Renters who live in the Hawaiian Gardens apartments and neighboring Swell apartments in Imperial Beach want city leaders to enact some type of moratorium so they don't have to move.
While chanting things like “housing is a human right" and "shut it down, don’t move out,” they marched to Imperial Beach City Hall and urged councilmembers to enact more renter protections.
“We need you guys to make those laws. We need your help," one of the many residents who pleaded their case to councilmembers said.
Residents say only a letter of change of ownership has gone out to residents at the Swell apartment complex. But they’re concerned after new owner DMJ Capital posted on its website that they have "plans to upgrade the differed maintenance and conduct a comprehensive modernization to the project to enhance the overall quality of the property.”
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NBC 7 obtained a copy of one of the "Termination of Tenancy" letters, dated Oct. 30, that Hawaiian Gardens renters got from F&F Properties. It states residents have to vacate their apartments by Jan. 31, 2025, so the company can do a "substantial remodel."
It's a tactic that's come to be known as a no-fault eviction.
“There’s going to be a lot of homeless people and seniors that are homeless,” said Susan Vanderlinden, who lives in the complex.
Sandra Del Rio has called Hawaiian Gardens home for her and her two young daughters for the past nine years.
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“I don’t want to tell my kids I don't have the answers,” Del Rio said as her eyes watered with tears. “I don't have the answers for where we're going to live or how we're going to afford things. They shouldn't have to worry about that."
Del Rio says she's paying around $1,900 hundred a month for a two-bedroom apartment.
If other available units on F&F Properties' website are any indication of what to expect, a remodeled two-bedroom could be nearly $900 more.
Higher prices are an issue tenants say they're encountering at other buildings in the area.
"Prices are really insane. They're really high, and I’m trying to get a second part-time job,” Del Rio said in regards to being able to afford housing.
F&F Properties issued a statement saying it's going above and beyond California’s Tenant Protection Act of 2019. The company says it's giving 90 days’ notice instead of a required up to 60 days. It's also forgiving last month's rent for all tenants, including those who aren't entitled under the law, and returning all security deposits in full, which isn't required.
Since the issue wasn't on the agenda of Wednesday’s city council meeting, the mayor of Imperial Beach could only say the housing issue will be addressed at a meeting next month.
Renters at Hawaiian gardens who are struggling to find a place to live are hoping that's not too late.
“We need to put a ban on letting them do these no-fault evictions. It's not right," Del Rio said.
“Everywhere you go, you find the rents are higher and higher, and landlords don't care. They don't care about the people. All they care about is the money,” Vanderlinden said.
A spokesperson for F&F Properties says there's no timeline for when construction will be done. But he says this is a total rebuild, so rents will go up.
The Imperial Beach City Council is scheduled to discuss the renter’s rights issue at their Dec. 4 meeting.
