Mr. Leonard Powell is going to Alameda County Superior Court on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, to fight to keep the home where he and his family have lived for over 40 years, which is being taken by the City of Berkeley.
The hearing will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Superior Court at 24405 Amador St. in Hayward.
The court has ordered the receiver, Gerard Keener, and the City of Berkeley to provide the documents to Mr. Powell that show how the cost for bringing his house up to code increased from between $150,000 and $200,000 to over $700,000, which he is now being forced to pay.
We still do not know who in the City of Berkeley decided to go after Mr. Powell by “Red Tagging” his home. Was it the Police who wanted to “punish” a member of Mr. Powell’s family? Was it the inspection services, which were responding to concerns over Mr. Powell’s well-being?
The City of Berkeley, whose assistant city attorney is appearing in court with the receiver, alleges that the city is really not involved in this situation.
While the City of Berkeley and its City Council express concerns about its low and extremely low-income residents, the actions of the city administration speak differently.
Can the City Council explain how a home, lived in by a low-income resident in South Berkeley for over 40 years now, through actions carried out by the City, becomes a place where only a high-income person can live?
Meet with Friends of Adeline on Saturday, Jan. 26, 11 a.m.-1p.m., at Harriet Tubman Terrace Apartments, 2870 Adeline St., Berkeley (between Oregon and Russell streets).
Contact the Friends of Adeline at (510) 338-7843 or [email protected]
Gene Turitz is a member of Friends of Adeline.
