GREAT NEWS ! Landlord will not evict 98-year-old woman, after all

[steve2470]

http://blog.sfgate.com/techchron/2014/07/11/landlord-will-not-evict-98-year-old-woman-after-all/

The San Francisco real estate firm charged by activists with evicting a 98-year-old woman will allow the woman to remain in her home, the firm’s founder announced Friday.

On Wednesday, dozens demonstrated outside the offices of Urban Green Investments, whose founder, David McCloskey, protesters with Eviction Free SF said was responsible for the evictions of people throughout the city. Protesters said the company has used the Ellis Act to repeatedly evict low-income tenants around San Francisco, flipping properties to cash in on the city’s booming, tech-spurred real estate market.

According to Eviction Free SF, those being evicted included a 98-year-old Dolores Street resident named Mary Phillips. On Friday, however, an e-mail from McCloskey said that Phillips would not be evicted. The firm said that they had never in fact intended to evict Phillips in the first place, though the company did not respond to request for comment on the matter at the time of the protest.

Below is the statement in full:

Urban Green Investments and 55 Dolores Street, LLC have offered Mary Phillips the opportunity to remain in her home for the rest of her life with no cost to Mary. This offer was first communicated to Ms. Phillips’ lawyer in March 2014, and has been the topic of negotiation ever since then.

Contrary to recent reports, we have always planned to provide for Mary in this way. We have made no comment about Ms. Phillips’ situation to this date as we have been negotiating with her attorney in good faith, but the recent media reports have made today’s comment necessary in order to clarify the facts.

[JJChambers]

1. So people jumped to conclusions?

On to the next outrage ...

[JI7]

4. the outrage is the reason she will not be evicted

[Gormy Cuss]

5. Or this is barnyard manure

and the aggrieved party agreed not to refute it as part of the settlement. There was no reason to put up with the bad press otherwise. None.

[steve2470]

12. I think they're lying

She had attorneys working with her, from the media I've read. If the statement was 100% accurate, the attorneys would have told her to relax and probably told the media everything was fine.

[kcr]

17. How is it jumping to conclusions?

Sometimes bullshit detectors are broken on the internet, but I don't see what's so unbelievable about a greedy landlord.

[JHB]

21. More likely the power of bad publicity...

Any number of cost/benefit calculations have changed when the calculator suddenly found itself in the spotlight.

[hobbit709]

2. Sure they did . This only happened because a little light was put on their actions.

[yeoman6987]

3. Can I be the first to say....Thank Goodness.

Secondly, how about a law that exempts all seniors over the age of 80 from having to pay rent or property taxes if they own their own home. That would save a lot of folks their lively hood and getting kicked out of their home. Of course nursing homes are a completely different story and not included in this new law.

[lpbk2713]

6. And she can keep her little dog too.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. LOL perfect!

[BrotherIvan]

32. DUzy!

[stevenleser]

36. DUzy, win, etc! nt

[bluestateguy]

7. They probably just figure on waiting for her to die

or maybe driving her crazy with construction work and noise in the building in the meantime.

[ReRe]

28. A real life "Batteries Not Included"

... that's what your words reminded me of. Starred Hugh Cronin & Jessica Tandy. Great movie.

[LittleGirl]

29. that's what I was going to say!

you nailed it.
cheers.

[WillyT]

8. K & R !!!

[kimbutgar]

9. People were calling them all over the country

The front of their offices had all kinds of protestors and the owner was being heckled. He backed down because he got exposed. I drove by yesterday and the news trucks were out there. The optics were bad for Green's business.

[R B Garr]

14. Interesting! Thanks for the report.

[joeybee12]

10. They're lying about never intending to evict her...

So let's see if they keep their word. I think people need to follow up with this matter to ensure Urban Green doesn't try anything else.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

11. Wonderful news! Glad to hear it.

[Starry Messenger]

15. K&R

[littlemissmartypants]

16. Thanks for the good news, Steve2470! eom

[Oilwellian]

18. Interesting statement

Urban Green Investments and 55 Dolores Street, LLC have offered Mary Phillips the opportunity to remain in her home for the rest of her life with no cost to Mary. This offer was first communicated to Ms. Phillips’ lawyer in March 2014, and has been the topic of negotiation ever since then.

So how did the discussion change from living rent free to eviction? If they offered the place at no cost, what was left to negotiate? Urban Green is attempting damage control.

[Barack_America]

34. The "no cost" part gives it away, IMO.

If they never intended to change the agreement, why wouldn't she just continue to pay her rent as she ha done for 50 years?

[eggplant]

19. The amount of money they will lose letting her stay rent free is peanuts.

They get out from the headlines and protests, and even can spin it as a win for everyone.

I'm glad there was outrage, and I'm satisfied with the outcome, and patiently await the next outrage.

[joanbarnes]

20. I hope she lives many more years!

[Chellee]

24. Yeah. Remember the woman from France?

I hope she outlives her landlord.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-12-27/news/9512280029_1_jeanne-calment-elderly-woman-christmas-day

[mountain grammy]

22. Good news. No doubt the publicity led to this outcome.

[steve2470]

23. As an aside, somehow I got the pdf of her original eviction notice from some link

I just noticed it today on my desktop. If anyone wants to read it, PM me. I'd have to email it to you, I guess.

eta: here is the download link
http://saturn.kron.com/images/documents/eviction%20notice%201.pdf

[LoisB]

25. This is good news. I don't believe for one minute they had "always planned to

provide for Mary in this way". I think they didn't want any more negative publicity.

[Marrah_G]

26. I'm very glad they did the right thing.

And her last years will be made even a bit better without having to pay rent.

[Thinkingabout]

27. If she has lived in the home for fifthy years she has paid for the home in rent.

BTW, I am a landlord myself but I would need to be comfortable with myself also.

[El Shaman]

30. Well, granny

you may stay at our place , for free for the rest of your life, but am sure you would not agree with the S. Texas ,summer, weather.

A DIOS

[Cha]

31. That is great news! I love it.. mahalo steve~

To Mary Phillips~

[steve2470]

33. mahalo Cha, yes it is great news for Ms. Phillips ! nt

[smirkymonkey]

35. Yeah! I'm so happy to hear this news!

I hope she lives a long and peaceful life.

[stevenleser]

37. Some landlords in these high rent areas of the country are so greedy it just amazes me

They are just dripping with anticipation to get folks paying a lower rent out so they can get market rates for apartments.

These guys obviously caved to the pressure the public were putting on them. Using dirty tricks to try to put a 98 year old woman out on the street is disgusting and utterly without empathy.