Security, have a nice savings and great investments making moderate income all my life. Why didn't they prepare for old age? My sister was born without legs. She became a nail tech in a salon, worked and invested in rental properties. She's 66 now and wealthy. You have to be willing to invest in your own wellbeing through out your life. 40 years paying rent and they have nothing to show for it...they did it to themselves. oh well.
$2100 for a two bedroom given the property taxes, insurance and labor costs in SF? Where was the landlord suppose to get money to repair the apartment? I am a Bay Area landlord and I subsidize my tenants $700 a month due to the sheer costs of owning property there and my rent is $200 under market.
No one put a gun to your head and forced you to be a landlord. Sell and do something more productive
umm, the landlord's mortgage hasn't gone up in 40 years. Property taxes, sure. But the landlord has a moral, and legal responsibility to maintain the property.
IF SOMEONE IS A LANDLORD; THEY ARE LEGALLY AND MORALLY RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THE DWELLING THEY RENT IS IN GOOD CONDITION, AND TO REMEDY REPAIRS NOT DUE TO THE TENANT'S FAULT. DID YOU NOT SEE THE LEAKING WATER PIPE IN THEIR KITCHEN; THE HOLE IN THE WALL COVERED BY CARDBOARD? I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THERE IS BLACK MOLD IN THT KITCHEN FLOOR AND KITCHEN FLOOR BECAUSE OF THE LEAK...AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE HEATER THAT HASN'T WORKED FOR YEARS. MRS. WOND STATED THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND CONTACTED THE LANDLORD REGARDING THOSE ISSUES AND NOTHING WAS EVER REPAIRED.
I HOPE THE JURY FINDS IN THE WONG'S FAVOR AND I HOPE IT'S A HUGE AWARD. THAT LANDLORD IS A DIRTY GREEDY DOG.
@@bjmurray1842 You act like you know the terms on their mortgage. They could have refinanced, done Heloc etc etc. That landlord does not owe those tenants anything. No wonder why landlord could not fix anything. There was nothing left after going negative every month. I'm a landlord in San Diego and people act like they know before they become a landlord themselves. Then reality kicks in on how expensive it is to have rentals. It costs a lot of money.
@@SwedishGFE 40 years. 40.
I rather purchase a home in the hood rather than rent.
True. I own my home. I sold my house in Pasadena, took the equity and purchased a home outright the central valley. The thought of renting terrifies me. You have zero control. I purchased my first condo in my 30s and haven't looked back.
Can imagine living somewhere for 40 years , but living there and still don't own it? Seriously
Do not give up or surrender that’s what they want fight till the end & never give up hope. Something good always comes out of something Bad.
It's not their home!!!
@@ChatBloom They are legal renters.
There is special rent control mandates that protect people who have lived in places for a certain amount of time and are of a certain age. It’s illegal rent increases and eviction due to retaliation. If they want to pull and Ellis Act then for up to 5 years that building can’t be on the market or rented to anyone except the landlords family. Then there is other laws that kick in to get the original tenants to come back.
I suspect they re planning to demolish it
Good luck to them. The prevailing sentiment is shifting back to the landlords and people are starting not to care about tenants. Landlords are tired of the pandemic protections or rent controlled buildings.
Where are the kids they raised? Come take care of your parents at least
They have money they’re screwing the landlord on purpose.
If you want to fully control a property, you have to be the owner. Then there's nothing to complain about and no one can make you leave.
Imminent Domain
The cops can make you leave. A lot of these homeless used to be home owners. In this transient society, a 90 day sentence and inability to call out of jail can mean foreclosure before you get released, making one homeless. I work with homeless and have verified this.
@@shreehill9641 imminent domain action rarely happens. Don’t be intentionally obtuse.
@@robinlavois4483 of course you can’t stay if you don’t pay. But even after foreclosure you still have six months to sell or either work something out with the bank. The point is renters and owners do not and SHOULD NOT have the same rights. It’s not their property.
Yeah because it's so easy to own property smh
They are both inloved the place, hard to leave the area.
Clearly, most commenters here don't know how the rent control law works in San Francisco, but they feel free to judge this couple anyway, displaying an incredible lack of compassion and humanity.
Obviously must be landlords themselves or trust fund babies sitting in daddy's paid condo who are oblivious to the renting crisis.
@slc I'm seeing the opposite. Most here support the couple without understanding personal property rights.
Can you imagine if they would have bought a house in 1984? All the money they wasted in rent over 40 years.
$550 per month back in the 80s, you could sell that house in SF for millions and millions nowadays.
The house would be paid off by now. Imagine that!
Their only smart about abusing landlord, they're not smart enough to buy a house!
never underestimate evil landlords
and lazy stupid tenants that rent for 40 years rather than buy a house when they were affordable
Horrible...hope and pray they get treated fairly
That they did not know about rent control, which had already been in effect by the year they began to live there is sad. They should be paying way less for rent.
I hope the court also charges for retroactive damages. The landlord was knowingly over-charging rent for years, and he was not providing a healthy and livable residence for years.
I say I hope the court throws the book at the landlord, and then calls him back and....hits him with it again!
Name that landlord!
A San Francisco dentist named Alexander Ja.
These situations are so complex. Can a couple renting an apartment be shielded from inflation and long-term maintenance expenses? $500/month is an insane monthly rent for the area and unfair to the landlord. The landlord's expenses (property tax, insurance, etc.) have not been fixed during their rental period. Of course the couple is on fixed income but that does not entitle them to live in one of the most expensive cities into perpetuity.
The landlord should not be required to make improvements when their rent is so far below market rate. Are the couple still pay the same for food, clothes, and other services as they did when they moved in? Of course not. The landlord cannot make improvements with them living in the apartment and never leaving. Sadly, there is probably no place they can rent in the area on their fixed income. Reality should have hit them 20 years ago and that was the time they should have moved to a place they could actually afford but they were in denial and did not want to make a hard decision.
Exactly who 'fixed' their income? Did they not save up and invest for their old age? I did. I paid off a house in 20 years. Why didn't these two? I'm retired. I have Social Security but also savings and investments. "Fixed Income" is just a way for people to play victim. 40 years paying cheap rent in San Francisco would be a dream. They should be happy they spent half their life in a beautiful city.
For such a LONG post, you would think the writer would have watched and listened to the entirety of the video! They were paying over $2000 monthly! Instead of giving you the facts, Maybe try to listen to the video before writing your Book here. landlords should have been honest in the first place.
lol, move out so I could fix your heater, change the outlet, and fix a pipe! What color rock do you live under. lol
@@Blue_Star_flyer LOL do you feel better now, you are so much better than them! Wow, that will earn you a luxury ticket when you get to heaven!
@@firehorse66elaine Thank you for showing the world how much you DO NOT know about the Bay Area housing market.
For the location of their apartment, rents average twice the amount they were paying. PLUS, the couple was complaining about the conditions.
When you are not paying market rate for decades, the landlord has zero incentive /resources to perform upgrades/maintain the unit.
Facts do matter and next time try to bring some facts instead of acting so catty and emotional.
What was the outcome of this case and how long did it last?
Awww that’s a sad story ❤
Hopefully their kids can take them in. For $2,100 mon, they can rent a larger home with a yard in the central valley like Lathrop or Manteca which is 1 hour away. There are options. San Fran is just too expensive.
THE CENTRAL VALLEY IS NOT ONE HOUR AWAY FROM S.F.
They probably used all the money they saved on rent to help their kids buy their own homes or pay for college lol
40 years of rent they could have bought and paid off several homes by now.
@@valerieneal2747 yes it is. Tracy, French Camp, Lathrop & Manteca is Central Valley. I know the drive very well to SF. Lots of commuters where I live.
@@Zero11_ss you are most likely correct. Many Asian parents prioritize their kids education before themselves. That's why I hope the kids take them in if the kids have their own homes.
This couple renting for this long is irresponsible. Fighting landlords when they could have purchased a home years ago and earned interest.
They wont move because the rent control keeps their rent so low, rent control is a joke.
You can't judge...you don't know where they came from and how things went where they came from, and they might not understand anything different.
@Robin Lavois I sure can judge... this is a couple who, for many years, paid $2,000 a month, which is the average mortgage people who purchased homes after the 2008 financial collapse. The homes in San Francisco were as cheap as $200k from 2009 until 2012. Yet this couple didn't move on it.
They knew how to work and save a pension. And raised children in the most expensive city in the U.S. and NOW, they claim not knowing they were in a rent control unit??? They knew, and what they are doing is pushing an anti-landlord rhetoric and crying foul when I'm sure they had 30 years' worth of an opportunity to buy.
@@robinlavois4483 freedom country
@@apllu17 I live in SF and that $200k figure doesn't sound right. Of course, it does depend on whether it's a house, condo, or hovel and the neighborhood and the state of disrepair.
My thoughts are with them
And the name of the LANDLORDS is what?? What person or corporation??
The landlord is a San Francisco Dentist named Alexander Ja.
Why are the owners of the building allowed to get away with not fixing things? There is hardly any protection as a renter and pretty much zero consequences for the owner being outright neglectful of the property. I feel bad for this couple they have just been screwing them over for years
What money should the owners use to fix the building? $550 a month and you think the owners should be paying to keep the property updated 😂 have you seen how much it costs to upkeep property
Why are they shocked? As a landlord I can decide whatever I want to do with my properties. I don’t care if you have medical issues like heart attacks or going through chemo or whatever financial issues
I’m a landlord too and what the landlord did was wrong. That was a massive rent increase of nowhere. $50-$100 increase is more common and more reasonable.
I sure as hell don't want to be your tenant then. And God help anyone that does become your tenant.
How can $500 a month even cover property tax? There needs to be a happy medium.
Shows u the true nature of the economy.
These people are an example of what is wrong with rent control. You can’t let somebody live in an apartment for 40 years we’re not talking 10 years 20 years 30 years for 40 years and below market rates. How is the owner of that building ever going to recoup their investment
exactly.....why is it the landlords responsibility to make sure they can keep living there on a fixed income. I'm TOTALLY sympathetic to their struggles but that doesn't give them the right to basically make it impossible for someone who owns that place to make some money. Let's be real, that's what owning these properties is all about and while there are slumlords, $550 a month is ridiculous. To be that since 1985? I'm glad they love their neighborhood but put yourself in the shoes of the landlord.....you can't get any increase in rent while they are a lovely couple, their love of the neighbors, older age, fixed income and more is in no way the responsibility of the landlord to take a hit on rent. If it were any of us, we'd want the market value....that's fair (and with that market value they should fix every single thing in that apartment).
@@omi_god true...
He did recoup his investment. They paid him 90 in overages. The building is 125 years old and he never once made any fixes for them. In my book, he owes them.
As the owner, you are obligated to make repairs as they come up and he didn't.
Then what would be the solution for someone who is on fixed income. It is very easy to say something that benefits 1 side and not consider the other? Maybe not this elderly couple, but people on smaller incomes on jobs the public rely on face lack of affordable rent as well.
Looks like the tennants were working the system. But that's why San Francisco is in decline. Stupid policies of the left.
Surely the landlord has been aware of the rent control law, but simply did not honor it, even raising the rent above the cost of inflation. Adjusted for inflation $550.00 in 1984 would be $1353 in 2019, a far cry from $2,100.
Bless the Wongs, maybe they won't make any landlord wealthy, but sometimes money is the cheapest thing we have.
If the owner/landlord doesn't want to be a landlord anymore, they should have that right, they own it. If the owner wants to store his bottle cap collection in it, that should be his right. Nobody should be forced to be a houseing provider. Retalitory perhaps, or self preservation, at a rent controled price of 550 a month, that amount would not even cover the property tax, plus a ton of other expenses. When the couple was paying 2100, the landlord was probably just breaking even.
Many landlords don’t rent out anymore.
This is why you buy property for your children, as soon as possible. Always try own property. Even if it's 3 families under one roof. The equity allows all 3 families to buy another home. Suffer for 10 years. It sucks but that's how get ahead being poor, team up with other poor people
I hate to say in fear of it being taken the wrong way but what you just described is what a lot of Mexicans are doing here in California. It's brilliant. I've seen my neighbors do this and now both of the families that live in that house have their own houses. I've seen many latino families start from the bottom, now they are prospering. My husband and I are putting an ADU on our property for our children trying to do something similar to what you described.
@@yasmeen7875 Philippinos do the same thing.
This is pretty smart! I've never heard that idea before.
@@I_like_turtles_67 Yup. My Filipino parents sold their primary residence to other Filipinos. The buyers were farm workers who joined together to buy the property. 4 couples ended up in that house. My parents came to the States in the 70s. No money. They worked in agriculture. My Dad worked 2 jobs. My Mom worked double shift as a nurse. They saved up. They bought their own home. They put 2 kids through school. Years later, my parents were happy to see who the buyers were as they saw themselves in those buyers.
We bought our house in Brentwood 10 years ago under 3% down FHA 3K a month with PMI. 1 family only. My wife and I work in Hayward. Long commute. We took the risk with lots of ramen noodles LOL but we still have the house now it is worth 900 K double. They don't accept FHA applicants here no more not in our street. We refinanced it after we got equity and removed PMI. We are planning to pass it on to our son after his Berkeley college.Filipino family here :)
What is the punishment for landlords evicting under the Ellis law but putting the place back on the market before the 5 year period is up?
There's so much BS in this. First of all, they got cheap rent in rent controlled market. The house was in good condition when they first moved in, right? Use that money they saved to fix the damage they caused, landlord didn't do any of damage. They are so ungrateful for what they have and yet, they abused it.
Exactly what I said too!
Agree 100%!
That hole came from a leak, please understand. They did not do that.
If you are renting, this applies if you are elderly or young. The property does not belong to you, and the landlord has the right to take back the property at any time. It's normal for rent to increase as the landlord is renting to make a profit. The fact they are fighting the eviction means they would not be able to find something similar for the same rent.
Landlords need to be taxed heavily for leaving their homes unoccupied. The Ellis Act is exploited as a loophole to evict people who are paying less than what the landlord wants and then to hike it up once the 3-5 year period is over. They need to be taxed heavily and disincentivized from deliberately and intentionally keeping the unit empty to farm dollars.
It is private property and the owner doesn’t owe anybody else anything. If they don’t put it on the market, it is their right to do what they want with what is their private property. You don’t owe anybody else . I had a tenant in Los Angeles DESTROY my house ($50k damage)and skip out on 4 months rent in addition to the FILTH they left there. I fixed the damage (insurance doesn’t cover that btw) and took it off the market and sold it. Never again!
How come the Landlord did not offer them a deal they could not refuse, A relocation fee given and added monies for pain and suffering. I hope the judge does it for them..We treat our elderly horrible here in the States, sad...In some Countries their elderly are treated like gold, respected to the highest level.
They've had 40 years of cheap rent, why didn't they save up for retirement, or move where they could buy a house? I couldn't buy in SF, loved it there, but as a hairdresser no way could I afford a home. I moved to AZ and bought a home and a few rental properties doing perms and haircuts. Go where you'll grow. This couple playing victim, they simply failed to prepare for change. Then playing the victim with a hear attack due to the stress...it takes more than stress to cause a heart attack. Such game players.
@@eckankar7756 Its crazy how your attacking the victims in this story but not questioning the landlords illegal practices.
@@XUrbanSimsX These 'victims' choose to go public..it's not like any of us are sneaking through their private lives, THEY CHOSE TO GO ON THE NEWS WORLD WIDE. Once they go public EVERYONE is allowed to have an opinion. They failed to provide for their old age..period. Multiple others agree with me
@@eckankar7756 Exactly. They have had every opportunity to buy a house and have it paid for by now. 40 years of rent and they have nothing to show for it. They've had their whole lives pay cheap rent in a beautiful city and didn't save for retirement, either. "Fixed Income" who fixed it? They did. I'm retired and have Social Security and a paid off house and a nice savings and investments. What did these two do for themselves? Nothing.
@eckankar You are entitled to your opinion but damn, you sound bitter
I wish people like these landlords didn't exist. What they are doing is unconscionable. The fact that they enticed the couple into a smaller settlement by agreeing to lower their rent then turn around and evict them is just monstrous.
Maybe the two renting for 40 years should have bought a house when they were cheap. I loved SF but moved to AZ where I could afford a home working as a hairdresser. These two have done nothing to prepare for their senior years.
@@eckankar7756 This is the issue with seemingly well meaning rent control laws. Hundred year old building foregoes renovation because it's never been vacant in 40 years. Because tenants never want to move and give up their below market rent. Causing fewer housing units to be available with all the red tape and laws favoring tenants- many existing units in SF are held off the market.
Do you realize the landlord at this point is paying them to live there
It's a no-win situation for both tenants and landlords and has been for a hundred years. Same as in New York.
This is by design. It's a structure built on quicksand and maintained by the people who profit the most, and it ain't the landlords
It's taxes. Property tax , mortgage tax, property mortage insurance tax, garbage tax, water and sewer tax, inheritance tax...
FOLLOW THE MONEY! Where does it actually go and into whose pockets? Oh, for city and government services, you say? For infrastructure? Not all of it. Just a small percent
Theft by taxation. One of the results which is, the age-old insanity in the housing market. And it has to end
I wish tenants and people with no IQ like you didn't exist. :(
this country has changed so much , we lost the nation to corporations
One thing I've learned is your home is where you take it..I'm sure a new place to make your home will come out of this interview👍❤️
Criminal. Sounds unlawful.
Two Wongs don’t make a right. I feel bad for the landlord
Thanks Gavin!!!!
Everything costs about 4x what it did in 1984, even more so for real estate. $2100 rent in 2019 in San Francisco is nothing to complain about.
This couple doesn’t make sense. If they had such a terrible landlord, and their home is in such terrible condition, why not just move? I understand that moving is not always an option, but in this case it is 100% justified. Why risk their health and the health of their family to stay with a landlord that’s clearly a crook? Also they’ve had 40 years, why haven’t they buy a house? These old fools are holding on to the nostalgia of the past, insisting on living somewhere they’re not welcome, and making themselves and everyone else miserable in the process.
This is a prime example of feelings over facts. This couple lived there so long they could've bought the house or moved. They can't expect to have the same rent they paid over a decade ago. Time Flys, cost of living rises and everyone has to adjust to it. They fighting to keep the rent at their affordable fixed income hut dont think how it affects the landlord whose not renting to them under market value while everything is rising up. I really don't get this whole thing about this situation smh.
Come on, 40 years? The landlord is losing his ASS on that deal. I don't why you people think someone is entitled to someone else property. If you can't afford to live there you need to move.
What's better than rent control? A market in which landlords have to compete against each other for tenants, instead of the other way around. How do you create that sort of market? Not by making it less attractive to supply accommodation (which is what rent control does), but by making it less attractive NOT to-with a tax on vacant lots and unoccupied buildings. The "vacancy tax", as it is sometimes called, is not limited to what real-estate agents call vacancies, i.e. properties available for rent; it also applies to vacant lots and empty properties that are not on the rental market, and prompts the owners to get them occupied in order to avoid the tax.
Yes, a vacant-property tax is meant to be AVOIDED. It's not meant to be paid. Better still, avoidance of it would generate economic activity, expanding the bases of other taxes and allowing their rates to be reduced, so that everyone else-including tenants, home owners, and landlords with tenants-would pay LESS tax!
I feel bad for them. But why didn't they buy a home instead of renting all these years. In all of those years of renting they could have bought and entirely paid for a house of their own. When you rent your subjected to increases, not so much with buying a home
What about the $90,000 worth of money that was stolen through illegal means from these old people? That was against the law. Do they at least get that back if they move out?
$550 a month for an apartment in san fran....no wonder the landlords are taking the unit off the market.
I don't understand why people spend time and effort fighting for property that they don't own. Who pays rent for 40 years, if they bought a property back in 1984 in that area? That property would be worth millions in that area.
you cannot understand people, because you are not them! And they are not you. Ok, do you u-n-d-e-r-s-t-a-n-d that. hope it helps
The value of human life by some people is nothing short of pure evil and greed!
I heard that in California there is housing program for elderly or low income people ,why didn't they apply for that ,
There are senior communities that are much cheaper
because they want to harass the landlord!!!
Even if it’s legal, doesn’t mean it’s right! The world is just getting greedier and greedier! This city just keeps getting so depressing and empty.
I feel bad for the landlord. What a sad joke San Francisco and California in general has become. Glad he’s selling. Hope he takes his money to a far better state.
You feel bad that he's committing capital fraud in the amount of around $90,000 where he illegally exploited his tenants rights? He exploited some old folks for thousands of dollars, that's reprehensible.
@@xxjaime562xx I would say they exploited the landlord.
@@eggsinsideme except you would just be saying that without actually meaning and real exploitation. It's like saying "no you are" lol. A childrens guide to debating.
She. Read the letter in the video. No doubt she's old too, and I don't think she's selling.
God Bless the Wong's always and a swift and satisfactory resolution to this housing battle.
"God Bless"? Fighting for something that they do not own!!!!