www.montereycountynow.com August 22-28, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 Tenants at 150 Encinal St. in Soledad received three letters dated Aug. 1. In one, they were notified they have a new landlord, Mi Tierra Linda, LLC. The second alerted them to “extensive renovations,” and noted the new rental rates, which are much higher than what they are currently paying. “I have a family who said they’re paying $1,400 for a two-bedroom, and the new rent is $3,200,” says Beatriz Trujillo, a housing analyst with the City of Soledad. “That is expensive for Monterey County,” says Jonathan Torres, housing program coordinator at Echo Fair Housing, a San Jose-based nonprofit advocacy group. (According to Zillow, the median rent in Soledad for a two-bedroom apartment is $2,600.) Some residents from the apartment building have shown up at Soledad City Hall seeking aid. City staff say the majority, about 80 percent, are Spanish speakers, and they received the letters in English. Lorraine López, senior attorney at Western Center on Law & Poverty in Los Angeles, says the notices are non-specific. “It’s very vague and confusing,” she says. Existing tenants aren’t required to sign a new lease, but López notes a legal loophole: “If they’re technically moving you into a different unit, they could claim that that’s a new tenancy.” The building was built in 1977 so it falls under California’s Tenant Protection Act, meaning landlords can’t increase rent by more than 10 percent for existing tenants. Narciso Lara, project manager for Mi Tierra, says the property owner is doing extensive renovations that should have happened over a decade ago, and the work will bring the rentals to market rate. Lara adds tenants have the option to stay if they want to under a new lease agreement; if not, he says tenants will receive 60-day eviction notices. Jesus Estrada, an organizer with Salinas-based nonprofit Center for Community Advocacy, says he receives approximately 20 calls a month about housing issues throughout Monterey County. Many are from long-term tenants who receive 60-day notices stating the unit will be renovated, which allows the landlord to increase rent beyond 10 percent. In reality, Estrada says renovations are often minimal. The building on Encinal Street has 24 units, 11 of which are still occupied— some by tenants who have lived there for decades. The rest of the units are in various stages of upgrade. The California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 is intended to protect tenants from substantial rent increases and unfair evictions. The law allows for evictions in the event of extensive renovations or a property owner moving in. These loopholes were narrowed by the Homelessness Prevention Act, which took effect in April. Now, if the owner is moving in they have to do so within 90 days and live there for at least a year. In case of renovations, the landlord has to provide detailed information about the renovations and permits. On Wednesday, Aug. 14, Mi Tierra applied for a residential plumbing permit from the City of Soledad. High Cost Renovations and rent increases in a Soledad apartment building leave tenants in limbo. By Celia Jiménez Jesus Estrada of the Center for Community Advocacy regularly fields calls about housing issues. He says about 20 percent of tenants stay, at higher rent, after a building is renovated. NEWS “They’re paying $1,400, and the new rent is $3,200.” CELIA JIMÉNEZ Hay, Hay, Hay! 101 W. Laurel Dr, Salinas • (831)443-6161 Mon-Sat 9am-6pm Sun 10am-5pm $5 OFF Any purchase of $25 or more $10 OFF Any purchase of $50 or more $20 OFF Any purchase of $100 or more Cannot be combined with other offers. Limit 1 coupon per customer. Not valid on hay shavings, Frontline/Advantage, or Seresto collars. Must present coupon at time of purchase. Alfalfa $24.99 Alfalfa Grass Mix $26.99 Forage Mix $17.99 Wheat Straw $14.99 Real Men, Real Life, Real Results “At its core Breakthrough is about being the best man you can be” - Breakthrough Graduate Now registering for Fall Workshops Change IS possible. Start your best life now. LIFE TOOLS FOR MEN For information or to attend a FREE introductory session email enrollment @breakthroughformen.org located in carmel plaza carmel-by-the-sea khakisofcarmel • 831.625.8106
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