East Palo Alto: Property Company Violating Rent Control

by R. Robertson

Mon, Jul 28, 2008 5:57PM

Photo: Annie Loya of YUCA (Youth United for Community Action) and Granny Barbara of the Raging Grannies Action League. Both groups are alarmed by rent increases in East Palo Alto and have worked together on phone call campaigns to Page Mill Properties.
A class action suit was filed by residents on July 15, and the city of East Palo Alto has taken legal action against the private investment firm.

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The *Fair Rent Now Coalition* held a petition drive last Saturday to protest rent increases to apartments owned by Page Mill Properties. The increases affect about 1,300 of the private investment firm's 1,650 units in East Palo Alto.

Residents filed a class action suit on July 15, alleging that the rent hikes are illegal, meant to cause harm, and constitute unfair business practice. The complaint also says that Page Mill Properties is using a sham ownership scheme to subvert East Palo Alto's rent control law.

The City of East Palo Alto is also taking legal action against Page Mill Properties and the Stanford Law Clinic is helping the tenants. The firm Heller Ehrman LLP has taken on the residents' case pro bono. They are seeking punitive and actual damages.

For more information: http://www.youthunited.net

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