REMARKS
Forms of tenant harassment and challenges in enforcement
0:02:05
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68 sec
Council Member Sanchez outlines various forms of tenant harassment and discusses the challenges in enforcing housing standards and protecting tenants' rights.
- Harassment can include threats, changing locks, or failing to maintain building systems
- Tenants often bear the burden of fighting for their rights and habitable living conditions
- Legal service providers play a crucial role in advocating for tenants, but funding is often at risk
- There has been an increase in housing violations, from 722,597 in FY23 to 895,457 in FY24, indicating worsening building conditions
Pierina Sanchez
0:02:05
Harassment can come in many different forms, such as threats or changing the locks, but it can also be in the form of inaction, like failing to maintain building systems or not making repairs.
0:02:15
This places the burden on tenants and or tenant groups to fight back as the only way to have their rights upheld and live safely and comfortably within their homes.
0:02:24
Some are lucky enough to work with legal service providers to advocate for habitable living conditions, but funding for these services are always at risk in annual budget fights.
0:02:33
We continue to work with the administration to ensure that the agencies in charge of enforcing these housing housing standards are doing so within their power to keep tenants safe.
0:02:43
This is why it is alarming to see that in the latest mayor's management report, there was an increase of violations issued from 722,597 in 23 to 895,457 in fiscal year 24.
0:02:58
Building conditions are getting worse.
0:03:00
How many of these are related to tenant harassment?
0:03:03
The council has passed measures to put in place, to sorry.
0:03:08
The the council has passed measures to address concerns around illegal lockouts.
