Tenants Advocates And Owner Face Off Over Evictions and Protests; East Boston Case Scheduled for April in Housing Court

BOSTON - Over the weekend members of the City Life Vida Urbana organization and its affiliated Boston Tenants Association held raucous pickets in front of a hotel and two restaurants owned by developer and restaurateur Paul Roiff. Activists with the Jamaica Plain based housing justice group were protesting the possible eviction of several families from a residential building owned by Roiff in East Boston. Protest organizers said they hoped vigils outside Roiff's businesses would pressure him to cancel eviction notices against the residents of 22 Princeton Street. Photos by Diana Mai. Copyright 2010 Diana Mai. Last year Roiff - principal owner of the South End and Back Bay resataurants Mistral and Teatro and the XV Beacon Hotel – purchased the three-family building on Princeton Street in East Boston following foreclosure proceedings against the previous owner. Paul Roiff did not respond to requests for an interview. However spokesperson Bob Russo an attorney who represents Roiff on behalf of his real estate business said agents attempted last year to speak with tenants at 22 Princeton and were refused access at least three times. He said a Spanish language interpreter accompanied the real estate agents but residents primarily Latino immigrants would not speak with Mr. Roiff’s representatives. Housing advocates and residents – calling themselves the 22 Princeton Tenants Association – have asked Roiff to rescind eviction orders “as a sign of good faith” and to negotiate with the tenants. But Russo told Open Media Boston he was precluded from negotiating with residents now that they had retained legal representation. On the question of dropping eviction proceedings Russo said “it would not be good business practice ” noting he was not convinced the people living at 22 Princeton were legal tenants. “We were asking for their names and incomes and proof of tenancy such as cancelled rent checks ” said Russo adding that the landlord had been prepared to negotiate in order to determine a reasonable rent and return on his investment. Dominic DeSiata a tenant organizer with City Life Vida Urbana denied charges that the Princeton Street residents have been uncooperative. He said they were paying their rent into an escrow bank account. “The residents at 22 Princeton have always been willing to pay ” said DeSiata “but are withholding the money contingent on Paul Roiff making repairs.” He noted these include water leaks a broken stove and problems with cockroaches. DeSiata said he didn’t understand why Russo would suspect the residents were not legal tenants. “Could it be because these are working class people?” he asked. A jury trial to determine legal residency status of the tenants living on the first floor of the building has been scheduled by the Boston Housing Court for April 12th. It was unclear as of this writing when residents on the second and third floors would have their case determined. The first floor residents will be represented by second year Harvard Law student Emily Mintz of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau along with faculty advisor Dave Grossman. HLAB provides free legal services to low income people in civil cases according to the organization’s website. According to Mintz and Grossman there is ample evidence demonstrating the residents are legal tenants including utility bills and rent checks. Mintz described Paul Roiff’s contention that the residents have obstructed attempts to negotiate with the new landlord as “frivolous.” “Our clients say they have always cooperated and answered all questions ” added Mintz. “Stopping these evictions is the right thing to do morally for the tenants and the neighborhood ” said Grossman. Activists target Paul Roiff’s restaurants On Friday and Saturday activists with City Life Vida Urbana marched and protested in front of Teatro on Tremont Street across from the Boston Common. The vigil drew a crowd of about 45 people who sang and chanted for an hour. A handful of people holding signs mocking City Life Vida Urbana’s actions handed out leaflets with the words: “Find Out How To Live For FREE In Foreclosed Properties – Call City Life.” The interlopers left quickly after Boston Tenant Association members attempted to videotape them. Organizer Dominic DeSiata said "Princeton Street tenants are not asking for a free ride. Their demands are that Roiff stop the eviction and sit down to negotiate. The tenants of 22 Princeton Street are only asking for the right to pay rent and negotiate a fair rental agreement.” OMB Audio: Excerpt from interview with Dominic DeSiata OMB Audio: Several 22 Princeton Street residents speak out in front of the Mistral Restaurant on Saturday Feb. 20 2010 (Spanish translation by Dominic DeSiata of CLVU) A similar demonstration on Saturday in front of Paul Roiff’s South End restaurant Mistral attended by approximately forty people concluded after about an hour of picketing without incident. Bob Russo said he had no knowledge of the incident at Teatro when asked if he knew whether Paul Roiff had hired anyone to “hack” the protest. But Russo expressed aggravation over the picketing this past weekend. The attorney questioned whether City Life Vida Urbana’s tactic of protesting in front of Paul Roiff’s restaurants rather than in front of the East Boston residential property itself wasn’t "a sign of bad faith." Emily Mintz of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau said a motion to dismiss the eviction proceedings would be presented once the Housing Court ruled on residency status adding it was her client’s belief they had been served eviction notices improperly. “We’re happy to negotiate [with Mr. Roiff’s representative] any time ” added Mintz. Bookmark/Search this post with: Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Reddit Newsvine Facebook Google Yahoo Technorati