A Different Life - Another Existence

A Different Life – Another Existence
~ Eviction is where it all began... ~



Where does one start when ones life is ripped apart and forced into a living nightmarish hell…

The news came late that night, well past midnight on the night of August 28, 2000 – It was slipped under the door. Faintly recall hearing the scrape of paper brushing the floor as the envelope was shoved under the space between the door and the floor as I made my way to the bathroom, then back to bed for a few hours of much needed rest.

Noticing the envelope the following morning on the floor of my unit several inches past the door where it had been shoved the night before – the sounds of scraping paper resounding in my head and I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling growing inside as I saw that envelope on my floor, the mere sight of it filling my heart with dread.

Bending slowly, I picked the envelope up from its current location and turning the envelope over, only my name, first and last name, was printed on it, nothing more. The envelope flap had been tucked under, not sealed.

Lifting the flap, I pulled out a thick-fold of papers that were enclosed, my hands trembling from nervous anticipation (or dreaded anticipation) as I unfolded the thick document inside. A legal document for an eviction suit listing me as the defendant, or rather the ‘evictee’-- I was being sued for eviction by the illegal actions of the landlord managing the property, very poorly managed, at that. Informing me that I had 3 days to be cleared out of my unit, that my unit had been rented out and I was to be out as of September 1st, 2000.

And so begins my journey into the nightmarish living hell that has become my life, my very existence. Where does one start when one’s life is shattered, shredded, turned upside down and thrust into circumstances not of your choosing-- being given a life-sentence, the very moment those precious walls and solid roof are taken so abruptly and forcefully from your life.


---All starting September 1st, 2000 when I was forced into circumstances that were not of my choosing, yet I’m the one living and breathing the sentence given to me by the illegal actions of a landlord-- literally putting me on the cold, hard streets because of his illegal activities that I would not permit to continue taking place at my expense. Happening in the city of Alameda, where the landlords are given full reign to do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they choose and tenants have absolutely NO say in the matter, whatsoever, regardless of the illegal crap the landlord does, they are given the reins to dismantle someone’s life in whatever capacity they choose to do so.

Employed then at Virgin Entertainment Group in San Francisco at the time, making nothing; working close to 90 hours a week just to make ends even remotely meet. Whenever I was gone for more than a few minutes, I would come back and find things missing, even more so when I had to go out of town. I started making a fuss about different items disappearing while I was gone, and my rent gets raised, and only my rent-- no one else’s. When I changed my locks, I was forced to give the Landlord a key, as he filed a complaint against me telling the authorities that he ‘Could not access my unit, and was required to have a key to all units to get in for “repairs and emergencies”, so I was forced to comply, regardless of the fact I was never once notified when he entered my unit for anything, which he was required to do by law.

This was all brushed off when I started making complaints, which only fell on deaf ears, because after all, I was merely a tenant, nothing more. As more and more started disappearing, I made more of a fuss, resulting only in my rent being raised. I went to the Housing Authority, who offered no assistance. Then went to the rent board, and was in for a shock, as they told me “There Was NO ‘rent control’ in the city of Alameda”, that the landlord was free to raise the rent at any point to whatever amount they chose.

When continually raising my rent didn't get me out, the landlord decided to Sue me for Eviction-- Regardless of the fact I had never been late on my rent, and usually paid it early, the Landlord rented out my unit, site unseen, while I was still living there paying rent. Since the law in Alameda is fully on the landlord’s side, tenants only viewed as disposable commodities, he was able to Sue me for Eviction, and won. All legal assistance I tried to obtain resulted in the repeated response ‘I have no legal recourse’.

When I first moved there, Dean Hague, the landlord managing the property, the owners giving him the reins to the building, so he got away with anything and everything. He told anyone and everyone that HE was the owner. He initially proposed a 'deal' with me, telling me in “exchange for services”, he would lower my rent. I flat out refused, which didn't sit well with him at all. Things really started falling into place then, seeing him come out of many of the women's units looking like the Cheshire cat. So that is what was happening. And because of my refusal, he did whatever he could to remove me from the building, in whatever way he could, none of which was legal.

And so begins my journey into the hell that has become my very life, my only existence, the draining reality of being and living on the streets. Relying heavily on my writing to help me make it through each passing day, and endless night; animals becoming my solace, my confidants, my closest friends, giving me the strength to face another day, nurturing my heart, my soul. And the treasure of blessings from the incredible bus drivers I have been blessed with having in my life, who have given me the gift of HOPE through the shadows of despair...



By Renee Bowen
Homeless Since Sept. 1, 2000
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