Tenants at Woodland Park in East Palo Alto turned up the heat last Thursday, marching over to their former landlord’s office and delivering a letter that pulls no punches. They are demanding the company drop its appeal of a Rent Stabilization Board ruling that ordered more than $200,000 in rent rebates and reimbursements. Organizers and residents say that money would be a lifeline for low-income seniors, families, and immigrants, and that the appeal is dragging out both long-awaited repairs and financial relief.
The Rent Stabilization Board’s hearing officer found repeated failures at three 1960s-era Woodland Park buildings and ordered rent rebates, in some cases as high as 22%, that together exceed $200,000. Investigators documented severe rat and cockroach infestations, a malfunctioning security gate that created a safety hazard, and persistent flooding in parking areas from leaky pipes dating back to 2023, according to reporting by The Mercury News.
How the rent board decides what tenants get back
East Palo Alto’s rent-stabilization rules allow tenants to file petitions asking for rent reductions and retroactive rebates when landlords fail to maintain habitable conditions or cut back on services. The city’s Rent Stabilization Program explains that hearing officers calculate a percentage reduction based on how much a tenant’s use and benefit of the unit were impaired, then apply that percentage to the rent paid during the affected period, as outlined by the City of East Palo Alto Rent Stabilization Program.
Tenants step up pressure on former owner
More than 35 tenants and supporters marched to the former owner’s office on Feb. 5, then handed over a letter that calls on the company to drop its appeals, pause rent increases, and invest in long-delayed repairs. Organizers said management had seen the conditions inside the apartments firsthand. James Huynh of the regional tenant organizing network argued that the appeals are being used to avoid paying money that could help low-income seniors, families, and immigrants, according to The Mercury News.
Landlord’s redevelopment track record looms large
Sand Hill Property Company has been tied to long-running plans to redevelop parts of Woodland Park and has previously clashed with residents over its management policies. The company has proposed replacing aging rent-controlled units with mixed-income housing, and the complex includes addresses such as 2012 Euclid Ave as part of the wider Woodland Park community, according to reporting by The Almanac.
What comes next in the rent fight
The appeal is still pending, and tenants say they plan to keep pushing for enforcement of the Rent Stabilization Board’s decision while maintaining public pressure on the former owner. They are also pointing neighbors toward local legal resources and city programs. Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto offers housing assistance and tenant representation, and the city’s rent-stabilization office is the place to file formal enforcement requests.
