East Palo Alto Tenants Press Landlord to Drop Appeal Over $200,000 Rent Rebate Award
The tenants of a large apartment complex in East Palo Alto are taking their fight to the former landlord, Sand Hill Property Company, after it failed to drop its appeal of a city ruling that awarded them over $200,000 in rent rebates. The award was granted following an investigation into habitability issues at three buildings in the complex.
The issue began when Woodland Park, a cluster of rent-controlled apartment buildings, filed complaints with the city's rent stabilization board, citing repeated failures in maintaining basic housing services. The board found that flooding in one building had persisted since 2023, while another was plagued by severe rat and cockroach infestations.
As a result, the board ordered rent rebates and reimbursements totaling more than $200,000, which would have provided significant relief to affected tenants. However, Sand Hill Property Company has appealed the decision, delaying payment and prompting the tenants to stage a protest outside the company's office last week.
The tenants are demanding that the former landlord drop its appeal and pay out the rent rebates as awarded by the board. They also want the company to pause rent increases at other Woodland Park properties and invest in repairs. East Palo Alto, where many residents are from immigrant and minority backgrounds, is considered one of the last affordable areas in Silicon Valley.
According to tenant organizer Maggie Pande, the delay has had a significant impact on tenants who were awarded rent rebates. "We were awarded about $200,000, but the money has not been paid to us," she said. "They appealed the case, and they have not given us the rent rebate award."
The dispute highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining affordable housing in Silicon Valley, where rising rents are driving out long-time residents. The Regional Tenant Organizing Network's James Huynh described the situation as a real estate corporation refusing to pay out money that could be life-changing for low-income seniors and families.
In response, Sand Hill Property Company disputes the findings and claims that the complaints stem from issues during its prior ownership of the property. However, the company has sold the three buildings to a New York City-based investor, leaving tenants without representation in their dispute with the city.
The tenants of a large apartment complex in East Palo Alto are taking their fight to the former landlord, Sand Hill Property Company, after it failed to drop its appeal of a city ruling that awarded them over $200,000 in rent rebates. The award was granted following an investigation into habitability issues at three buildings in the complex.
The issue began when Woodland Park, a cluster of rent-controlled apartment buildings, filed complaints with the city's rent stabilization board, citing repeated failures in maintaining basic housing services. The board found that flooding in one building had persisted since 2023, while another was plagued by severe rat and cockroach infestations.
As a result, the board ordered rent rebates and reimbursements totaling more than $200,000, which would have provided significant relief to affected tenants. However, Sand Hill Property Company has appealed the decision, delaying payment and prompting the tenants to stage a protest outside the company's office last week.
The tenants are demanding that the former landlord drop its appeal and pay out the rent rebates as awarded by the board. They also want the company to pause rent increases at other Woodland Park properties and invest in repairs. East Palo Alto, where many residents are from immigrant and minority backgrounds, is considered one of the last affordable areas in Silicon Valley.
According to tenant organizer Maggie Pande, the delay has had a significant impact on tenants who were awarded rent rebates. "We were awarded about $200,000, but the money has not been paid to us," she said. "They appealed the case, and they have not given us the rent rebate award."
The dispute highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining affordable housing in Silicon Valley, where rising rents are driving out long-time residents. The Regional Tenant Organizing Network's James Huynh described the situation as a real estate corporation refusing to pay out money that could be life-changing for low-income seniors and families.
In response, Sand Hill Property Company disputes the findings and claims that the complaints stem from issues during its prior ownership of the property. However, the company has sold the three buildings to a New York City-based investor, leaving tenants without representation in their dispute with the city.
this is wild how can one corp just appeal a $200k rebate and delay it for months? 
where's the transparency? did they even follow proper procedures? 
also i'm not buying that "complaints were from issues during prior ownership" excuse. if that was true, why didn't they fix it then? 
this whole situation just reeks of corporate greed. 
! I mean, come on, landlords should just pay out what they owe, ya know? The tenants are literally struggling, and this company is trying to play games with them. Like, $200k is a big deal for people who can barely make ends meet. And the fact that Sand Hill Property Company sold the buildings to someone new means they're basically passing the buck 
. It's just not right. I think the city should step in and do some more investigating to see if there are any more shenanigans going on behind the scenes.
This is so frustrating! I mean, who can't even provide basic services like fixing flooding and rat infestations? It's not like these are new issues, they've been going on since 2023 
. East Palo Alto is like one of the last remaining affordable areas in Silicon Valley, and it's a shame that big corporations like this can't be held accountable for their actions. 
. This is just another example of how the system is rigged against people who need help. 
i mean, $200k is like a small fortune 
what's the point of all this $$$ if we're just gonna use it to line the pockets of billionaires 
It's not right that low-income seniors and families are getting squeezed out of their homes by big corporations. Something needs to change ASAP 
! Like, can you even believe that Sand Hill Property Company is trying to appeal against the city's decision for the Woodland Park rent rebates? It's just, like, basic human decency, right? They're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent rebates that these low-income families and seniors actually need. And now they're trying to delay payment and make them fight for it? Unbelievable! I mean, what's next? Are they going to try to appeal against the fact that they have rats and cockroaches in their buildings? 
The tenants are totally right to be upset and I hope they get some justice soon. It's just not fair that these people are being treated like this by a company that's supposed to be responsible for providing them with safe and affordable housing. 
. The city should be backing them up instead of letting Sand Hill Property Company hold everything hostage for so long 
. The delay in payment has already affected many low-income seniors and families who need this financial support. It's time for Sand Hill Property Company to drop its appeal and pay out the rent rebates 
.
. Still, as a community, we need to come together and support these tenants who are fighting for their rights 
.