The Alameda City Attorney’s Office has secured a $20,000 settlement from a local landlord who refused to repay excess rent and allegedly harassed a tenant. The case began when a tenant filed a rent reduction petition after years without proper heating. A Hearing Officer ordered the landlord to reduce rent and reimburse $20,211 in overpaid rent, but the landlord failed to comply until the City filed an enforcement action in court.
City officials remind residents that tenants have the right to safe, properly maintained housing and cannot be forced out when a property is sold. Landlords who wish to offer a buyout must follow strict city rules…