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By Noni Richen, SPOSFI President
November 12, 2010
Press Release: (on seizing private property)
The Small Property Owners of San Francisco Institute (SPOSFI) strongly denounces the seizure of private property last Sunday by Homes Not Jails and their supporters, the San Francisco Tenants Union (SFTU). SPOSFI demands a vigorous criminal prosecution of all those involved to prevent a recurrence of takeover of property by hostile mobs.
Claiming to justify their home invasion with the eviction of elderly tenant Jose Morales, SFTU head Ted Gullickson told the SF Chronicle that private property left vacant should be forcibly taken over for those in need of housing with help from the City. Apparently, "Homes not Jails" does not believe in the process of a government, nor in the words of the Fourth Amendment that protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure. “What the two groups did was to commit a felony of breaking and entering, as well as trespass,” said Noni Richen, president of SPOSFI. “There is nothing 'alleged' about it. They admitted it. It’s documented in photographs. They’re guilty! They abridged the Constitutional property rights of Ara Tehlirian, the legal owner of the property.”
The break-in had nothing to do with finding housing for the evicted Mr. Morales. SPOSFI is shocked by the brazen attitude of radical organizers, who seem to think the ends justify the means. The eviction of Mr. Morales was done in complete conformity to the California Ellis Act, a legal last resort tool available to the state’s housing providers to exit the housing rental business, one of the most heavily regulated businesses in California. Considerable expense was incurred by the property owner to invoke the Ellis Act, and Mr. Morales had more than a year to acquire new housing. Apparently the Tenants Union did nothing to help Morales in that endeavor. “It is only a matter of time before such a flagrant invasion will be done on a house that is occupied,” predicted SPOSFI president Richen.
SPOSFI calls for the District Attorney to file breaking and entering charges against not only the four persons arrested for trespassing, but also their ring leader, Ted Gullickson. Only aggressive prosecution of this matter will send the strong signal to others with lack of respect for our Constitution that such felonious behavior will not be tolerated in our city or our nation.
Small Property Owners of San Francisco Institute is an organization of over 2000 owners and managers of small rental properties. For the past eleven years we have defended the rights of our owners at all levels of government. SPOSFI, will be glad to respond to any questions in regard to the call for a criminal prosecution of Homes Not Jails operatives.
Noni Richen
President, SPOSFI
www.smallprop.org
noni@smallprop.org
415.921.6675
415.793.6091 (cell)
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