My neighbor is being unfairly evicted from her apartment, what are her options?
She has lived here (CA) twelve years under different management. Recently the owners of the property who live out of state fired the manager and have made a few abrupt changes on the property like taking down her garden and a trellis with a nice plant on it that we've had for years with no notice or anything. They just threw it away with some other things without even asking if we would get rid of the garden, plants, etc. When she complained and caused a stink about the things they were doing she thought was wrong (like raising our rent with no written notice) they filed to evict her. She just got notice in the mail. They have made threats like this to me also when I have commented politely on their unprofessional behavior. At times they get can verbally abusive and to be honest they really scare me. She is a professional woman and a nice neighbor but does not have enough money for a lawyer...what are her options? This is not a rent controlled area.
Call the police and tell them you are being harassed. Record the abuse and present that to the police.
If you think you have a case, you guys won't need a lawyer. The DA will prosecute the jerks.
Without reading your lease, it's hard to comment specifically. Here's an overview of California law on landlords/tenants, hopefully it will help: http://www.landlord.com/lawresoverview.h...
Answer:
In CA, if not in public housing or a rent controlled unit, a tenant who has a 'month-to-month' tenancy can be evicted for no reason at all. The landlord gives a thirty-day notice and that's about it.
As for the rent increases, they should give a thirty-day written notice of that as well. She and others may have a claim for the extra rent paid without proper notice.
It doesn't make any economic sense to kick out a 12 year tenant on the facts you state, just to get someone else who may not be nearly as good. If she has paid her rent on time and not broken the rules, there must be something else going on here. Maybe a letter to the owners directly would help your neighbor resolve these issues.
