Well! We finally get to hear from the embattled tenant herself in well-written paragraphs instead of highly entertaining orange signs. I’ve cobbled together her comments (which were cleverly disseminated throughout various posts) to try to help tell her side of the story. Please welcome Nancy Scott to the debate:
I am the crazy tenant (15 years)who writes the signs. I feel people who make fun of desperate people are not very nice. The landlord that wrote about me is not the landlord at all but the T.I.C. owner upstairs. He is a real estate investor and only bought the upstairs to evict me. When their false eviction didn’t get me to move then they ellised the building.
However, their abuse didn’t stop. Today, I was granted a temporary restraining order (I have filed several). I also have a harrassment case pending in small claims court. I have over 25 recorded police calls in 8 months. I have used H.A.P. E.D.C. and am in touch with the tenants union. Thanks for the sincere support and suggestions.
I am an elderly disabled single mom who is a good tenant and have lived in my home for 15 years. I am not in the least touchy or moody although I probably have plenty of reason to be both. I was a volunteer tutor in public schools (elementary and middle school)for 12 years. I’m one of the origional members of The Bryant Street Neighborhood Alliance and take care of the flowers in front of my house and my neighbors houses. Anyone who knows me since I moved here can attest to this. My teenage son built the borders around the flowers and I am also a board member of a non-profit that helps families of parolees.
I am also severly disabled with brittle bone disease. The owner of the building is an heir and greedy. I only ask to stay in my home for 3 years until my son gets out of high school. The owner (heir) didn’t agree and became very abusive a year before the people upstairs bought the T.I.C. He removed (lead) paint with no containment and it was left in my yard for 2 weeks until I called a building inspector. That’s just the beginning……
He’s not the landlord but the tic owner upstairs who bought Dec. 08. I have lived here 15 years as my real landlord put it at our rent board hearing “She’s a good tenant who always pays her rent on time.” They are just being mean and wouldn’t come to any agreements at community boards which I initiated. I am a protected tenant, if they can’t evict me the Ellis Act is the only way.
Most people like you do take the money and run, which encourages more property owners to use such tactics and harrass and abuse people {renters)to force them to move. This was not a business decision but a moral one where peoples abhorrant behavior will not be compromised for money. I plan on exposing these people in court for what they are and making sure they don’t continue their abusive behavior for profit. Next time, it could be your blind neighbor or elderly grandmother, They too, will just leave! So much for tenants rights….Sometimes, they just don’t exist.
Also, I have received plenty of compensation in other ways. I will not be leaving with no money. Thanks for your concern but when people don’t follow rules, they pay big time!
So, I still am not quite sure what to think, although the situation sounds a lot more complicated than we all initially anticipated. Anyone got any ideas?
[Photo by Brian H]
Previously:
“Vocal” Neighbors Getting Ellis Acted
 to try to help tell her side of the story. Please welcome Nancy Scott to the debate: I am the crazy tenant (15 years)who writes […]</p>
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this is why we have courts and judges.
This is pathetic.
How does the current system protect any of these parties? All San Francisco citizens – renters and owners – should contribute to a PUBLIC solution to house the elderly and disabled.
THANK YOU IM DONE
Whenever people feel the need to list a bunch of qualifications up front before making an argument, I just stop reading because everything that follows will certainly be bullshit.
You certainly have an opend mind, don,t ever go into politics! Are you friends with the greedy real estate agent? Also, why am I the only one not afraid to list my full name. People who use initials must be hiding something!
Oh, that’s a good point: you who have responded with words of support and understanding for us, please keep your identities confidential. She’ll try to track you down, otherwise. And you’ll be the enemy. Our neighbor who “dared” to voice his support for us was accosted by her, threatened and she started spreading nasty gossip about him. When we had to move because her harassment became unbearable, she was beside herself trying to find out where we went: she was leaving messages on my wife’s voice mail demanding to know where we are (claiming that she had “important court papers for us” – interesting jurisprudence where the plaintiff serves the papers to the defendant directly; but then, she can say and do anything she wants – she’s a protected tenant, not accountable to anyone and for anything).
Another thing – the “greedy real estate agent” stuff is just amusing… I wonder why she doesn’t just accuse me of being a hitman for the mob… maybe it’s coming.
crazy!
This is the best argument against “tenant rights” I’ve read in some time. Talk about a sense of entitlement.
I have no sense of entitlement I just want to live in peace for the rest of my time here. It was not my decision to be harrassed and use a lawyer. I gave my landlord many chances to come to an agreement but he chose this route and like some people I,m not a runner or name hider.
I’m very curious to hear how all of this ends once the dust settles.
Anyone that calls the police 25 times in 8 months sounds seriously unhinged. What a drain on society – never mind the fact that your rent is incredibly subsidized by a private party (your landlord), but on top of (most likely) drawing a disability check from the state, you call the cops at least 3 times a month? How much does that cost those of us that actually do pay taxes?
It’s interesting to watch the tenant babble on about the person that’s “not the landlord” and basically provide support for stuff “not the landlord” said in their single post.
Why are you blaming me for the abuse? I called the police 1 time in 13 years before this. I was issued a restraining order, yesterday (by a judge) against the girl upstairs. You really don’t know what you are talking about. The property taxes on this building are less than 400$ a year. Not only are the tic owners (if the property hasn,t been transfered last check it wasn,t)not paying taxes on the purchase price their not paying taxes at all. They probably won,t be paid until I,m gone and they let the new owners pay their taxes when thwy sell 2 units at a jacked up price!!!!!Check this tax info at the local tax assessors office. THANKS for the pictures and bringing this issue into the open. It is much appreciated!
You can get a “drive by restraining order” against anyone for pretty much anything. Stating that you’ve done so doesn’t really prove any point, other than you’re vindictive enough to go get a restraining order against your neighbors who moved out.
You make all of these grand accusations about your neighbors, none of which are backed up by fact. Document your allegations that they haven’t paid their property taxes. Public record alone is enough to prove that their property taxes are more PER MONTH than you state they are per year. You are clearly delusional.
Oh, and I wish I had sent these pics in months ago – what amusing ‘hood drama.
“Also, I have received plenty of compensation in other ways. I will not be leaving with no money. Thanks for your concern but when people don’t follow rules, they pay big time!”
That last sentence makes me question the veracity of this letter. But one thing is certain: its author is as batshit crazy as the author of the window signs, just in IMO not the same person.
It’s nice to see that the person who’s displaying all signs of severe disillusion paranoia is quite consistent in her lies and imagined injustices. First, I did not claim I’m her landlord. I’m a co-owner of the building and it is clearly stated in my posting. Second, her completely baseless accusation of me and my wife being real estate speculators is just that – baseless. I and my wife put everything that we had to buy an expensive place to start a family (we got married only a year-and-a-half ago). We had no intention to evict anyone and the neighbor, as unfriendly as she was to ANY buyers stepping into the open house (hysterical signs pre-date our buying of the place), was not our concern. We had no idea that this person is going to turn our lives into hell, as she would anyone’s who would’ve moved there. Her claim that she is a good neighbor is simply laughable: what good neighbor wakes up others in the building with screams, banging on the walls, and heavy stomping at 4:30 AM??? What good neighbor reclaims the entire backyard as her own and dictates the conditions under which THE OWNERS can use it??? What good neighbor throws accusations without a shred of proof (her flowers being damaged by us, her cat being “attacked” by us, spying on her, reading her mail…and many others)???
She claims to be disabled… it might be so. Her brittle bones are apparently not so brittle as her stomping on the floor would bruise a healthy person’s bones. She doesn’t hesitate to climb the ladder if it serves the purpose of removing OUR plant structures (i.e. hoping for our reaction). I would think that falling off the ladder is the risk that person in her condition wouldn’t take.
She’s simply lying about the restraining order: she has none and she will never get one, despite numerous attempts to get it, as there are no basis for it . Back in October, when she took me and my wife AGAIN to court, the judge told her that her actions are childish and paranoid. The result? She claims that we paid off the judge. In fact, she even forgot that she made me (Piotr) a defendant in that hearing. Three days after that happened she started to demand to know why I was sitting behind the defendant bench. So, I was such a threat to her that she demanded the restraining order against me, but she promptly forgot about even requesting it? Checking her own court papers would help, but she proved to be phenomenally immune to reasonable thinking. In general, she feels that she can say absolutely anything, but she’s not accountable to nothing.
As for the buyout. We did not want to invoke Ellis Act (incidentally, what speculator would do that to a 2-unit building???). It was act of desperation as she kept ignoring our offers and setting conditions that did not show any true intention to make a deal. At the beginning of this conflict WE approached her with the idea of going to Community Boards many times (I am a volunteer mediator for that organization, so I know its value). Our offers were flatly rejected, until one day all of sudden she proposed it. We, of course, agreed. During the course of mediation and afterwards it became crystal clear that she’s not interested in any compromise as she agreed to almost nothing (we made all sorts of concessions). The only thing she agreed to was not putting out those incendiary signs… well, you see how well that went (she even fabricated the reason why she felt released from that promise).
She claims that she so well liked in the neighborhood… Well, maybe the methadone crew that used to camp at our front stairs feels that way, as she encourages them to sit there (to the aggravation of all neighbors). Most people I meet who live in our block just can’t wait until she moves, or is removed by the sheriff. That sentiment was to me many times.
piotr… line breaks are your friend.
good luck. i hope you get what you want. and don’t worry, no one thinks you’re an evil person.
You know what, when you were in the process of deciding to buy the place, the crazy signs in the window should have tipped you off that something like what are experiencing now could be possible. Maybe you haven’t lived in SF long enough to know that the majority of the people here are certifiably batshit crazy? I wish you luck, but if I were in the position to buy a place that came with a tenant who displayed her craziness like that, I wouldn’t have even bothered looking at the place.
Sounds horrible. Good luck. But why did you buy the place when you knew ahead of times that she was nuts?
Good point they never bothered to meet us before moving in and buying their place
They never bothered to meet my son or I before they moved in and bought the place. They don,t care about living there. They believed they could get us kicked out quickly, turn to condos and make a good profit.
wait, you write you weren’t trying to evict her yet you said you only did the ellis after she wouldn’t take bribes. As co-owner of the building, you would stand to make more money with someone paying market rate rent so why lie about it? You also seem to under the assumption that because she is a renter and you are an OWNER (your emphasis) she shouldn’t have a right to use the garden you joinly own with her landlord. While her landlord could have put other conditions on her garden use, I’m guessing that’s not the case.
I’m sure she isn’t interested in moving from a rent control protected apartment and who would be? surely if she had signs up when you bought into the building you must have been aware of the legal protections she had and no doubt you were so eager to buy into the mission hype, you assumed the ellis would be an easy way to get her out.
the reality is she doesn’t need to accept any of your offers and that must piss you off but that doesn’t make her crazy, that makes her a renter that know she has rights and isn’t going to be kicked out by someone who didn’t take the time to know the laws before buying into a TIC.
Jamie–it looks to me like he says not that he doesn’t think she should use the garden at all, but that this woman claims that the entire garden is hers and don’t want the owners to use it at all, or only wants them to use it in a manner she dictates.
THANKS! Your correct!!!!!!!!!!!
Your just as mean as you always are. Your a real estate agent posted on Trulia and Ford.He,s also listed under licensed real estate agents. I never speak for everybody.
Ford Motor Company? Hmmm… nah… I know, it’s a Ford Real Estate – the real estate agency that existed until 2004 on Potrero Hill. Trulia is where buyers/sellers register for the information about the market. If you’re not careful and say that you’re a buyer/seller you’re barraged by R/E seeking business. That’s why people like me say that they are “Agent” to avoid junk phone calls and such.
She pulled that out that information for the internet and that’s her whole claim to us being speculators – like I would have to be licensed to be a speculator… where ignorance is bliss…
Incidentally, I had a had “flirt” with real estate career: I attempted a career change in the early 2000, worked for Zephyr and left after 2 years, went to my old salaried job. What I know from that experience is that real estate agents work hard and not mooch over the system.
But… this is just for all rational people out there… she’ll never let go of her paranoia.
What do you say now there is a temporary restraining order against your wife? If you don,t stop your next Piotr. Why didn’t you call the police if I did all this things? No one in their right mind would claim to be harrassed not call the police and leave a house they just “bought”.
Piotr,
I am so sorry to hear about this terrible situation! It sounds like it must be very hard on your or your family. You sound like a hardworking person who tried to take the high road and was driven to desperate measures.
This tenant sounds crazy and is a very effective argument against the ridiculous amount of tenants’ rights in this city.
Aside from my words of sincere support, I wish there was more I could do to help you.
He doesn,t need help, he,s done this before and has money on his side. So, as an owner you support abuse and harrassment of an elderly disabled GOOD tenant and her teen-age son trying to finish high school?
When have I done it and what????? What proof do you have …. nothing… this just a pure insult!!!.
Just out of curiosity, when and where has he done it before? Back up your accusations with proof. A link to anything, a newspaper clipping, a transaction listing on any site (like redfin, propertyshark, zillow, SF’s site that shows real estate transactions, etc.) will suffice.
We’re all waiting. You’ve made the accusation, now document it. Otherwise, you’re a rambling nutjob. Prove that he’s some speculator that has a history of doing this, as you’ve stated repeatedly.
Yes, Brian – that’s EXACTLY IT! There is no proof, because there cannot be one. I want to see it myself… I’ve never owned any real estate before, I’ve never even known anyone who evicted a tenant… But with this person facts and proofs don’t matter. Incidentally, a few months ago she claimed that we are NOT owners, but renters, just like her…
A bit back someone on the website suggested there be more burrito eating contests…well I do believe this is the only way to declare a “winner” in this argument.
I live around the corner and have been watching this unfold. If you had to resort to Ellis Act it means you’ve played your last card and she probably had sound basis for resisting.
You can’t rent that unit out for five years. And if you do, you have to rent it at the rate this person was renting. I might be wrong but I believe if it goes back on the rental market before five years she gets first dibs at moving back in.
I keep a good eye on Ellis evictions in the neighborhood and now that this has become public so will your other neighbors.
If Ellis’d flat go back on the market before the five year mark they have to be rented at the rate of the last tenant.
Be sure to check the list of Ellis’d flats folks. You might be paying to much for your apartment!
http://www.sftu.org/ellis.html
By the way WTF is up with the house on the green house on 20th between Alabama and Treat where that old lady was evicted some time ago. They pretend nobody occupies the house and have the front boarded up and secured with a motorcycle lock yet there is a large truck there every night and a couple who live there whom I have witnessed arriving in the evening and leaving in the morning. I’m mystified. I’m pretty sure it was bought by the son of that
Contractor/landlord Joe O’Donoghue who was spear heading all the Ellis acts in the early aughts.
Yeesh pardon all the typos.
Here’s a better link to check the listings of previously Ellis’d flats:
http://www.sftu.org/Ellis100407.pdf
LINDYLUA
I used to live next to that green house. It’s the weirdest thing, because it is boarded up. there is a camera out front, and people live there. You should see the back yard, most people would love to have a yard like that, but that yard hasn’t been taken care of in years. It’s a shame, there’s a back patio on the second floor too that’s in shambles. I have always wondered what the deal was.
I think it was Ellised and now they have to maintain a low profile for 10 years. It seems to me about that much time has passed already. But if anyone has any info on it I’m dying to find out.
Why do they have to maintain a low profile for 10 years? The restriction on renting is 5… am I missing something?
Wow, are you a bunch of cold-hearted bastards.
The fact that you fixate on your speculative reading of the tenant’s mental health (versus the bigger picture) speaks volumes.
The bottom line is that another yuppie shit is trying to inflict misery on a tenant so that they can pad their bank account.
Are those the values you support or are you just incapable of seeing things clearly?
Dan,
It’s interesting that you are willing to speculate that the owner is a “yuppie” and “shit.” But apparently you are able to see these facts clearly.
You seem to have missed the whole point here, Dan. The “yuppie” isn’t about to pad their bank account, and they never will be able to. They can’t ever convert the units to condos now, and the other owner can’t rent out that unit for 5 years. This is a huge financial loss for both of them, in the immediate and long term (5 years+) sense.
How exactly that equates to “padding their bank account” is not really connected to reality. In fact, they’ve taken steps directly counter to that. If that doesn’t speak volumes about motives (that cash isn’t KING here) to you, then nothing does.
The lack of rational thought applied to this is impressive.
Brian H are you also a greedy owner? Piotr already said he ellised the building because they couldn’t evict. Their only intent is MONEY MONEY MONEY. They made a bad investment and an error in judgement. I refuse to be bouhgt off or pushed around by greedy uncaring people…….By the way PIOTR what do you do for a living? You would never tell me. A few days ago you were looking for a job on twitter!
If “MONEY MONEY MONEY” were their only intent, they never would have Ellis Acted the building. Ever.
The fact that you come off as stalking the guy (you even follow a twitter feed for him?) is kinda creepy.
And, no, I am not a “greedy owner”. But, I wish I were, because that would make it so much easier for you to categorize me.
Thank you so much for your kind words and understanding, I have had a few nervous breakdowns in the process of this mess. They put a camera in the yard also. Maybethis is part of the M.O.
“elderly disabled single mom”
Did she give birth at age 55? WTF?
It sounds like her kid is 3 years away from graduating high school, and if 60 counts as elderly, that means she could have given birth at…45? Unlikely, but possible, I guess. Theoretically she could have adopted her own grandchild or something, too. My great aunt adopted her daughter’s child and was a “single mom” until she was like 75.
You are really rude and it,s none of your business.
“It,s none of your business.”
Except, that Nancy Scott brought it up in the first place. She made it our business.
Nancy is clearly way, way in the wrong here. I had my doubts when she described herself as an elderly single mother”–which is irrelevant, since justice is blind. I knew it when she described her adversary as “greedy”–this is the selfish person’s typical whine.
The message is “I am entitled to whatever I want. He is wrong to seek what he is entitled to.”
What is up with that Bryant St block? I lived just down the street from this house a few years ago and had one of the craziest, most abusive landlords ever. If you live on that block, you’re probably aware of her too. She also talked up her numerous disabilities and justified every one of her stupid actions with all the wonderful things she had done in her life and for the neighborhood. Not the same lady at all, but very weird.
I have absolutely no actions to justify except the signs in the window. If I ever did anything wrong I would have been evicted. They tried a fake eviction but never went through with it because everything was a lie. That’s when they ellised the building.They have everything to gain.
Banksy’s assistant…You are right – I should have known better after looking at those first signs, but isn’t experience something that we get immediately after we needed it?
I wish I could say that I didn’t know SF, but I lived in the city (as a renter) for 15 years prior to moving to this place. The house I lived in changed owners/landlords 3 times. All of those people remain my close friends. I’ve never had any conflicts with them, as any potential issues were resolved through normal and open communication. I guess, these “cozy” conditions made me complacent and I started to assuming that everyone has some rational part. Yes, I saw the signs, but I thought that this is just a scared woman who will quickly calm down when she sees what type of people we are. My wife and I made many reconciliatory gestures toward her. I had no idea that someone could do so much damage against their own good interests.
Which is exactly why I have done nothing. I have everything to lose.
You have nothing to lose. You already lost everything you had–your integrity and your sanity.
(I can just hear you crying to your cat now, “oh, oh, this bad man said something mean to me! I am going to use the internet to track him down and make him pay!”
Property owners pay a ton of taxes (I know) and are the foundation of the prosperous country we live in.
Living someplace for 15 years under rent control doesn’t entitle you to sucking on societies tit forever.
Kick her out.
Poor me, elderly/disabled, that is until the cops are called 25 times to use them for harassment and proxy thugs. No consequences seem to have happened from it (prove that amount of harassment was necessary) and this makes the lady sound totally crazy.
The co-owner is here acting anything but unreasonable with his side. It’s not about the money, since there’s no money in the course of action the co-owner has resorted to now. Chances are, if the co-owner really was the offensive party he probably wouldn’t be saying anything at all.
One barely-mentioned character in this story might deserve sympathy along with the co-owner- imagine having such a crazy parent.
What do you do for a living PIOTR?
As I told you before: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS… Incidentally, if you’re such a computer/internet sleuth you should know that… but it seems that you always go to the “ancient” postings… like Ford, Trulia… and Twitter – check the dates on it!!!
In fact, my wife TOLD YOU that months ago, but it wasn’t what you wanted to hear, so you ignored it.
You keep stocking us – physically and on the internet… You even had audacity to request to become our “friend of Facebook” recently… so you get some more dirt on us… ???
Dear All –
I really appreciated your thoughts and comments and I always welcome talking with in person. I walk my dog (a black/white/brown swissy, with a very jovial disposition) along Bryant Street frequently – feel free to talk to me anytime. This invitation is extended to every one of you. If you disagree with me, please voice your opinion to me directly, but be respectful. Of course I will be, too. I have nothing to hide and I can answer any question you might have. In fact, I’m very much looking forward to that court date to which my neighbor alludes and to “being exposed”.
I have just learned from my wife that that my neighbor indeed received a 12-day temporary restraining order against her. This type of order can be filed without any corroborative evidence, or even hearing the other side. In the past, as she tried to get a permanent restraining order (3 times), her requests were thrown out. It will be the case here, too (the court date to hear the case is set), as the charges she levies against my wife are complete and utter lies.
A question: does anyone of you can give me any advice how one can stop this particular form of harassment (filing false charges and forcing us to take time from our busy lives to defend ourselves)? How could we protect this family from someone who works full-time, not to contribute to anything to society, but to make this family as miserable as possible?
You need to get a lawyer, obviously. Ask her about seeking sanctions against this lady or a suit for malicious prosecution. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malicious_prosecution
Really! I have initiated Community Boards twice to no avail.
Hi Piotr,
Much sympathy for your burden.
People who use restraining orders as a tool to win a fight are pigs.
They are an abuse of government power and a rampant problem, because they are so easy to get. “Ex parte” restraining orders are issued outside of knowledge of the accused, on the claimant’s say-so without needing a shred of proof, so the accused is deprived of a chance to face the accuser or refute false allegations, against due process.
This advocacy organization has a pretty good article outlining the problem,
http://www.mediaradar.org/docs/RADARreport-VAWA-Restraining-Orders.pdf
A place to start to fight it
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+fight+false+restraining+order&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
And of course you should get a lawyer and remove yourself from discussion with the crazy lady or about this story, now.
Perhaps you can counter-file a restraining order yourself. Good luck.
Seconded, get a lawyer. My partner and I were forced to move from out last apartment because of an insane downstairs neighbor. She was verbally abusive, would stomp and pound on walls in the very early morning hours, and had a similar personality disorder to what Nancy seems to be suffering from – a persecution complex with a hefty sprinkling of Paranoia.
Unfortunately, you are locked in this situation due to SF tenant laws, which are such a double edged sword. It sounds like you are the kind of person who isn’t out to hurt a little old lady, but in this case are being forced to defend yourself. The cyberstalking and threats? Get a lawyer. Document everything. And you will probably have to show all of this stuff in court more than once.
BrianH had a cogent argument in the previous thread. As I was reading it I could visualize a flow chart and decision tree. Thank you BrianH. I wonder if we can apply some game theory to this?
The tenant is, in San Francisco, protected by strong tenant-favorable laws. So much protection in fact that the co-owners have to invoke the nuclear option to have the tenant removed. Everyone loses. Maybe next time the tenant could ratchet down the hostility, passive aggressiveness, and active aggressiveness; she may find some of that elusive peace she seeks.
Oh and to the busy-body neighbor that is going to keep an eye out for an early move-in by a new tenant — you should mind your own business. Way to make friends with your neighbors. What, you going to war over this? Maybe you should channel your do-gooder energy into capturing this delinquent Banksy
Uh, at the risk of being offensive, you can fuck right off there Neo Displacer.
I don’t need friends in the neighborhood like you, and can assure you I have plenty I do like after 15 years here. And yes I do look after my neighbors so suck on that big boy.
And Banksy rules. Although I’m not too sure he does his own work anymore:(
I’m not reading any of this, but that chick in the Beauty Bar photo has some rack, huh?
Jamie -
It is possible that I did not make myself clear in my postings, although it’s unlikely, as many of the readers of this board got my story just right. When we moved in we had no intention to make her move out, or bought her out. Her ridiculously low rent was not our problem, but her landlord’s. It is a completely different story why a person is entitled to living to in a private-landlord subsidized apartment. I’m not going to go that route – this is not the nature of our little tragedy. Her insanity is.
From day one she’s tried to assert her right to be the person who sets the rules and controls everything that is going in “HER” house (as she frequently puts it). She put an offensively addressed letter (the first one of many rambling and disjointed writings, full of accusations and threats) through our mailbox in which she set the conditions under which we can use the backyard: no bbq, no shop work, no cigarettes, no parties, etc. When we put a bbq set there she stood there with her son the entire time it took us to assemble if (1.5 hours) and berated us: “I don’t want any bbqs here, it causes cancer”, “We are vegetarians and we can’t stand the stink of meat”, and completely unrelated “you guys are growing pot in the attic”, “you sell drugs”, “you’re on drugs right now”, “Janine, that old man who was visiting here, is not your father – who is he?”, “You guys will not last here through the winter”, “how can you take over some other people’s stuff?” etc. And, guess what – a couple of months later she gets her own bbq set – stakes and hamburgers were on the menu. She consumes vast amounts of marihuana (medicinal, apparently) and grows it herself. I don’t care what she does as long as doesn’t project all her stuff which is the case.
We NEVER EVER prevented her from using the backyard. We bought beautiful lawn furniture, a little fountain, put bamboo reeds on the ugly fence, put mulch on the dirt, planted flowers (she lies that we moved hers to do that), installed the electric outlet, installed the water house and did plenty of other improvements. She has no qualms of using any of those amenities (we recently removed the furniture and the fountain as we are afraid that they will get damaged). We don’t the backyard at all these days she comes out of her unit, stands, or sits next to us and keeps making her accusatory monologues. Even if she goes inside she tries to make sure that we can’t enjoy the yard: she playing extremely loud music, or the voice mail messages that she left on her landlords answering machine (she recorded them) and on one occasion she and her son set smoke bombs while we were there (I have the photos of that). We also had a “pleasure” of looking at her naked body as she … exposed herself to us (yes, lifted her night gown and did a few-second dance in front of us; she did again a few months later “just for me”). These were disgusting acts of aggression.
Her recent thing is to pretend to bark like our dog. The difference might be that our dog barks a few times when she needs to go out and my neighbor keeps barking for 15 – 20 minutes at the time.
So, when you say that she didn’t take the “bribe” the more appropriate word would be that the extortion money that we were willing to pay was not accepted. Only then we resorted to the Ellis Act. It is not possible to live with this person under the same roof and fortunately no one can be forced to be in any business, business of renting, including. The neighbor next door, a Hispanic family that lived there for 40 years witnessed some of those events. They themselves have been subject to her abuses. And so were the people who took care of dying mother of the co-owner of the building (they lived upstairs, like us – she called child protective services and police on them, when their toddler had a nerve (imagine the chutzpa of that kid!) to run across the apartment. She even called the police on those poor people claiming child abuse… when the kid was miles away at his grandmother’s house. This woman will have trouble with her neighbors anywhere she goes.
I’m sorry that this story doesn’t live up to your formulaic “greedy-landlord-abused-tenant” scenario.
Get a job so you don’t have so much time on your hands! Your only intent EVER was to evict us. You have never been nice as documented in your ramblings. When I call the police you hide in Progressive Grounds and have tried to turn neighbors against me. I have NEVER had trouble with any neighbors until you and Janine got here. Your comments are extremely rude and if I have any mental illness you should have compassion not anger!
That’s rich… a person who doesn’t lift a finger to earn a living is telling me to get a job…
yes it does!
Wait. I thought she was a senior and retired? Ergo she doesn’t have to work anymore.
In a few years the crazy lady will be gone, one way or another, and that section of the Mission will be transformed into a boring, generic, “home owner friendly” kind of place….once you get rid of all the Mexicans of course. Any day now.
Give me good old Crazy San Francisco any day. Oblivious yuppies ruin everything.
What adds color to your life in the neighborhood is removing years from mine.
There are plenty of Hispanic home owners in this neighborhood and I hope that their number will only increase.
At the age of 50 I can hardly claim the “Y” from the “yuppie”. I wasn’t born in this country and I do bring different cultural experience that enriches this city. And, yes the neighborhoods do change: Mission was first Spanish, then for years it was Irish, only later to become Hispanic. At some point it might become something else. I find that this whole “diversity” sentiments are really extremely conservative if not purely reactionary.
Immigrants and first time home owners are a blessing for this country. But once a neighborhood switches from renters to homeowners, other changes follow. I appreciate your honesty and the position you’re in, piotr.
But, there is no such thing as “I just want a home for my family” in San Francisco. A home is a six figure investment that the homeowner hopes to make into a seven figure investment. Everything becomes subsumed to that goal. First it was those awful methodone people, now they’re gone. Next it’s that horrible crazy lady: when will she ever leave? Then it will be those Mexicans who drive the beat up Dodge minivans and make the neighborhood look shabby. And then who knows who comes next?
I’m sure you have lots of Latino friends and that there are plenty of respectable Latino homeowners on your block.
That’s not what this is about.
This is about investors and their investment. Those property values need to go up, and therefore the undesirables need to go. Because of the eccentric signs in the window, this issue has made it onto the pages of a hipster blog like missionmission. But beneath the hipster curiosity factor, this is an issue of moneyed interests taking over the Mission and turning it into just another generic beautified suburb, kind of like the places people used to move to the Mission to get away from.
Oh well. That’s the American dream. Enjoy your investment, and I’ll enjoy the memories of the way the Mission used to be.
Piotr,
Good luck. You have my sympathy. You are a saint for not having done worse to this lady than she alleges.
Thank you… it is very hard… and I’m not sure if I can visit this blog anymore… with her throwing all this nonsense at me, it’s not different from being yelled at our backyard, or from her window…
Man, the bloodsuckers are out today. I can only hope that the soulless majority on this thread aren’t indicative of the trendline of SF as a whole.
Brian, no “everyday” or “middle-class” person is able to afford a house in the Mission. It’s disengenuous of you to claim otherwise. Even if the payday is delayed, this is all about money; evictions in the city are nearly always about money and profit motive. Contentions to the contrary are just so much lipstick on a pig.
The issue is really clear. What’s more important: a disabled tenant’s security or a yuppie’s “right” to put the tenant on the streets so that he can make a shitload of cash? If you think rich bastards that buy properties should be able to do whatever they want, say that — don’t couch your “arguments” in favor of displacement in terms of justice or the American Way or any other suck absolute bullshit.
It’s fine that it’s your opinion that “no “everyday” or “middle-class” person is able to afford a house in the Mission”. The only problem, is that it’s wrong.
Median household income in San Francisco is $87,583 per http://www.bayareacensus.ca.gov/counties/SanFranciscoCounty.htm. Meaning, half make more than that, half make less. Now, if you describe middle class as folks that are substantially below median, then fine. But to me, the middle class are the folks that straddle that income strata – some make a bit more, some a bit less.
Now, with that much income, per FHA guidelines with less than 5% downpayment, you can get into a place like this:
http://sfarmls.rapmls.com/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=Sanfrancisco&PRGNAME=MLSPropertyDetail&ARGUMENTS=-N398865042,-N243121,-N,-A,-N23290548
Now, you can continue to come at this guy like he’s some sort of investor that’s looking to make a killing on the property (in spite of the evidence and their actions that will directly devalue the property), and that’s your choice.
As far as rights go, even in San Francisco, the most liberal tenants-right leaning city in the country, sides with the landlords in this situation. So, yes, the city and voters have sided with them by way of the Ellis Act. You continue to harp on the notion that they’re doing this for “a shitload of cash”, and have yet to respond to any of the comments regarding the notion that you’re dead wrong there. Why are you avoiding that point?
Finally, if you think that the median-earning, middle-class San Franciscan is a “rich bastard”, you’re sorely off point. The fact is, property owners are extremely restricted in what they can and cannot do with their properties in this city – and never once has anyone in this entire thread advocated that they should be able to do as they please.
I don’t get why she doesn’t just move. I mean when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter if she’s right or wrong, everyone is losing in this situation & there ARE other options she can take. hell, who would want to live in such an unwelcome home anyway?
I understand her disabilities make it hard but this situation has become public enough that there are people who’d help her move. I’ll lift some boxes for her, definitely.
There are a lot of good hearted people in the mission. If someone offers you shit, you don’t have to take it, you can go somewhere else.
I’m afraid that that would require a different mental state: cooperation instead of confrontation. That latter is what she thrives on. It’s not the physical move (she could easily do it with help of the people she knows and bankrolled by her “greedy landlord”).
That’s what I meant when I said that she acting against her own best interests (sadly, also against the interest of her son). She appears to be her own worst enemy.
Dude, rent control.
I can’t imagine what she pays now, but it’s probably not even close to 50% of market rates.
what i’ve learned: try to own a home before i’m 50.
Obviously, I know how much she pays but it’s not my place to go public with this information.
However, she DOES have options that would improve her life and probably would not require a drastic change in the monetary terms.
Unfortunately, that’s not where her energy goes into. She is much happier searching through the internet for some compromising for us material, filing bogus (based on lies) restraining order requests, and searching for anything that could make her landlord’s life (and – of course – ours) more miserable. And yes, she appears determined to ride herself to the ground. It is very tragic.
if either of the parties posting on here are really who they say they are: stop! you are not doing yourselves any favors arguing and posting details of the situation on this blog. you both need to talk to lawyers. i’m surprised how quick people are to jump to the defense of one side or the other based on these comments, both sides seem somewhat vindictive and paranoid, and both parties seem to have something to hide. if you think you are right, take it to the judge!
You are absolutely right – it is time to sign off on this.
As far as my motivation, it is not vindictiveness, but a very deeply rooted frustration – for 1.5 year I and my wife were insulted by those incendiary signs splattered across her windows and door, but we would not lower ourselves to the same level. This forum allowed me tell our side of the story and I want to thank ALL of you – pro, or against us – for listening to me.
Bye.
This is 100% not real.
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