by Oakland, CA – Tenants at a rent-controlled apartment building in Oakland have filed a lawsuit accusing their landlord of harassment, intimidation, and illegal pressure tactics designed to force them out of their long-term homes.
The complaint, filed Wednesday in Alameda County Superior Court, centers on a small property on Princeton Street that residents say became hostile and unstable almost immediately after being purchased by Bay Area investor Darrick Chavis.
The tenants allege that Chavis used text messages, cash-for-keys pressure, and even threats related to their immigration status to push them to vacate despite strong legal protections afforded under Oakland’s rent laws.
Attorneys representing the tenants say the case reflects a wider pattern across the state, where vulnerable renters are targeted by landlords looking to circumvent rent control.
Tenants Say Pressure Began Immediately After Property Sale
According to the lawsuit, Chavis purchased the Princeton Street building in May and quickly began contacting residents demanding they move out. Tenant Veronica Hernandez, who has lived in the building with her husband, said the pressure was immediate and alarming.
“Right away, he called my husband and I, saying that we had 30 days to leave,” Hernandez said at a courthouse protest. “He offered us $5,000 to move and then sent me a text message asking, ‘Are you legal?’ No landlord should ever ask that.”
Screenshots included in the legal complaint show several messages allegedly sent from Chavis’ personal phone. They include statements such as:
“Are you legal my staff was asking?”
“In case we don’t reach an agreement.”
Another tenant, Ana Maria Zaragoza Arroyo, received a similar message after she declined a cash-for-keys offer. She told Chavis she intended to remain in her home, to which he allegedly replied:
“Ok no problem hope your legal you’ll hear from my attorneys soon and yes we’re checking.”
Tenant attorneys say these messages were deliberate attempts to weaponize immigration fear to pressure residents into leaving rent-controlled units.
Legal Advocates Call the Tactics Illegal Under State Law
Attorneys with Movement Legal Services and the California Center for Movement Legal Services say the threats violate both local Oakland tenant protections and California state law, which explicitly prohibits landlords from using or threatening immigration enforcement as a tool of coercion.
Attorney Adam Morton told reporters that similar complaints are appearing across California.
“We’ve been hearing reports about these immigration threats all throughout the state. This is illegal. You will not get away with this,” he said.
Leah Simon-Weisberg, executive director of Movement Legal Services, emphasized that even implied threats of police or immigration involvement constitute harassment.
“You can’t threaten tenants that if you don’t move out, I’m going to call the police or immigration,” she said. “That is absolutely illegal, both in Oakland and under California law.”
Although Chavis has not been criminally charged, attorneys say they hope local authorities will begin investigating such cases rather than leaving enforcement to nonprofit groups.
Tenants Also Report Disruptive Construction and Unsafe Conditions
Along with alleged verbal and written harassment, the lawsuit claims that Chavis allowed — or intentionally caused — unsafe and disruptive construction conditions at the Princeton Street property.
Attorneys say that since mid-June, residents have been forced to navigate a large pile of construction debris dumped directly in the parking lot, interfering with daily activities and contributing to what tenants describe as an unlivable environment.
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At the courthouse protest, Arroyo described the emotional weight of fighting to remain in a home she’s lived in for decades.
“It’s not right to have someone come into a home that you’ve built for over 40 years and say you need to leave in 30 days,” she said. “We’re here because this is a fight for our homes.”
Landlord Declines to Comment
Reporters attempted to contact Chavis through phone, text, and email but did not receive a response. His personal website lists him as a real estate agent, contractor, and investor, and he has previously discussed his business on the television courtroom program “Hot Bench.”
Tenant attorneys say they intend to continue litigating until Chavis stops the alleged tactics or no longer owns the properties.
“We have strong laws, and we fight for them here in Oakland,” Simon-Weisberg said. “If you want to break the law, don’t do it here. There will be consequences.”
For more stories on California communities, housing disputes, and local legal battles, visit mikeandjonpodcast.com.
