North Park Renters Facing Evictions In the Middle of Holiday Season

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While most people will be headed home for the holidays, dozens of San Diego renters are being evicted from their homes.

Holiday season has, so far, been full of heartache for George Rowles.

"When we saw the date, we had to leave two weeks before Christmas, that just threw our whole world into chaos," he said.

He's one of dozens of tenants in at least six properties in Hillcrest, North Park and Normal Heights that received eviction notices from the same landlord. Some have rented their units for 10 years or more, but now they're being asked to leave by Dec. 14.

"I figure after the holidays would be the decent thing to do, but kicking everyone out two weeks before is heinous," one tenant said.

Ananth Subramanian is planning on staying in his nearly $1,400/month, one-bedroom apartment and fighting the eviction, which tenants say came just after San Diego's "no fault" eviction protections expired in October.

"I could move and sign a year lease, another landlord could come in and buy that, I'll have to move again. It's not a stable proposition to just move and be at the whim of these landlords," Subramanian said.

Their landlord isn't breaking any laws, according to experts NBC 7 spoke with, but tenants disagree and cite San Diego's tenants' rights laws that state tenants can be removed after the landlord has obtained the needed permits for necessary repairs or construction.

One renter gave us a tour of their apartment to demonstrate that no obvious repairs are needed.

"Minor cosmetic changes to an apartment shouldn't be a reason to move people out, and that's the problem we see right now," a tenant said.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and Council President Sean Elo Rivera announced Tuesday night they're working on new protections for renters, including increasing eviction notice time, assistance, and closing the no-fault eviction loopholes.

"That's why we want clarity on the language," Elo Rivera said. "Folks are reading this and have strong feelings on intent and what spirit of the law is and what the spirit of it should be, and then not be confident that there will be a verdict consistent with that in court."

But those protections, if passed, won't kick in fast enough for this tenant group.

"I understand the business aspect, but you have to understand the human factor," Rowles said. "You should have some consideration and compassion instead of being all out for greed."

NBC 7 reached out to the landlord for comment multiple times but has not heard back. Elo-Rivera said he's hoping to have the new rules voted on and in effect by early next year.

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