Two Santa Ana Landlords Give In to Striking Tenants
Two Santa Ana landlords have entered into an agreement with 60 families to make needed repairs at their apartments in return for an end to an unprecedented rent strike, a tenants’ leader announced Friday.
Nativo Lopez, head of Hermandad Nacional Mexicana, the Latino rights organization orchestrating the rent strikes against several landlords in Santa Ana, said the agreements were “beneficial to the property owners, the tenant families and the City of Santa Ana.”
Seen as Victory
The agreements between the landlords and the Latino residents, many of whom are here illegally, are seen as the first victory since 75 Santa Ana tenants began refusing to pay rents five months ago. The strike has grown steadily since then to include more than 300 tenants, among them the 60 who reached agreement this week.
The Santa Ana rent strikes have drawn national attention. Housing experts and Southern California community leaders said it was the first such strike anywhere in the nation in recent years.
Forty families entered into the agreement with Richard Zanelli, owner of apartments at 939, 1001, 1029 and 1101 S. Standard St. The strike against Zanelli began on May 1. Last weekend almost 500 supporters of the rent strike picketed Zanelli’s Westminster home.
Another 20 families settled with Joe DeCarlo, owner of units at 1103 and 1107 W. Highland St. Those tenants had refused to pay their rent since April 1.
Housing inspectors for the City of Santa Ana have cited all those apartments as “substandard.”
Under the agreements, both landlords agreed to make needed repairs at their apartments and only initiate “fair and equitable” rental increases.
Reached Out of Court
Lopez said both agreements were reached in out-of-court settlements and lauded the tenants, for standing up to the landlords in the “unprecedented” strike.
“They have come out of this without any scars and they have come out very much ahead,” said Lopez at a news conference attended by a dozen tenants.
DeCarlo, who Lopez said responded quickly to the tenants’ demands, was never sued by the tenants. In addition to promising to make the needed repairs of his property, DeCarlo also agreed to increase rent no more than 3% a year for the next three years.
The tenants also agreed to keep the apartments clean and avoid overcrowding. DeCarlo said the agreement was one “among friends” in which both sides should work to keep the apartments clean and up to habitable standards.
“What we’ve tried to do is make this an ongoing thing, not a one-shot thing. We want to keep the apartments nice for many years to come so everybody will be happy,” DeCarlo said.
One tenant, Marcos Alfredo Castaneda, said he was satisfied with the agreement reached with DeCarlo.
New Carpet, New Floor
“Now we have a new carpet and a new floor in the kitchen. Things are better now,” Castaneda said.
The agreement between Zanelli and his 40 tenants was reached before a judge heard a lawsuit in which Zanelli had sought to evict 35 striking tenants.
The agreement with Zanelli gives the landlord nine months to complete needed repairs. He also agreed to a three-month rent freeze with a $20-a-month increase after that in which rent on a one-bedroom apartment will rise from $410 to $430, Lopez said.
Zanelli declined to comment on the agreement Friday.
To Form Watch Groups
The tenants also agreed to form neighborhood watch groups to help Santa Ana police with drug problems and crimes committed in their area.
While the 60 families reached the agreement with DeCarlo and Zanelli, another 250 tenants are continuing their strike against other Santa Ana landlords, including Carmine Esposito and Pablo Sarabia. Sarabia’s home was also picketed last Saturday.
Lopez said discussions with both landlords are continuing, although lawsuits against Esposito and Sarabia are still pending. The strike against Esposito began Feb. 1. Tenants began withholding their rent payments to Sarabia on May 1.
Lopez also said another 100 tenants are planning to begin a similar rent strike against other Santa Ana landlords in July, but he declined to name them.
“We don’t want to tip our hand at this point,” he said.
