220414 1739a Re_ Request for help from Landlord - Tenants back rentFrom:Viral Patel
To:Frances Marquez
Cc:liliana.jimenez@asm.ca.gov; Do, Scott
Subject:Re: Request for help from Landlord - Tenants back rent
Date:Thursday, April 14, 2022 5:39:00 PM
Hi Dr. Frances,
Thank you for looping her in. However, I have already done that. I was working with Scott Do who is CC'd in this email. Nothing can be done. I am looking for help on a city level as the state level cannot do much at this
point. The last status was:
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program got back to me today about your situation, and stated that they have found some inconsistencies in the submitted documents. Your case manager will reach out to give you any additional steps required of you
to proceed.
But I did not receive a phone call as that rental assistance program is in complete shambles hence why people are taking advantage of the system. We do not know where to go for help on this.
On Thu, Apr 14, 2022 at 5:10 PM Frances Marquez <fmarquez@cypressca.org> wrote:
Mr. Patel,
Thank you for reaching out to me. This issue is a state issue so I am copying Liliana Jimenez who works for Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva to see if she can help you with this issue. I hope everything works out.
Sincerely,
Frances
On Apr 14, 2022, at 4:54 PM, Viral Patel <viralpatel488@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Dr. Frances,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is Viral Patel. I am requesting your assistance in a landlord/matter.
Here is the background:
Our family moved to Cypress in 1993. We purchased a home on Delong Street.
We recently decided that we had to rent our family home out.
Long story short, my dad passed in April of 2020 and significant changes had to be made to accommodate my mom who was having a difficult time during that year as a result.
In June 2021, we rented out our property to 3 individuals. These individuals paid rent from July to December - paying a total of $3509 monthly.
On January 2, 2022 - they applied for rental assistance through housingiskey.org and stated they can no longer pay rent due to COVID reasons.
They have not paid rent Since January. We are finding their story to be false.
To give a background on rental assistance I want to emphasize that it is a disaster.
That program does not process applications in a reasonable time. So far the application has been pending. From what I have heard from other landlords is that individuals are taking advantage of this due to the eviction protection this
program offers. If someone applies, they are protected, that ended March 31, 2022. We are proceeding with an eviction as we feel this tenant knows the system and he knows it well. Rental assistance can take a year or longer to approve
the application. I contacted the district representative and they stated there are discrepancies in the application. Resulting in further delay. Tenants aren't required to resubmit documents in a specific time frame, further delaying the process
- which is what tenants are taking advantage of.
The tenant owes $14,000 in back rent and I know their application is not sufficient to be approved for the program so they plan to stay as long as they can and leave assuming there will be no repercussions.
I read this article: https://abc7news.com/ca-covid-rent-relief-eviction-protection-alameda-county-moratorium-landlord-cant-pay-mortgage/11723655/
I am hoping you can help as we lived in Cypress and have been very good citizens in this city since 1993. I know you cannot provide legal advice, but my goal is to seek help from you all that the individuals in the article received.
Please let me know if we can have a discussion about this and I would love to meet if you have the time.
Warm regards,
Viral Patel
B.A., M.A.