Oakland Housing Authority

Oakland, CA: (Aug-11-07) The Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) dropped all attempts to evict 34 families alleging that they were unlawful occupants, who had paid bribes to a housing authority clerk to obtain their public housing units. The Lockwood Gardens mass eviction case began in early 2006, after a partial investigation into corruption taking place at the OHA's East District Office, led to events in which 34 families faced eviction. In a turn of events, the courts found that the tenants were not unlawful occupants as alleged by the OHA and were innocent of any wrong doing. The courts then repeatedly blocked the eviction attempts, and no charges have ever been filed against any of the tenants at Lockwood Gardens by the District Attorney's office regarding allegations of fraud or bribery.

Charges were brought against Carolyn Wilson, a former OHA clerk, and during July 2006, she was arrested near New Orleans and charged with 65 felony counts. She served less than one year in jail, after being convicted of one count of computer fraud and one count of misappropriation of public funds.

In a settlement reached between the OHA and the wrongfully accused, nineteen families are being allowed to remain in their housing while receiving two years free rent. They also received new rental contracts. All past rental payments have been refunded back to the tenants, and the tenants do not have to start paying rent again until June 1, 2008. Sources state that OHA has paid out over $110,000 in legal fees. [EAST BAY NEWS: MASS EVICTION]

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Published on Aug-13-07