MEMORANDUM

TO: Lezin, Schmidt, and Odum

FROM: Akaylah Fisher
DATE: September 3, 2014
RE: Afrmative Defense to insufcient Notice for Owner Move-In
Eviction to multi- unit residential property in Violation of
Oaklands Measure EE ust !ause wit" unlawful rent
increase vs# $e%in& $e%in-'c"midt and Odum& tenants#
QUESTIONS PRESENTED
1. ere the !0 day n"tices in#alid $"r $ailure t" include certain lan%ua%e
t" supp"rt &'ust cause( e#icti"n in rent)c"ntr"lled Oakland*
2. hether terminati"n "$ t+" separate residential units $"r O+ner ,"#e
-n .O,-/ satis0es ,easure 11 "$ the Oakland &2ust 3ause( Ordinance*

ANSWERS
1. 4es.
2. 5". An "+ner may "nly e#ict "ne unit e#ery 3 years unless there is an
e6cepti"n like the pers"n t" "ccupy is in a pr"tected %r"up, disabled "r
"#er !2.
FACTS
7he tenancy trans$"rmed $r"m term t" peri"dic "nce the lease e6pired in
2012. 7he pr"perty l"cated at 481 9ershin% :ri#e in Oakland has 2 units.
7here is an upstairs and d"+nstairs unit, b"th +hich are "ccupied. Landl"rd
has sub'ected tenants t" numer"us unscheduled #isits and harassment "$
their use and en'"yment. 7here ha#e been attempts t" raise the rent +ith"ut
reas"n. -n resp"nse, the tenants appealed t" the ;ent <"ard and they
pre#ailed in %ettin% the unrelated increase denied.
7he Landl"rd claims the pr"perty is a sin%le)$amily residence but this is
inc"rrect. Fr"m the ;ent <"ard decisi"n, the pr"perty +as rec"%nized as a
multi)unit c"mple6 based "n its use. O+ner ser#ed !0)day n"tices pursuant
t" 'ec# (A t" use premise as her relati#es= principal residence. .'ee Measure
EE )#**#+(,- >"+e#er, she has "ther pr"perties +ith a#ailable units, +hich
raises the ?uesti"n "$ bad $aith and dish"nest intent "n the part "$ the
"+ner. 7he "+ner $ailed t" make a %esture "$ %""d $aith@ i$ she can, she must
dem"nstrate that her c"nduct is reas"nable.
DISCUSSION
1#icti"ns in rent c"ntr"l areas are sub'ect t" limitati"ns based "n balancin%
the "+ner=s interest +ith the need $"r aA"rdable h"usin%. -n %eneral, a
landl"rd may n"t endea#"r t" rec"#er p"ssessi"n "$ a residential unit unless
"ne "$ ele#en &'ust causes( e6ists. O+ner ,"#e -n .O,-/ is a 'ust cause $"r
rec"#ery "$ a unit +hen rec"rd "+ner seeks p"ssessi"n $"r .1/ her "+n use "r
.2/ use by her sp"use, d"mestic partner, child, partner "r %randparent.
7he "+ner must, $"r %""d cause seek rec"#ery in &%""d $aith, +ith"ut
ulteri"r reas"ns and +ith h"nest intent t" rec"#er $"r their pers"nal "r
$amilies use and "ccupancy. See 8.22.3!0 Sec. !A.8)B/
7he !0 day n"tices needed t" include a list "$ all pr"perty "+ned by the
intended $uture "ccupants, l"cati"n "$ the pr"perties, +hether a ta6
e6empti"n is claimed and reas"ns supp"rtin% the %""d "r 'ust cause e#icti"n,
?u"tin% secti"n !3 "$ 11 #erbatim. 7he n"tice must als" ad#ise tenants that
they can c"nsult +ith the Oakland ;ent <"ard t" "btain m"re in$"rmati"n. All
"$ these re?uirements are lackin%. 7here$"re, the n"tices ser#ed 2uly 2, 2014
are insuCcient t" permit Landl"rd t" 0le an Dnla+$ul :etainer .D:/ acti"n
+ith the c"urt t" initiate e#icti"n pr"cess.
CONCLUSION
7he n"tices $ailed t" suCciently state the %r"unds $"r the e#icti"n based "n
"+ner "ccupancy. Additi"nally, "+ner acted in bad $aith because she has
"ther a#ailable units +hich she c"uld "ccupy, and is impr"perly seekin% t"
re%ain p"ssessi"n "$ t+" units $"r O,-. 7he e#icti"n +ere m"ti#ated by
retaliati"n and the price increase +as c"mpletely un$"unded. ;ent <"ard
ruled in $a#"r "$ the tenants $"r the unla+$ul rent increase "$ 1EF.