Stop the No-Fault Eviction of Betty Rose Allen!

Tariq Hilaly, CEO of Lumity Inc.

Help stop the no-fault eviction of Betty Rose Allen. Her new landlord, Tech CEO Tariq Hilaly, is trying to force her out of the home she's lived in since 1978. She was born and raised in Noe Valley and has lived on the same block her whole life. Hilaly is trying to use the Ellis Act to evict her from her long-time home, which would force her out of the neighborhood since, as an SFUSD substitute teacher, she can't afford market-rate rents. Her mom Beatriz died while fighting this eviction. Betty Rose has suffered enough and should not be displaced far from her community. Neighbors and neighborhood businesses are defending her right to stay in her home and ask others to help by signing this letter of support.

Petition by
Joel Spears
San Francisco, California
Sponsored by

To: Tariq Hilaly, CEO of Lumity Inc.
From: [Your Name]

Dear Tariq Hilaly (landlord) and family,

Please be a good neighbor and drop the no-fault eviction of Betty Rose Allen who has lived in her long-time home since 1978 and on the same block in Noe Valley for her entire life. We are Noe Valley residents and business owners who are backed by organizations across the city in an effort to save Betty Rose’s home. She is a valuable and beloved part of our community and just lost her mom Beatriz who died fighting your imposed eviction. Betty Rose deserves to live her life in peace, free of harassment.

When you bought this rent-controlled property in 2014, it was listed well below market rate because there were protected, long-term tenants residing there. In San Francisco tenants have rights to stay in their homes even if owners change. Betty Rose and Beatriz Allen defeated your fake owner-move-in eviction over a year ago. Back then you said you needed to move your mother-in-law into the building, yet she already had a home next door at 206 Valley St. You retaliated by issuing an Ellis Act eviction, a state law that is used and abused by speculator landlords as a loophole to skirt tenant protections, and are now saying your parents need to live there.

If you need a home for your extended family as your lawyers insist, there are plenty of available houses without tenants elsewhere in a price range suitable for a tech CEO like yourself. Also, the incredibly large unit below Betty Rose’s apartment, where you bought out the other protected tenants, is still vacant and available for them. If your parents truly need to live by you, we ask that you move them into this empty apartment instead of evicting Betty Rose. She wouldn’t be able to afford to stay in our community if you force her out of her home.

While using the Ellis Act as a displacement tactic may be technically legal, it is completely unethical. We are losing our affordable rental stock faster than we can build new affordable units. Our city and community can’t afford yet another speculator trying to make money off our housing crisis.

Destroying our neighbors’ lives for your own comfort and profit is immoral. We ask that you have a heart and rescind your eviction, which has already caused so much harm and stress to Betty Rose and her late mother Beatriz.

Sincerely,

Noe Valley Neighbors and Supporters:

Patrick R. Guillory, Attorney at Law, Dolores Park Law, In Noe Valley 30+ yrs.
"She is one of the friendliest, kindest, sweetest persons in our neighborhood. We need her positive energy to STAY HERE!"

Ivonne Guerrero, Owner at Martha and Brother's Coffee, In Noe Valley for 26 yrs.
"Please keep Betty Rose in her home!"

Chuck Rafidi, Owner of Sun Valley Dairy, in Noe Valley for 38 yrs.
"I've known Betty Rose for 38 years. She deserves to stay in her home and neighborhood."

Thomas J Jackovich, Manager of Chloe's Cafe, in Noe Valley for 36 yrs.
"I'm so truly tired and disgusted that this has now become 'the new normal.' This city is being sold to the highest bidder forgetting that real lives are affected."

Mardie Vandervort, Owner of One Stop Party Stop, in Noe Valley for 31 yrs.
"I've known Betty Rose for 31 years. She's an upstanding citizen and neighbor."

Kamal Omar, Owner of Shufat Market and Delicatessen, in Noe Valley for 46 yrs.
"The greed in this city that is pushing people out of their homes is devastating."

Larry Reed, Owner of ShadowLight Productions, in Noe Valley for 25 yrs.
"Long-time residents make up the cultural and historical fabric of SF. We need to keep folks like Betty Rose in their homes and in the city."

Karling Aguilera-Fort, SFUSD Principal, in Noe Valley for 17 yrs.
"I've known Betty Rose as a neighbor, a school colleague and as a valuable member of the community. She deserves to keep her home."

Brice Peoples, SF Fire Dept. (Noe Valley) & Small Biz Owner, in SF for 35 yrs.
"People like Betty Rose need their affordable housing. We need to keep the culture and wonderment that has made SF what it is today."

Jim Phillips, Iron Mountain Records Mgmt., in Noe Valley for 68 yrs.
"Betty Rose and her late mom Beatriz have been fantastic neighbors. They are the neighborhood."

Christina Bradley, Actress and Realtor, in Noe Valley for 20+ yrs.
"Betty Rose is a great part of our neighborhood and does not deserve this. The landlord has tried every trick in the book to remove the long-time tenants that were in the building when he bought it. This is not out of need - it's out of greed."

Jeanette LaMontagne, Math Teacher for CVUSD, in Noe Valley for 29 yrs.
"Betty Rose is a dedicated friend, teacher and worker. The landlord knew about Beatriz and Betty Rose before purchasing the house. His greed is too much!"

Norman Gershenz, Owner of SameNature.org (BugLabs), in Noe Valley for 30 yrs.
"Betty Rose brings humility, grace and honesty to a neighborhood in transition. I would ask the landlord to consider her situation."

Susan Ceschetto, Owner of Cotton Basics, in Noe Valley for 25 yrs.

Josh Sandifer, Staff at Noe Valley Pet Co., in Noe Valley for 7 yrs.
"We love Betty Rose. Keep her here. She's good people!"

Steve Werner, UC Berkeley Teacher, in Noe Valley for 3 yrs.
"I've known Betty Rose for 3 years. She is a real asset to our neighborhood."

Marco Antonio, Staff at Twin Peaks Pizza, in Noe Valley for 3 yrs.

Jamie Tracy, Secretary, in Noe Valley for 20 yrs.

Lindsay Hershenhorn, in Noe Valley for 15 yrs.

...

[This growing list will be updated weekly]