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Graphic by Eddie y Tiny

Just Cause.....
.......tenants need it!

By PNN Staff

The yellow morning-ness flooded the middle of E.19th street

"My friend and his family were evicted by the owner of that building......for no reason.......now the family is split up.......My friend and his family were good tenants, they paid their rent on time, they didn't cause any trouble.... "

A breathless silence consumed the air as i followed the man's gaze to the large brown icon of familial destruction; The 'Mediterraneun' at 610 east 19th street - an apartment building owned by Richard Thomas, one of Oaklands most notorious landlords, well-known for his tendency to evict any and all tenants who impede his progress to greater real estate profit margins. The 19th street resident had approached me as he watched us unload signs and other accroutrements in support of The Just Cause Eviction legislation rally that was about to begin.

"We're here to let folks know about the Just Cause Initiative and bring attention to the soaring rates of evictions in Oakland, and its impact on low income communities throughout Oakland", James Vann,one of the organizers was speaking to the crowd.

Tenant advocates, evicted residents and artists began to flood the street. After a few of the tenants finished speaking , reporters from ABC,NBC, and The Oakland Tribune, began to drift away from the center of the press conference towards a suited man with an odd tilt to his head who was spitting out short bullet-like sentences

"I'm not sure I believe what they are saying...."

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His eyes were compressed into two small dots which were wedged under his forehead. As he spoke he would swirl his face and eyes upward. Parts of the sun-soaked sky reflected off of his hair gel and blinded anyone who attempted to follow his odd head movements.

" Oh are you a developer? "

" Well..no..", to this the head whipped around, up and down all at once.

" So what do you believe? "

" Well, I can't say"

"Can I have your card and call you later?

" No well..ok ..no..... well....sure you can have my card....Why don't you call me later"

"I have lived here at 610 E.19th street for 6 years I have been. a great tenant , I always paid my rent on time, and I have AIDS .....I was served with an eviction notice by Richard Thomas.

As the tenant, Gene Ramos spoke and the almost- developer shifted nervously between reporters, a terrifying pit began to form in my intestine at the recollection of my own eviction from Oakland a mere 8 months ago from a building, where although riddled with severe inhabitability violations, was still a home for my mother and I

"After Richard Thomas evicted us our family had to split apart - my wife is living with her mother and I am living with my family We were good tenants .now we have no place to go to be together again. After relating his story, former tenant, Richard Clemons walked away with his family never to be housed on East . 19th street again

As the nausea in my stomach intensified and i began to lose hope that the Just Cause organizers could collect 25,000 signatures for this crucial November ballot iniative.......... I realized.this was a job for El Mosquito, the poly-racial, multi-lingual superhero, defender of justice, protector of the oppressed.....

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THERAPY COSTS TOO MUCH!!!!
Dee Gray, M.S.W., M.F.C.   Licensed Therapist specializing in advocacy and crisis counseling. Mother, daughter and family counseling. Adoption and juvenile dependency. Literary and creative art counseling. Individual and group therapy. Sliding scale fee. (415) 541-5629.