Evicted by Vallie Brown

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Candidate Vallie Brown and three others purchased a building in April 1994 occupied by tenants. Because it was rent-controlled and many of the tenants had lived there for decades with low rents, the owners were able to purchase the building with 4 units for a bargain $275,000. (Assessed value is based on rental income projections for landlords, so speculators often obtain buildings at below market prices although they do not intend to actually remain landlords.)

Immediately after purchase, Brown and her partners took steps to remove the tenants. We believe tenants in at least two units were African American through interviews with witnesses. Here is the timeline of events:

• • Apr 13, 1994 – 148-152 Fillmore St (4 units) was purchased by Brown and three others for $275,000
• • Apr 25, 1994 – Tenants in three units file Wrongful Eviction petitions at the Rent Board twelve days later. (Tenants typically argue that an eviction is “wrongful” because owners have not stated a Just Cause or paperwork is faulty or non-existent.)
• • The leaseholder in Brown’s unit, Thomas L Cotton was 56 years old and had lived there since 1980. The rent was $206 per month at the time of purchase and he had a female roommate with the same last name.
• • Jun 1, 1994 – Vallie Brown files an Unlawful Detainer (the first step of an eviction) to remove tenants. Thomas Cotton does not have an attorney. His court fees are waived because he is indigent. As part of the eviction settlement the tenant waives his right to sue at a later date and agrees to move out with rent owed forgiven.
• • Tenant in a different unit continues with Wrongful Eviction cases up until 1996 because they did not waive their right to sue. This tenant eventually ends up living in public housing.
• • Thomas Cotton, evicted by Brown passed away in 2008. His roommate ended up living in Florida eventually.
  
• • All four units of 148-152 Fillmore sold for $2,625,000 on Sep 30, 2014, an increase of $2,350,000 in 20 years.
• • Vallie Brown purchases another condo to live in for $1.4 million in 2014.

The Tenants Union has long opposed Owner Move-In evictions and their role in the gentrification of the city. Fundamentally, the owner who wants to move in is saying “I have enough money so I will take YOUR home.” Besides being morally wrong, this it is bad housing policy for the city when residents are desperate for affordable rents. At 148-152 Fillmore St, the city lost four units of housing stock with affordable rents.

In 1998, the Tenants Union passed Prop G  so that what occurred at Fillmore St cannot happen anymore. Only one owner move-in is allowed now with that unit reserved as the “owner’s unit” for future owner occupancy.