the work continues

So another day I'm pretty much forced out of the house. At around 11:30 this morning they continued working on the floors with the associated noise. I had to head out to cafes and libraries to get any work done. Luckily, I was able to get some thesis work done. Before I left, Jim delivered a letter saying that we can't be here the next three days between the hours of 10am and 2pm so that they can refinish the floors and allow them time to dry. So I guess we get notice when it impacts their work. It was close to 24 hours notice but not quite. I'll cut him some slack on that but I wonder how much notice we are supposed to receive for this kind of thing.

I'm going away for a few days which is probably a good thing, however looks like I'll have to leave before noon as was my original plan. It would have been nice to know this sooner.

letter results and updates

My last post was about the letter I sent to Jim. Well, I received a letter from his attorney asserting that Jim (and his employees) have the right to enter the common areas of the house because I only rent a room. The letter was poorly written which leads me to believe that the lawyer is not that great.

I've been gone for a week so any potential retaliation hasn't been noticed. I got back on Sunday and they weren't around, as usual. On Monday, they were in the house all day with a sanding machine to sand the floors. For the periods I was home it was a lot of noise between the sander, nail guns and a shop-vac. I left to go for a swim across town. I got back just past 5pm. They were sanding in the hallway right in front of my door and carrying on with the noise. It makes it really hard to do anything in my room. I was going to make dinner but that's pretty much out of the question now. There's sawdust up and down the hall and its made a nice little pile at my room entry where it blew in under the door.
The worst part is that I have no idea how long they'll be here. If the past is any indication, it could be as late as 9pm.

another letter

I sent another letter to Jim today asking that he give us some notice when he enters the building or does construction that is going to be disruptive as has been the case recently. I'm curious to see what happens. The last time I sent him a letter like this he retaliated by removing the water source for my garden in the back. There's nothing but dead, brown leaves there now. I'm not sure what he could do anymore to retaliate, I'm just hoping he remains civil about the whole thing.

Just in case II

The message from Mariana Viturro reads as follow:
I,m still employed at San Pedro Housing Comitee and if you have questions about us tenants you can reach me at 415-487-9203 for an appointment
Hola Nicholas,
Todavia trabajo en el Comite de Vivienda San Pedro y si tiene una pregunta sobre su inquilinato nos puede llamar al 415.487.9203 para hacer una cita.
Mariana

Paint II

I have a camera if needed to document disposal of paint...
Best source for info about disposal of paint should be some government agency...
I'l spend some time doing research about the paint issue...I'l also try to contact Mariana Virturro...

Paint

This might seem a bit trivial but my point with this blog is to document anything and everything that this guy is doing and let it be settled later whether it is allowable or not.

So Jim's dug a hole in our front yard where he disposes and washes the paint from projects at his other properties. It kind of sits in a puddle there for a little bit until it evaporates or drains away. I hope it's at least water based but have no idea. With Jim I can only gaurantee that he got it very cheap. That's his style. Anybody know if dumping paint in your front yard is ok?

Just in case...

Since i've reading all the blogs posted, I think is important to have in mind the people at La Raza Housing @ Valencia & 16th...Last time I had to deal with landlords a girl named Mariana Viturro was very helpful with lawyers and stuff..hope she still works there..this is in regards of things "disapearing"....her email, just in case mviturro@yahoo.com

I think I 'll send her an e-mail asking advise...

Hi there !!

Let me introduce myself...
My name is Nick and I have lived at 934 Shotwell St since Feb 2006...
There are a couple of things that surprised me from the very beginning...our landlord would not receive checks as form of payment..only cash he said...he would give you a receipt for the payment...but somehow sounded strange to me...
After struggling with Jim, he allowed me to paint my room with a white colour paint..he had the room painted with a striking blue paint that made the room look like a dance club or something...
Another anecdote..
Last spring I decided to have a worm bin for compost...everything went fine up until the day I returned from a trip...the bin was gone...and blamed an ex-roommate for the disappearance of my worms...what's up with that !!
The last few weeks has been terrible...
Somehow since Fri June 27th, there is one less person living at 934 Shotwell...
I have serious questions about the legallity of this matter....
I'm at work..and my time is up...
Ta ta..N

new author

So another housemate has asked about joining this blog so he can post here as well. He is concerned about the illegal eviction that was served on Bond as well as the coercive, intimidating and deceitful attitude that Jim has show to us over the years. The more the merrier is my attitude, so welcome Nick!

And in that spirit I've invited others. Another housemate and a former housemate. I'll introduce them later or let them introduce themselves.

The more the merrier indeed...

so much going on...

Things are going on so quickly around here, it is hard to keep up. Finally discovered why "Bond" moved out. Turns out he was served a paperless eviction by Jim and coerced into signing something saying that he only used his room for storage. This was the day before, or of, the visit by the housing inspectors. A very obvious motive for Jim... He may have asked another housemate to sign a similar document, it's unclear.

And, it's official, Jim is back to his old ways. A couple months ago after three weeks of construction and his nearly constant presence in the house, I finally wrote him a letter formally asking him to give us notice before he enters the premises or performs construction in accordance with renter-landlord laws. He responded by removing the hose bibb from the backyard so that I could no longer water my garden. Now, Jim, Dan and Frank have been in the house installing heating vents for this past week. Jim is in the bathroom, kitchen, hallway and any other common area just as before.

I guess it's time for another letter...

Ongoing entries/construction...

I was happy to escape my office today in the land of dreary, gray fog to come home and work in the sunny Mission. Of course, Jim, Dan and Frank manage to ruin this brilliant plan.

First I notice Frank coming in and out of the house working quietly on one of the rooms that is empty and, presumably, being prepped to be rented. Then Dan (Jim's brother, co-landlord, who I have not yet introduced here. He's quieter and tries to stay less involved then Jim but is just as intrusive) enters, talks loudly on his cell phone up and down the hall and comes in and out as he pleases. Finally, the force driving me from my home hits as they begin hammering and drilling very loudly across the hall. Another drill also begins below me in the garage. This goes on for a half hour before I decide I can't get any work done and head out to a cafe, having been forced to pay for a place to work.

Yet again there is no notice of entry or notice of construction work. They come in and out without a concern for us living there. I'm getting the feeling that this is standard these days, now that I am not around in the daytime as much, but this is the kind of inconsiderate and unlawful behavior that I plan to document with this blog whenever I come across it.

Frank

Frank was in the house very early this morning using the bathroom for a looonnnnggg time. He then was seen exiting out the garage carrying a number of things. This worries me considering that Bond's things are still down there and have already been pilfered from...

Swimming Trunks

This might seem small but it really illustrates the restrictions we live under in this house. I like to swim and have been able to do it more frequently recently. I go to a local pool that doesn't have one of those fancy things that wring out your shorts so when I get home they are usually pretty wet and need to dry. The other day I decided to hang them outside so they wouldn't drip on my floor. I could just see Jim trying to keep my security deposit from some such reason as wet shorts in the room. Anyway, I was reluctant to put them outside, knowing how this place works, but I did so anyway with the firm belief that I could remember to retrieve them. Well, two day passed and apparently that wasn't quick enough.

I go out to get them and sure enough they're missing. Another housemate confirms that they were in the trash the previous day, of course, the trash just got picked up an hour ago. It's entirely possible that they may have blown out into the yard with a wind, but does that give a landlord or his employees the right to throw them away? This is the kind of constant surveillance and lack of consideration for personal property that I live under.

Gold Coins

Very shady things have been happening around here lately. First, one of the most stable roomates (we'll call him "Bond") moved out without saying anything to anyone and refusing to talk about it. I can only imagine what Jim must have told him to instigate this. He's normally very nice and talkative. Anyway, it was the same day that the inspectors came by to determine whether or not Jim had too many people living here (he does). For some reason, Jim, his brother Dan and Jim's worker (we'll call him "Frank") moved all of Bonds possessions into the kitchen and them downstairs to the garage taking most of the day in and out of our kitchen. Their prolonged presence in the kitchen was certainly an imposition but the worst I find out the next day.

Apparently Bond had a box of gold coins. One hundred and twenty five of them. They were just sitting amongst his belongings in the garage downstairs. Wouldn't you know it, the next day Bond came by to check on his things and the box was sitting there but empty as can be. I can't prove who stole them but I know three people that have access to that garage...

Brief Background

I have been a tenant at this address for about a year and a half. During that time I have had various problems with the landlord that I'll fill into this blog when I get the chance. Most of the problems now stem from his, and his employees, illegal entries into our rented space. I'll fill in the story with more detail as things progress.