Andrew Szeto

Andrew Szeto is a writer based in San Francisco.

Articles by Andrew Szeto

Mayor Lee’s Small Sites Program Could Save Tenant’s Home

Posted September 15, 2014 by Andrew Szeto

On September 3, Benito Santiago, 64, a senior and public school teacher, received notice that his Ellis Act eviction had been rescinded. Santiago and his 2 neighbors were involved in an over 8 month struggle against real estate speculator Michael
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Below Market Rate Tenants Seek Protections, Organize

Posted July 15, 2014 by Andrew Szeto

Below market rate units—both apartments and condos—have been offered as possible solutions to San Francisco affordable housing crisis. But BMR condos have proven to be more of a nightmare of an investment than answers to the crisis, while apartments are
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Activists Protest Urban Green Serial Evictor CEO David McCloskey

Posted July 10, 2014 by Andrew Szeto

Yesterday, July 9, over 40 people came out for an action targeting the Marina offices of real estate speculators Urban Green to protest the Ellis Act evictions of 98-year-old Mary Elizabeth Phillips and teacher, and Phillips’s primary caretaker, Sarah Brandt.
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Nonprofits Protest Supes’ Double Standard

Posted July 9, 2014 by Andrew Szeto

Nonprofit workers were disappointed to find out last week that the city had decided to give them only a 1.5% pay increase, far less than the real costs of running services in San Francisco. The city’s decision to stiff nonprofit
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Oakland Chamber Seeks to Undermine Minimum Wage Hike

Posted July 8, 2014 by Andrew Szeto

Strong pushback from the business community may jeopardize the efforts to improve the standard of living of the thousands of working-class residents across Oakland. The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce has created a counter proposal significantly reducing the impact that
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Kim, Activists Seek SRO Elevator Fix

Posted June 24, 2014 by Andrew Szeto

A Board of Supervisor hearing on June 23 sought to clarify the growing problem of elevator access in SRO hotels. Around two dozen seniors and people with disabilities spoke at the hearing, many coming from the Senior and Disability Action
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Tenants Win Argument, Lose Vote

Posted June 19, 2014 by Andrew Szeto

Ellis Act reform faced defeat on June 18 after Senator Mark Leno’s SB 1439 lost 3-4 in the State Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee. The bill, which would have prevented real estate speculators from Ellis Act evicting tenants within
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Anti-Speculation Tax, Rival Housing Balance Measures Headed to SF Ballot

Posted June 18, 2014 by Andrew Szeto

One of the last pieces of legislation that the late Supervisor Harvey Milk worked on was an anti-speculation tax aimed at addressing San Francisco’s housing crisis at the time. It is in his legacy that the Anti-Displacement Coalition, Tuesday, filed
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