Sacramento Tenants Demand Habitable Housing Conditions

Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

SACRAMENTO, CA – Following long-standing habitability and security issues, renters at Palms Apartments in Sacramento held a rally and press conference here Thursday, demanding better living conditions and an end to the harassment they charge they have endured at the hands of their landlords.

Sacramento rents have historically been increasing over the past decade, and the Palms Apartments are one of the few affordable housing units left in the area, according to a recent statement by the Sacramento Valley Tenants Union.

The union explains a fire in early 2024 ended up decimating around half of the available units at Palms Apartments and resulting in a slew of new owners for the complex.

The current landlords of the rental, Carson Ave Partners, LLC, took control on April 10 of this year after purchasing the apartments and have since threatened tenants to move out, the union said this week.

As a result, tenants of the complex have partnered with the Sacramento Valley Tenants Union, now working as the Palms Apartments Tenant Association, to speak out about what they are experiencing and to attempt to save their homes.

Detailing the uninhabitable conditions they have suffered, tenants state their living situation was not safe, with faulty gates, locks, mailboxes, and trash collection—all of which has led to theft of packages, break-ins of cars, and illegal garbage dumping.

Tenants also claimed there have been vermin infestations, mold, lack of utilities, damaged electrical systems and more.

Regarding payment of rent, tenants claimed they are only able to use an online portal to pay rent, which—according to the Sacramento Valley Tenants Union—is illegal and particularly difficult for older or disabled renters.

Additionally, tenants have detailed harassment they allege has occurred by a new management company hired by Carson Ave Partners, LLC, who have aggressively intimidated and offered cash deals to renters in order to get them to move out.

This pressure to “self-evict” or accept “cash for keys” without proper compensation for the uninhabitable conditions they have endured is illegal, according to the Sacramento Valley Tenants Union.

The union maintains state law clearly states that “tenants are entitled to 60 days’ written notice if they are required to move out due to major renovations planned by the landlord, and they should have first right of return at their original rent once renovations are completed.”

The Sacramento Valley Tenants Union also indicated that, despite claims that there may be renovations, there have been no written notices or construction permits obtained for the building.

Author

  • Neha Suri

    Neha Suri is a sophomore at the University of California, Los Angeles pursuing a degree in political science and economics. She is passionate about working towards reform in the criminal legal system and aims to study immigration and criminal law. Originally from Sacramento, long term she hopes to work at the Capitol–either state or national in immigration policy.

    View all posts

Categories:

Breaking News Everyday Injustice

Tags:

1 comment

  1. Hi, my daughter has an application submitted with the shra. She was notified that she’s at the top of the list and just waiting for available units for either cerna or saybrook. We visited Serna housing and they had places available. They were just waiting on shra and we were stunned because we’ve you know been experiencing homelessness for a while so we called shra and they told us that Serna was able to refer us and that could move the process along. When we asked Serna about this, one of the employees was visibly upset because that was not a true statement. There was no way that they could refer us to s. Hra or to Serna housing. It was just simply not true. So now we’re frustrated. Wondering why shra won’t get on the ball and put us in housing that is available that that we were told is available for us and they say we are on the wait list. We’re just waiting for that property to become available and they’re available. Who should I go to to talk to about this problem? Does anybody know who governs the shra? Please help!

Leave a Comment