Attorneys for a frail 97-year-old woman facing eviction from her rented home filed a lawsuit Friday accusing her landlord of breach of contract, elder abuse and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
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A 97-year-old San Francisco Bay Area great-grandmother facing eviction after 66 years in her rented home has received thousands of dollars in donations from people who see her plight as an example of growing economic inequity in the region, a friend said yesterday.
The lawsuit filed in San Mateo County states that Marie Hatch moved into her Burlingame cottage more than 60 years ago at the request of her friend Vivian Kroeze, who owned the property and needed companionship.
Hatch was not feeling well on Friday to provide comment, but earlier this week said she was losing sleep over the stress.
After dying, Vivian’s promise was honored by two subsequent generation of Kruse’s family. If the eviction goes through, Hatch’s 85-year-old roommate, Georgia Rothrock, could also be kicked to the curb.
His attorney, Michael Liberty, said in a press release that Kantz has no “personal knowledge” that a guarantee ever existed.
Hatch has one son who lives in an apartment and is not in a position to take in his mother, according to Fineman, who along with a colleague, Nanci Nishimura, is representing Hatch pro bono.
He also contends that Kantz took steps like retaining realtors who offered to help relocate Hatch, meeting with city officials and trying to work with potential buyers of the property to allow Hatch to stay. “I don’t want it to be me”, she said Wednesday.
“I don’t know which way is up”, she said.
Lisa Krieger, a neighbor who has known Hatch since Krieger was a child, suggested that she consider moving into an assisted living facility.
As a gesture of goodwill, Hatch and Rothrock pay Kantz a combined $900 in rent each month, but privately the property could fetch upwards of $3,200 per month. Should Marie Hatch and her roommate be made to leave, be able to stay and if they must leave, why is David Kantz not doing more than just offering a free cab ride and subsidize the cost of new residence given the windfall that has come his way? “Who told him he has to do it this way?” “We will get the oral contract enforced”, said Fineman.
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“I can’t believe the outpouring of love and compassion for Marie”.
