Rent Strike Settled in Buena Clinton as Owner Promises to Make Repairs

A group of tenants in the Buena Clinton neighborhood of Garden Grove agreed Tuesday to end an 8-month rent strike after the owner promised to improve conditions and reduce back rents, the tenants’ attorney said.

The settlement affects 21 families who live on Sunswept and Keel avenues who began withholding rent in May after they accused the owner of ignoring complaints about plumbing and sewer leaks, broken appliances and roach and rodent infestations.

The rent was placed in a trust with Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, a Latino immigrants-rights group, to be paid to owner when repairs were made.

Hermandad has successfully organized several other rent strikes in Santa Ana and Anaheim and is still negotiating a settlement with another owner in Buena Clinton.

Richard L. Spix, a Hermandad attorney representing the tenants, said the families and the owner, H & L Development Co., settled Tuesday before Municipal Judge Eugene Langhauser.

‘Tenants Are Extremely Pleased’

“The tenants are extremely pleased and glad we don’t have to go to trial and that we could satisfy their needs in terms of fair rents and repairs to their apartments and other abuses,” Spix said.

Under terms of the settlement, the owner agreed to make building repairs and other improvements by Feb. 28 and to reduce back rents by 26% to 51%, depending on the conditions of the apartments, Spix said. Most tenants will save $1,000 to $2,000, he said.

The owner also agreed to fire a building manager and maintenance man whom tenants had accused of harassment and to hire a new manager only with tenants’ approval.

The owner could not be reached for comment Tuesday. But the owner previously alleged that tenants did not keep up their apartments, which are in one of the most dilapidated neighborhoods in the county.

Spix said another court hearing is scheduled Jan. 31 to monitor progress made by the owner.