Tenants in Los Angeles Chinatown have beat down 35 eviction lawsuits filed by their landlord at the Hillside Villa Apartments.
The tenants have been fighting their evictions for seven years. The LA Public Press reports a Los Angeles Superior Court judge recently ruled in two cases in the tenant’s favor. Landlord Thomas Botz has since dropped the other 33 lawsuits.
However, however he isn’t giving up his quest to force them to pay higher rents. He’s filed new cases demanding the payment. The tenants suspect new eviction lawsuits against them will be filed.
As AsAmNews reported in 2023, the tenants rents had tripled since 2022. Botz entered into a 30-year agreement to provide low-income housing in exchange for a loan in the 1980s from the city. That agreement expired and the tenants soon saw their rents increase dramatically.
The tenants include Chinese families, many with elderly members, who have been long-time residents.
In the case filed against tenant Alejandro Gutierrez, the judge ruled that a 130% rent increase during the pandemic was illegal.
Despite the court victory, tenants remain nervous about their future.
“We really don’t know what’s gonna happen with our living situation,” said Yasser Nokoudy.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
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