San Francisco landlords arrested for terrorizing tenants

Staff Writer, May 01, 2008

San Francisco property owners was arrested for waging terror on tenants in an apartment building South of Market, including dismantling the flooring supports on a unit after the occupant went to court to stop from being turned out on Wednesday.

Computer engineer Kip Macy and property agent Nicole Macy who reside at addresses in Incline Village and Sausalito, Nevada, were charged on earlier this week with felony stalking, conspiracy and a few other counts in the weird case of landlord fury.  The couple released on bail after arrested and could not be contacted for additional comments.

The charges were filed under the claim that the Macys were allegedly terrorizing tenant after they purchased a multi-unit apartment building for close to a million dollars, and started eviction proceedings against the five tenants living there.

When one of the occupants successfully had an eviction reversed, property owners supposedly told workers in fall of 2006 to sever the cross beams that held up the unit's floor.  Property owners also cut the tenant’s electricity, disconnected their telephone line, and had workers cut a hole in his living room floor from the unit below, officials said.  The tenant in question has already sued the property owners.

The landlords were also booked on terrorizing other tenants in the apartment house who have been paying the Macys a lowered rent after thinking that they were being overcharged under San Francisco landlord tenant laws.

Tenant’s lawyers said property owners illegally entered the occupants' unit last summer and took $2,000, a watch, and a mobile phone.  The tenants later filed court proceedings condemning the owners of first replacing the apartment locks, then unlawfully entering their apartment and destroying some household items.

When the tenant returned to the residence and confronted the landlord, he was caught ransacking his apartment, The property owner kicked him in the chest, the suit says.  Frightening notes were posted of the tenants' door, and the water turned off after the tenant refused to pay the bill.