LETTERS

SKYLINE'S STORY

We were disappointed with G.W. Schulz's misleading and often outright false article ("Skyline Realty's Goon Squad," 3/8/06). We will not address the "he said, she said" claims, all of which are preposterous on their face, but will address the claims that can be objectively shown to be false.

Your story begins by stating that in 2003 we wrongfully investigated the occupancy of Maurice Sharp, who was not on the lease. You imply that his occupancy was legal because "the city's rental laws allow domestic partners to share an apartment even if both people aren't listed on the lease." However, this law did not exist in 2003; it did not go into effect until 2005. Additionally, as the article states, the pair were not registered domestic partners when the named tenant's partner was found to be living in the unit in violation of the lease. When the occupants registered as domestic partners, we did not pursue the matter even though they were in violation of the lease and had no protections because the 2005 law had not been passed. If we were as unscrupulous as you claim, we would have pursued the lease violation through eviction.

You imply that the petition brought against Stephanie [sic] McKeen was meritless and state the judge "tossed the case." The petition was not "tossed." Rather, there was a two-day hearing. Although the case was not decided in our favor, the judge expressly stated that "this is a close case." The Rent Board upheld the judge's decision by a slim 3–2 margin. You also imply that Ms. McKeen was elderly, ill, and impoverished. In fact, she resides in one of the most expensive apartment buildings in San Francisco, pays thousands of dollars a month in rent, owns a house in St. Helena that was appraised at $1,230,000 in 1999 and is worth considerably more now, and the Rent Board decision states that she has traveled between three and four months per year for the past three years and is away from the unit "for significant periods of time."

With respect to 1547 Clay St., you state, "It's not clear what Skyline is doing with the building, but if the company's aim is to empty out the long-term tenants, it's working: [Tenant] Tise says only 6 out of 27 units remain occupied." No tenants have vacated since we purchased the building. When we purchased the building last year, only 6 of the 27 units were occupied. Those 6 units are occupied by the same tenants. The other 21 units, which were in deplorable condition and have been vacant and uninhabited for years, are undergoing extensive remodeling to make them habitable. Additionally, we have upgraded the building's electrical, plumbing, and security systems, are refurbishing the common areas, and have repaired the building's elevator, which had not been operable for years, all of which benefit the current occupants. The remodeling has taken awhile because it is so extensive. Unfortunately, it is noisy and disruptive; fortunately, 21 units of new housing are being added to San Francisco. Which would San Francisco prefer?

David Raynal

Skyline Realty

San Francisco

EXECUTIVE EDITOR TIM REDMOND REPLIES Let's set the record straight: We never charged that Skyline "wrongfully investigated" Maurice Sharp's occupancy. We never said or implied that Stephene McKeen was "impoverished." Our point — which Raynal never contradicts — is that Skyline Realty has been charged repeatedly in court cases and rent board actions with using a squad of security people (and other aggressive tactics) to try to frighten tenants out of rent-controlled units.

We appreciate Raynal's clarification that all six tenants who lived at 1547 Clay when Skyline bought the building are still there, and updated information about that property is contained in a story on page 11.

FOR THE RECORD

In last week's news brief "Revving Up," we inadvertently reversed the days Golden Gate Park is closed to automobiles. It is now closed Sundays and is proposed to also be closed on Saturdays.

Our news intern Nick Rahaim's name was misspelled in his byline last week for his profile of Tom Campell and Elizabeth Patterson on page 22.

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