Fresno Tenants Fight Back!

Fresno tenants are taking action to fight dozens of illegal eviction notices that were delivered to tenants at the Fresno Inn last week. Tenants and allies will hold a press conference at noon today to update the media on the plight of tenants of the Fresno Inn and reiterate demands that the landlord withdraw the pending 3-day eviction notices.

Tenants Together issued a letter last week demanding that the landlord stop the evictions. The landlord has not responded.

According to the 3-day notices, tenants are being evicted because the property is being demolished to make way for high-speed rail. "These vague 3-day notices are totally illegal," commented Leah Simon-Weisberg, Legal Director of Tenants Together. "Evictions for a CalTrans project would require that tenants get far more than 3-days to move, not to mention state-mandated relocation payments so they don't end up homeless."

"It makes me feel terrible, because they had no right to do this," said Christine Wilson, a tenant who lives at the Fresno Inn with her family, in a recent TV interview.

Omé Quetzal Lopez, regional organizer for Tenants Together, is assisting the tenants and urged the landlord to withdraw these notices: "These tenants are in shock and scared. They've paid their rent but are being kicked out with virtually no notice. There are families with kids, disabled folks, elderly, and low-income tenants who have lived here a long time. This landlord needs to stop these evictions now."

The tenants of the Fresno Inn have repeatedly complained of substandard living conditions. The landlord refuses to make necessary repairs, despite being cited by the city. Tenant advocates suspect that the landlord is trying to empty the building rather than make legally required repairs.

The press conference will be held TODAY at the Fresno Inn, 2335 N. Parkway Dr., Fresno CA 93705