Recent City Crackdown Has Code Inspectors Red-Tagging Improperly Subdivided Houses, Other Illegal Rental Units With Over Three Dozen Families Getting The Boot With Little Notice; 100+ Landlords, Tenants, Supporters Seek Emergency Moratorium On Condemnations

In East Palo Alto, California, Palo Alto Online reports:

• Nearly 40 East Palo Alto families in recent months have been turned out of their rental homes with as little as 10 days notice due to a recent citywide crackdown on illegal housing. In response, more than 100 tenants, landlords and their supporters begged the East Palo Alto City Council [] to invoke an emergency moratorium against the red-tagging of homes.
  
  The crowd, which was backed by the interfaith group Faith in Action and pastors from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, told council members that the city's recent enforcement action against illegal second dwellings and structures deemed uninhabitable has created a crisis in the community. They asked the council for the moratorium and for help in finding solutions, including allowing nonprofit groups to bring the homes into compliance with city safety codes.
  
  East Palo Alto has had a longstanding problem with illegal second dwellings, which have included converted garages, trailers, sheds and cottages on properties. City streets have seen increasing congestion with double-parked cars, trash and other hazards as more people have squeezed onto residential lots.
  
  Until recently the city was unable to enforce its safety code due to a staffing shortage, Vice Mayor Larry Moody said by phone []. The city had two code enforcement officers for many years, and only one last year. But it recently added four officers, which has resulted in an uptick in enforcement.
  
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  [Church pastor Father Lawrence] Goode said he met with a city building-department official, who informed him there were 39 red-tagged residences on the city's list. Red-tagged units must be vacated in 10 days. Speaking at the council meeting, Goode asked the city for the moratorium on housing condemnations.
  
  "Are we safe? Are we better off?" he asked of turning people out onto the street rather than finding ways to rehabilitate the homes. "I'm not sure they are. ... There's never been a good time for an eviction. This has to be the worst possible time."

For more, see Illegal-housing crackdown leads to dozens of evictions (East Palo Alto landlords, tenants ask City Council for a moratorium on condemnations).