Tenants Together has been working for months with tenants in numerous buildings in Concord where landlords are allowing bed bug infestations to persist. Tenants are regularly bitten as they try to sleep, resulting in bites, rashes, and sleep deprivation, among other impacts. Despite requests for abatement, the problem persists. Carmen LaRosa, a long-term tenant of the Rosemont complex, commented: “We are tired of being ignored. We have lost thousands of dollars of furniture, and we can’t sleep at night because of these bed bugs. The landlord needs to do something.”
We have been hosting monthly clinics in Concord where tenants can come to learn about their rights and get help. Due to ongoing organizing efforts, tenants in Concord are taking leadership and have filed a major habitability lawsuit against their landlord, Rosemont LLC. Attorney Steve McDonald of the tenant law firm Greenstein & McDonald is co-counseling the case with Leah Simon-Weisberg, Legal Director of Tenants Together. A press conference was held a few weeks ago announcing the lawsuit. Photos from the press conference.
We clearly got the attention of The California Apartment Association, who have responded by holding a presentation on bedbugs. We welcome their participation in finding solutions as long as the focus remains on abatement strategies, rather than blaming tenants for the problem.
TV news coverage from CBS SF on the plight of tenants:
You can help support our efforts in Concord by volunteering or donating and becoming a member. Your help keeps core support systems for tenants like our monthly clinic and Tenant Rights Hotline running.
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