Robinson Leader: Evictions and disenrollment

Opinion

Monday, September 14, 2009

"I am writing in response to the article, “Tribal eviction efforts at Robinson Rancheria result in Saturday protest,” which was published in the Lake County News on Aug. 30.

First, the article gives the impression that the eviction proceedings that are presently taking place in the Robinson Rancheria Tribal Court are related to the disenrollment of tribal members that occurred at the end of last year. That is not true. The eviction actions have been brought against eight tenants of Tribal Housing because they violated the terms of their lease agreements with the Tribe’s Housing Commission. Those violations include failure to pay rent, the storage of broken down cars and other junk on the rented property, and disturbing the peace. The eviction proceedings were begun only after repeated requests that the tenants pay their mortgage/rent and stop behaving in ways that were disturbing to the community.

Second, all of the tenants who are being evicted were given notice of the eviction proceedings and an opportunity to present their side of the story to the Housing Commission at hearings scheduled last week. Not one showed up to present arguments for why he/she should not be evicted. Instead the tenants skipped the hearing and attempted to interfere with the business operations of the Tribe’s casino, the source of the revenue that the Tribe uses to fund tribal programs the tenants have benefited from for years.

Third, while the Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued a report citing to deficiencies in the Housing Commission’s compliance with certain federal grant program requirements, those compliance issues relate to matters of procedure and record keeping. They have been addressed and are being resolved. More important, those compliance issues have nothing to do with the evictions."

Get the Story:
Nicholas Medina: Tribe disputes eviction story (The Lake County News 9/12)