Updated November 20, 2016
The Housing Department has selected, in a secret closed meeting, the 14 people who are going to sit down, again in secret closed meetings, and try to reach “compromise” on Opt In, the run around rent control being pushed by some park owners.
The seven residents, about whose selection we had NO INPUT are:
Dave Johnson
Diana Dolan
Eugene McLean
Janet Romanski
Kathleen Crowe
Mark Finhill
Sam Saiu
I don’t know about you, but these people do not represent me. I don’t want the “negotiating” away of portions of our current rent control law, such as vacancy control and pass throughs of the cost of capital improvements onto us without a “fair return” hearing. I don’t want the value of my home diminished to increase the profit margin of park owners. The meetings in which these 7 park residents will face 7 park owners or their representatives WILL BE HELD IN SECRET. WE CAN’T BE THERE. Remember when they had the same sort of Committee for the Apartment Rent Control ordinance, the meetings WERE OPEN.
This process is corrupt. It is un-American.
We have received an email about one of these appointed folks from a resident in the park where she lives stating that she is “hostile, disruptive, not well liked and self serving.” That is precisely why these appointments should have been made in an open meeting, not behind closed doors. Another resident in another park contacted Housing asking why most of the resident appointees are people who have not been attending the focus groups or Council meetings on the Opt In issue. He questioned why those with more demonstrated knowledge were not selected.
These issues just go to prove we have been right along: No Committee, No negotiation. No on Opt In.
Our petition is now at 2300 and growing every day. Continue to get residents in mobilehome parks to sign. Everyone can sign who lives in the home, not just the owner.
Posted June 27, 2016
The Department of Housing has established the process by which the Opt In Committee will be set up and how it will function.
In sum and substance, Housing is proposing a Star Chamber. (Star Chamber: In modern usage, legal or administrative bodies with strict, arbitrary rulings and secretive proceedings are sometimes called, metaphorically or poetically, star chambers.)
It is important that residents understand that Housing is proposing that not only will we be forbidden to speak at these Committee meetings, we will be banned from the room!
This is in complete contradiction to the way in which apartment owners and tenants were treated. From September 30, 2015 through March 21, 2016, Housing had an Advisory Committee on apartment rent control. Apartment owners, tenants, and “tenant advocates” sat on an identical Advisory Committee. All meetings were open and everyone was allowed to say their peace without spin or control by the Housing Department.
Go here to see the agendas and minutes of the meetings of the Apartment Rent Advisory Committee.
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=5007
Housing is obviously trying to spin and control the meetings of the Opt In Committee. They did the exact same thing during the focus groups held for the residents and were called out for it publically by residents such as Mike Connolly and Martha O’Connell.
Housing has also stated that no mobilehome resident who is on a City Commission can serve on the Opt In Committee. This immediately takes out three of the very mobilehome residents who will stand up to Housing: Martha O’Connell, Housing and Community Development Commission; Warren Gannon, Senior Commission; Davlyn Jones, Housing and Community Development Commission.
Three housing staffers have been charged with selecting those residents who will represent us on the Opt In Committee.
This corruption and manipulation must be resisted. No on Opt In. No on cooperation with this corrupt Opt In Committee.
No On Opt In 