Remember that utterly disreputable, monstrous Lower Haight landlord who circulated a letter to his tenants a couple months back saying there was a new requirement for tenants that they have a minimum annual income of $100,000?
The landlord, Robert Shelton, quickly figured out that it was completely illegal and issued a retraction, but now he's aggressively pursuing the eviction of ground-floor taqueria Cuco's (488 Haight Street), in the same building, which he's been trying to evict since 2012, as Hoodline reports.
Shelton has once again issued a 30-day eviction notice to Cuco's, where owners Domingo and Carmen Campos have been slinging some delicious plantain burritos (among other stuff) in the same location for 22 years. They've been on a month-to-moth lease, but were able to get Shelton to back down after he issued his first notice in February 2012, with help from a pro bono lawyer and a petition from the community. They're planning to fight this eviction as well, but it's unclear how determined Shelton is to get them out. Their last rent check, dated July 5, was returned to them along with a letter saying their tenancy had been terminated.
It's worth noting that Shelton is employing those "Eviction Boot Camp" lawyers from the firm of Bornstein & Bornstein. The firm was fined earlier this year in SF Superior Court due to their conduct in representing one particular landlord.
The Campos's daughter Judy tells Hoodline that Shelton regularly harassed them, saying they needed to upgrade the interior of the space, something he was not legally permitted to demand unless there was something illegal about the space, and even then it would likely have been his responsibility to make the upgrade.
The Campos family has been paying $4,287 per month for the retail space, which may or may not be slightly below market rate for retail in the vicinity (there's not much currently available to compare). In the Mission, a 1200-square-foot retail space on 24th Street is currently up for grabs for $4,200.
