Redwood City renters facing eviction hold rally

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- On the day of their eviction deadline, people at a Redwood City apartment complex rallied for more time. Eight families say they are staying put, claiming they simply can't find anywhere else to live.

Some of the tenants are going to meet with city council members on Thursday. One woman told ABC7 News she sent in her rent check for July, hoping that the landlord will let her stay one more month. As of right now, the fate of these tenants lies in the hands of the property owner.

The outlook for people living at 910 Clinton Street in Redwood City is bleak.

Fourteen-year-old Gabriel Banuelos, who lives at the complex, organized the rally.

"We want to meet them halfway," said Banuelos. "We plan on negotiating with them and not having to go to court."

Tuesday was the eviction deadline given by the new property owner.

Banuelos lives in the building in a two-bedroom apartment with his family of six. His parents pay $1,750 a month and finding somewhere comparable in Redwood City is near impossible. Eight of 18 families are staying put.

"I don't think it's a choice, but it is that they have nowhere else to go," Banuelos explained.

Linda Howell has lived in the building for 30 years and says she has done an exhaustive housing search.

"We're not trying to be jerks," Howell said. "We want to move, we just can't find something that we can afford."

Jennifer Martinez with Peninsula Interfaith Action says Redwood City lacks rent control and other tenant protections.

"What we're seeing is that in order to pay the average rent here, you'd have to make $45 an hour," Martinez said. "Clearly, we need something more systemic, but for them it would be the decision of the landlord to do something different."

Attempts to reach property management were unsuccessful. This is just the latest example of the Bay Area's real estate boom for some and bust for others.