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Ninety-nine year old Iris Canada
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"It's absolutely immoral to evict a ninety-nine (99) year-old from her home," said Tommi Avicolli Mecca with the Housing Rights Committee in San Francisco. A news conference was held
Tuesday at 670 Page Street in
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Tommi Alicolli Mecca of Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco
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front of the apartment building where Iris Canada, a retired nurse, lives. Ms. Canada is being threatened by eviction from Unit #1, where she has resided for 60 years. A hearing is scheduled for
9:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 27, 2016 in room 502 of 400 McAllister in San Francisco, right across from City Hall.
Forgive me, but this is one of the hardest stories for me to report. I guess I am feeling a little PTSD probably because it's unbelievable that an elder would be treated in such a way in one of the most prosperous nations in the world. Shouldn't be shocking because I have seen this before. So what's new and who cares? That's yet to be discovered.
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Iris Canada has lived in Unit 1 of 670 Page Street for 60 years. News Conference was held tuesday, 4/26/16 about her eviction fight.
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For those who prey on elders, don't think it's going to be as easy as you think. Our society has forgotten that "you reap what you sow" and also, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Those basic universal laws are still at work. Those thinking that they can wait out old folks weren't taught what my great grandmother "Momma Nora" taught me during my summer visits to Jacksonville, Fl. "Child, there are as many short graves as there are long ones," she'd say; meaning no one knows when they are going to leave this earth and just because you're young doesn't mean you have any guarantees of a long life.
Ms. Canada's birthday is in July and I told her at the news conference, "May God bless you as He did Moses with 120 years!" I hope that was encouraging for her. Harriett Tubman may soon be on the 20-dollar bill, but Ms. Iris is my hero at 99 years old standing her ground for justice.
This case of Iris Canada is a reminder that our society is only as good as it treats its youth and elders. In his last speech its noted that 1968 presidential candidate, Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey said ...the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped. " Mahatma Ghandi expressed the same sentiment: "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members."
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Iris Merriouns, Iris Canada's namesake and grand niece speaks to media about the eviction fight.
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They say "the devil is in the details," but it is looking like the devil is in the hearts of people. From what I noted at Tuesday's news conference, it appears the owners of the building are trying to evict Ms. Canada, who has paid rent on time, due to her violating the "Grant of Life Estate" that was signed by her in 2005. The owners Peter M. Owens, Caroline A. Radish and Steven L. Owens contend she's been away too often and too long and does not reside at the location. And there was some stipulation about not allowing anyone to live there with her as a caretaker; so after her hospitalization her extended absence was counted against her as a violation.
The devilish detail that came out of the news conference is that Ms. Canada who was entreated by the owners to sign "Grant of Life Estate" document in 2005 is now in 2016 keeping the
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Iris Canada's Next Door Neighbor Callas her and her niece "liars."
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tenants who have been promised financing by the owners, from converting the units into condominiums. This information came out as one of the tenants, Ms. Canada's next-door neighbor, intruded on the news conference and called Ms. Canada and her grand niece,
Iris Merriouns, the spokesperson at the news conference, "liars." It also came out that Ms. Canada's doorbell had been rewired to the next-door neighbor's so that when someone rang, he would come out and say she was not at home although Ms. Canada was at home. According to a news release presented at the news conference, it should be noted that one of the owners of the building, Peter Owens is employed as the Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Burlington, Vermont, presidential candidate Bernie Sander's territory. Here's a another case of an outside investor, as it was in the case of longtime Bernal Heights resident and artist, Jacquie Taliaferro, who is still fighting to regain his family home of 50 years that was bought by his father, World War II Veteran and U.S. postal worker, Jack Stowers.
There is a pattern San Francisco. "In with the new out with the old!" As long as it's new money, it's out with the old residents, who built this City with their "blood, sweat and tears." And those that have brought value to the City are no longer respected as they age and are not valued.
What's the big deal about pushing Ms. Canada out of her home? Money! According to Mecca of the Housing Rights Committee, "The value of the apartments will increase by 40%, if a condo conversion takes place.
"The devil's in the details. The devil's in the hearts." You decide. A couple of corporate media companies showed up for the news conference, but who knows how the story will be told because the story of Public Defender Jeff Adachi receiving new racist police texts broke
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Tommi Avicolli Mecca updates Melonie Green (c) of KPOO . Also pictured Sandra Varner of Varner PR Agency and ACCE member Vernell Hawkins.
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around the same time as the news conference and they had to move on. New York Times reporter, Thomas Fuller was on hand and his story is expected on Thursday, April 28th. Be on the look out. Listen for a report on KPOO by Melonie Green, host of The Ibeji Lounge heard Tuesdays from
8-10 p.m. with twin sister Melorra. Melonie, who lives up the street from Ms. Canada, was on her way for a smoothie when she noticed the news conference.
All I can say is something has gone terribly wrong in "the City by the Bay." It is a very good thing for people to make lots of money and to build new buildings, but not at the expense of the vulnerable; not at the expense of justice and the best of the American way. As the story hit the news
Monday that the State of California is going to set aside $1.3 Billion dollars for affordable housing, the reality is that too many will be hurt before those plans led by Assemblymen David Chiu of San
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Assemblyman Tony Thurmond of Richmond. |
Francisco and Tony Thurmond of Richmond come to fruition. (
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article73798347.html)
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Assemblyman David Chiu of San Francisco |
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Iris Canada Speaks with New York Times Reporter, Thomas Fuller and other media about her eviction fight.
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Ninety-nine year old Iris Canada stood her ground today as she faces eviction from her apartment home of over 60 years. Iris Canada! What's in a name? Iris, means rainbow and Canada is the country slaves escaped to avoid bondage as they followed the North Star. Freedom and promise is in her name. And if San Francisco, the City of Refuge, ignores the significance of her name and the reality of her situation, it could result in Ms. Canada being evicted. Too many elders have already landed on the streets of San Francisco. Policy needs to be put in place to help elders, especially those who do not have a caring family or friends as Ms. Canada does.
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Related Stories:
Varner PR Agency
Eviction Hearing for Iris Canada Wednesday, April 27, 2016
By Tim Redmond (former longtime editor for SF Bay Guardian and current editor for
www.48hills.org)
SF Gate. Com Story
