Settlement reached in Humboldt County Superior Case Martinson, et al. v. County, et al

On December 13, 2019, I did a post. This fact has not been mentioned anywhere else.

"Cassandra Gonder, one of the three current Fourth Street residents suing the County for relocation assistance is not even a tenant. She was a sub tenant and that was not allowed on the lease nor did she have permission from the landlord.

Gonder signed an agreement to be out by November 5. Despite this the landlord allowed her to stay until January."

Press Release:

Humboldt  County  agreed  to  assist  renters  who  are displaced  by  public  projects  in  a  settlement  of  Humboldt  County  Superior  Case  Martinson, et  al.  v.  County,  et  al.

Resolution  of  the  lawsuit  requires  the  County  to  compensate  current residents  who  claimed  that  the  County  failed  to  follow  State  relocation  laws  when  it attempted  to  purchase  the  property  where  they  live,  and  to  adopt  rules  to  protect  residents in  future  projects.

 The  settlement  requires  the  County  to  plan  for  and  assist  with  the relocation  of  residents  who  are  displaced  as  a  result  of  County  activities  as  required  by  the California  Relocation  Assistance  Act  (CRAA). 

The  residents,  as  well  as  Plaintiff  Coalition  for  Responsible  Transportation  Priorities,  are represented  by  Legal  Services  of  Northern  California,  Western  Center  on  Law  &  Poverty, and  Disability  Rights  California.

Among  other  provisions,  the  CRAA  requires  that  residents  displaced  from  their  homes  by government  projects  receive  (a)  payments  to  cover  the  cost  of  moving  and  securing  new housing; (b)  help  with  finding  new  housing;  and  (d)  comparable  replacement  housing,  that is  affordable  and  with  similar  access  to  transportation.

In  2017,  the  County  identified  the  property  on  Fourth  Street  in  Eureka  for  a  parking  lot  as part  of  its  jail  expansion  project.    The  County  negotiated  a  purchase  agreement  that required  the  sellers  to  deliver  the  property  vacant  of  all  tenants.    The  residents  say  that  the owners  then  stopped  making  repairs  and  started  evicting  the  tenants.

In  November,  some of  the  last  remaining  tenants  sued  the  County  and  the  owners  on  the  eve  of  their  evictions.     After  the  residents  sued,  the  County  cancelled  its  purchase  of  the  building. 

The  settlement requires  the  County  make  payments  to  compensate  residents  who  were  threatened  with displacement  because  of  the  parking  lot  project.    It  also  mandates  the  County  to  create  a relocation  policy  to  apply  to  future  projects,  including  a  promise  to  locate  affordable replacement  housing,  with  similar  access  to  public  transportation  and  amenities,  prior  to asking  the  residents  to  move  out.

“Our  clients  were  able  to  save  their  housing,  obtain  payments  that  they  should  have received  before  they  were  asked  to  move  out, and  protect  future  tenants  of  properties identified  for  County  development,”  said  Legal  Services  of  Northern  California  attorney Gregory  M.  Holtz.

“We  look  forward  to  reviewing  the  County’s  new  policy,  and  to  seeing the  current  owners  address  the  repair  needs  at  the  property.” “This  agreement  will  ensure  that  the  County  lives  up  to  its  responsibility  to  provide relocation  assistance  for  any  future  residents  who  may  be  displaced  by  its  actions,”  said Colin  Fiske,  Executive  Director  of  CRTP. 

“Critical  to  the  Coalition’s  mission,  and  in  keeping with  the  law,  that  assistance  will  include  maintaining  access  to  public  transit  and  other transportation  amenities.    This  is  what  we've  wanted  the  County  to  do  all  along.    We’re pleased  that  they've  agreed  to  it,  and  we  look  forward  to  seeing  their  plan  to  follow through.”

Related posts:
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-county-keeps-losing-cases-even-with.html?m=1

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2019/12/fourth-street-resident-suing-county-for.html?m=1

Previous post:
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2019/12/residents-file-suit-to-enforce.html?m=1