Oakland, CA: September 1, 2016. (PCP) Yesterday, the Alameda Superior Court granted a preliminary injunction motion filed by the tenants and the City of Oakland in a case against the owners, landlord, and property managers of a Single-Room-Occupancy ("SRO") building at the edge of Oakland's Chinatown. The ruling orders defendant Green Group, LP to repair the bathroom and kitchen facilities the defendants previously demolished by October 7, remove several cameras installed in the building's shared living spaces, and stop other tenant harassment. The tenants are represented by Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus and the housing and civil rights law firm, Sundeen Salinas & Pyle. "We welcome the judge's decision and are relieved that steps are finally being taken to allow the tenants to live with dignity in their homes. This ruling shows that landlords cannot get away with using tactics like these to drive tenants out," said Katherine Chu, housing rights attorney at the Asian Law Caucus, and one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case. "We are glad the Court saw the building personally, recognized that the conditions are 'intolerable', and will be carefully monitoring the construction progress. We hope the defendants will do what's right and work urgently to repair the demolished bathrooms and kitchens." The suit filed on behalf of fourteen tenants of the SRO and the City of Oakland alleges that the owners, landlords, and managers of the SRO have intentionally made living conditions unbearable for the tenants in an effort to force them out, renovate the building, and then bring in wealthier clientele. "We're one step closer to vindicating our rights. This is what we've been fighting for this whole time. I'll be thankful that we won't have to wait in long lines anymore just to use the bathroom or kitchen," said Wing Fu Mah, one of the tenants. The majority of the tenants are monolingual Chinese immigrants and many of them are elderly. Like other low-income working families or fixed income seniors, these rent-controlled SRO units are one of the few affordable housing options available to them. Being forced to leave would not only mean losing their homes, but also access to the cultural and linguistic Chinatown community in which they have lived for so many years. "As housing prices continue to rise in the Bay Area and more people become displaced, it is more important than ever that tenants assert their right to live in safe conditions," said Robert Salinas, a partner at Sundeen Salinas and Pyle and one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case. "This decision affirms that right." "In this case and other cases I have filed to protect tenants' rights, the courts are holding abusive landlords accountable with adverse rulings, injunctions and significant fines and penalties," City Attorney Barbara J. Parker said. "We are giving abusive landlords notice that our City will not tolerate violations of tenants' rights and Oakland's laws." The tenants' claims for damages and a permanent injunction are still pending. The tenants are represented by Sundeen Salinas and Pyle and Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus. The City of Oakland is represented by the Oakland City Attorney's Office.