San Francisco resident and business owner Manny Yekutiel was in Israel for his niece’s bat mitzvah and his father’s 80th birthday when the attacks began.

Three days into his trip, he shared video from his family’s home outside Jerusalem, where sirens could be heard in the distance.

“Missiles being intercepted above me. I saw a site a few miles away that had been hit by a missile. I mean i could see the actual plume of smoke coming out of it, so this is very real, it’s not isolated to a small part of Israel,” he said. “My cousin texted me last night and a missile had hit a place three blocks away in Tel Aviv.”

Yekutiel said seven sirens have gone off since, which sent his family running to a bomb shelter.

“Missiles and the rocket barrages are something unfortunately that seems to happen with some regularity, but the fact that there was a ground assault and people have been kidnapped and taken from their homes, and their homes have been invaded, it just adds a very chilling feeling to what’s been going on and I pray for a de-escalation,” Yekutiel said. “The terrorists have targeted the airport, and a lot of flights are not coming in, and so I have a flight. But it’s not for another 10 days, and I don’t know I’m scared. I’m nervous that I might not be able to get out.” 

The surprise attack that killed at least 250 people happened during a major Jewish holiday Saturday.

Israel’s prime minister said the country is now at war with Hamas and vowed to inflict an “unprecedented price.” 

“I have a niece in the army. I have friends who live in that area,” said Marco Sermoneta, the San Francisco-based Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest. “The first thing that needs to be put out there is that Israel will defend itself and will respond to this outrageous barbaric attack with whatever means it has at its disposal.”

Zaki Shaheen is a Palestinian-American activist who does work that supports Palestinian human rights. 

“I really hope that we have a balanced approach from an international perspective moving forward to speak out against any violence that impacts any civilian anywhere in the world. And going back to the fear that is being felt. We’re really concerned about the level of violence that’s about to be levied against Palestinian civilians,” Shaheen said. “Because historically, and I want to make this point very strongly as well, the brunt of the destruction and the death that has been caused by Israeli state-sanctioned military campaigns has not been borne by militant groups or by terrorists.” 

In the days ahead, Yekutiel said he is focused on the safety of his family.

“It’s terrible and it’s scary and it’s hard to put into words what it feels like to watch a crowded synagogue have to run under tables and to see a father cover his children with his prayer shawl to keep them protected,” he said. “It sounds dramatic and it was dramatic, and it was overwhelming. After it all finished, I went outside and I cried because I could feel the heat of the moment and the fear, and I could see the fear in my people’s eyes.”

More from CBS News

Betty Yu

Betty Yu joined KPIX 5 in November 2013 as a general assignment reporter. She spent two years at WTVJ, the NBC-owned station in Miami, as a reporter before moving to San Francisco.

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Plymouth Meeting, PA, Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AVE, a residential real estate brand specializing in elevated apartment living, announced this week its 8thAnnual Resident Appreciation Week theme “Immerse Yourself” in partnership with Sprig by Kohler, a new wellness and self-care brand from Kohler.

AVE Resident Appreciation Week is a tradition that the community-oriented apartment brand launched in 2015. “We know our residents have so many choices as to where to live, and we just go all out this week to say thank you for choosing AVE,” says Lea Anne Welsh, president of AVE and COO of Korman Communities. “Resident Appreciation Week is definitely our favorite week of the year because we get to take care of and spend time with our residents, which is what we’re most passionate about!” 

AVE has partnered with Sprig this year to offer product giveaways to residents throughout the week. Sprig, which launched in 2022, designs products that harness the power of water to create elevated, self-care spa experiences at home. Kohler has been outfitting AVE apartment and amenity spaces with plumbing fixtures since 2015, and the partnership with Sprig is a complementary evolution of that relationship. 

When Sprig was started, its goal was to transform daily routines into well-being rituals through aromatherapy and wellness products that enhance experiences throughout the home. Stephanie Krickeberg, managing director of Sprig by Kohler, saw a perfect match between Sprig and AVE. “AVE’s focus on enhancing their residents’ experiences within their communities resonated with our core brand focus. We seek to deliver clean, natural, immersive experiences that de-stress and deliver joy. We couldn’t be better aligned.” 

In 2015, Paul DeFruscio, SVP, Asset for AVE, was searching for supplier partners who could simplify the process for AVE’s growing portfolio. “Both of our brands are aligned in values and vision,” says DeFruscio. “Kohler Co. understands our goals with respect to delivering a quality, inspiring, and innovative living experience. Their involvement in AVE Resident Appreciation Week illustrates how our partnership is so much more than plumbing fixtures.”

The “Immerse Yourself” theme for this year’s AVE Resident Appreciation Week complements Sprig’s water-driven product line. The theme also will be activated by the apartment community teams who are producing a lineup of events for residents focused on the senses and community engagement.  

About AVE and Korman Communities

AVE specializes in elevated apartment living for discerning renters and individuals who need a flexible living option whether it be for business or personal lifestyle. The hospitality- and lifestyle-driven brand professionally manages state-of-the-art residential communities in New Jersey, the Greater Philadelphia Area, the East Bay of San Francisco, Texas, Arizona, and Florida, with many locations in the works, featuring unprecedented resort and business amenities and award-winning service teams.  

Korman Communities is a fully integrated, fifth-generation, 100-year-old real estate company with development, management, asset, marketing, and financial capabilities operating throughout the United States and in London. The portfolio is comprised of two brands – AVE (aveliving.com) best-in-class, multi-family residential communities and AKA (stayaka.com) luxury hotel accommodations. For more information, visit www.korman.com. 

About Sprig by Kohler

Sprig is a new wellness and self-care brand from Kohler that transforms daily routines into elevated well-being rituals. Their clever shower infusion system supercharges the power of water with natural botanicals and skincare superstars like hyaluronic acid to create experiences that are anything but ordinary. Sprig’s primary aim is to help you expand your moments and magnify your frames of mind, so whether you’re ramping up to start the day, winding down at the end of it, or looking to boost your routine in-between, Sprig is here to bring you back to center. 

• AVE Resident Appreciation Week

Ashley Cerasaro
AVE by Korman Communities
570-956-0577
[email protected]

Source: AVE by Korman Communities

The post AVE Dwelling Publicizes eighth Annual Resident Appreciation Week in Partnership with Sprig by Kohler appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Plymouth Meeting, PA, Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AVE, a residential real estate brand specializing in elevated apartment living, announced this week its 8thAnnual Resident Appreciation Week theme “Immerse Yourself” in partnership with Sprig by Kohler, a new wellness and self-care brand from Kohler.

AVE Resident Appreciation Week is a tradition that the community-oriented apartment brand launched in 2015. “We know our residents have so many choices as to where to live, and we just go all out this week to say thank you for choosing AVE,” says Lea Anne Welsh, president of AVE and COO of Korman Communities. “Resident Appreciation Week is definitely our favorite week of the year because we get to take care of and spend time with our residents, which is what we’re most passionate about!” 

AVE has partnered with Sprig this year to offer product giveaways to residents throughout the week. Sprig, which launched in 2022, designs products that harness the power of water to create elevated, self-care spa experiences at home. Kohler has been outfitting AVE apartment and amenity spaces with plumbing fixtures since 2015, and the partnership with Sprig is a complementary evolution of that relationship. 

When Sprig was started, its goal was to transform daily routines into well-being rituals through aromatherapy and wellness products that enhance experiences throughout the home. Stephanie Krickeberg, managing director of Sprig by Kohler, saw a perfect match between Sprig and AVE. “AVE’s focus on enhancing their residents’ experiences within their communities resonated with our core brand focus. We seek to deliver clean, natural, immersive experiences that de-stress and deliver joy. We couldn’t be better aligned.” 

In 2015, Paul DeFruscio, SVP, Asset for AVE, was searching for supplier partners who could simplify the process for AVE’s growing portfolio. “Both of our brands are aligned in values and vision,” says DeFruscio. “Kohler Co. understands our goals with respect to delivering a quality, inspiring, and innovative living experience. Their involvement in AVE Resident Appreciation Week illustrates how our partnership is so much more than plumbing fixtures.”

The “Immerse Yourself” theme for this year’s AVE Resident Appreciation Week complements Sprig’s water-driven product line. The theme also will be activated by the apartment community teams who are producing a lineup of events for residents focused on the senses and community engagement.  

About AVE and Korman Communities

AVE specializes in elevated apartment living for discerning renters and individuals who need a flexible living option whether it be for business or personal lifestyle. The hospitality- and lifestyle-driven brand professionally manages state-of-the-art residential communities in New Jersey, the Greater Philadelphia Area, the East Bay of San Francisco, Texas, Arizona, and Florida, with many locations in the works, featuring unprecedented resort and business amenities and award-winning service teams.  

Korman Communities is a fully integrated, fifth-generation, 100-year-old real estate company with development, management, asset, marketing, and financial capabilities operating throughout the United States and in London. The portfolio is comprised of two brands – AVE (aveliving.com) best-in-class, multi-family residential communities and AKA (stayaka.com) luxury hotel accommodations. For more information, visit www.korman.com. 

About Sprig by Kohler

Sprig is a new wellness and self-care brand from Kohler that transforms daily routines into elevated well-being rituals. Their clever shower infusion system supercharges the power of water with natural botanicals and skincare superstars like hyaluronic acid to create experiences that are anything but ordinary. Sprig’s primary aim is to help you expand your moments and magnify your frames of mind, so whether you’re ramping up to start the day, winding down at the end of it, or looking to boost your routine in-between, Sprig is here to bring you back to center. 

Attachment

Ashley Cerasaro AVE by Korman Communities 570-956-0577 acerasaro@aveliving.com

Copyright 2023 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

The post AVE Residing Publicizes eighth Annual Resident Appreciation Week in Partnership with Sprig by Kohler | Enterprise Information appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Janet Kessler has been watching San Francisco’s wild coyotes for 16 years.

She knows individual coyotes by face, has helped with genealogical studies, and spends time observing them almost every day. The 73-year-old self-taught naturalist is known to some as San Francisco’s “Coyote Lady” for her efforts to document and represent the city’s residents, who some say are its least valued residents.

But Kessler has never officially studied biology and hasn’t previously worked in a related field — she’s been a hostess, editorial assistant, paralegal, and ran an art gallery at various points in her life. After her last job ended, she took up playing the pedal harp, but that occupation ended after she cut her finger on the lid of a tin can.

One of Janet Kessler’s photos of coyotes in San Francisco.

Photo by Janet Kessler

“During this healing period I met my first coyote. A coyote magically appeared when I needed it,” Kessler said. “The more I learned about coyotes over time, the more immersed and engaged I became.”

Kessler’s fascination turned into a full-time job. She is not paid for any part of her work as a coyote observer and advocate, but she wholeheartedly rejects the term “retired.”

“Retirement means pausing and calming down. I’m very active,” Kessler said, adding that she regularly works more hours than a regular job requires.

Easy access to ample open space is one of the greatest perks of living in San Francisco for Kessler, who notes that more than 18% of the city’s area is parkland. “What more could anyone with a natural history inclination want?” she said. “I can wake up before sunrise and enjoy a walk to Twin Peaks without meeting another soul.”

Janet Kessler walks while photographing coyotes in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California April 27, 2023. Kessler has been taking pictures of the coyotes in the park for years.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

One of Janet Kessler’s photos of coyotes in San Francisco.

Photo by Janet Kessler

(Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE/Photo by Janet Kessler)
(Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE/Photo by Janet Kessler)

Kessler regularly enjoys early morning and evening walks in the open spaces of San Francisco, a habit she’s maintained since her first coyote encounter. She began bringing a camera to document her presence and behavior.

“I don’t see myself as a photographer; Rather, the camera is a notebook for recording data,” Kessler said, adding that she started out shooting with a simple digital point-and-shoot and eventually upgraded to a mirrorless camera with a 650mm lens — a setup , which puts them on par with professional wildlife photographers.

In 2008, Kessler began collecting fecal samples that were eventually used for research on the local population. A team of students from UC Davis’ Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit analyzed the DNA and gained insight into the animal’s local genealogy.

One of Janet Kessler’s photos of coyotes in San Francisco.

Photo by Janet Kessler

A study examining 97 fecal samples from at least 30 individuals concluded that the population of San Francisco is “essentially a single, randomly interbreeding population or family group.” These results appear to confirm what Kessler has believed for years — that the city’s coyote population began with four to six individuals, which were reintroduced sometime around 2002.

More DNA studies are underway, which Kessler expects will confirm the family relationships she has documented and possibly uncover others. In addition, other researchers are analyzing the fecal samples as part of a nutritional study. Early results suggest that urban coyotes are consuming more human food than previously thought.

She began posting information about the coyote population in San Francisco on her Coyote Yipps blog in 2009, and later began sharing her photos on an Instagram account of the same name. Kessler even wrote a few manuscripts for books about the San Francisco coyotes, one of which detailed her encounters with a particular coyote she named Myca. Kessler self-published Myca of Twin Peaks, and copies of the book have been sold in San Francisco’s independent bookstores. She also lectures around town.

Janet Kessler poses while photographing coyotes at Golden Gate Park on April 27, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Kessler has been taking pictures of the coyotes in the park for years.Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Eventually, Kessler’s work transformed her from casual observer to coyote advocate. While headlines about coyotes typically focus on alleged attacks, she claims coyotes are more like us than most people realize.

“You’re a lot smarter than most people think. They think and plan ahead, they have a direction and a sense of what they’re doing,” Kessler said. “They have individual relationships and routines. They protect their territories, they like and dislike each other. They love to play, they hunt for a living, they have impeccable memories.”

She added that coyotes tend to mate for life, but just like humans, it’s occasionally more complicated. Coyotes are territorial, with a mating pair claiming and defending a territory. This area includes where they hunt and forage and also where they raise their family. In both urban and wild environments, coyote life cycles typically follow an annual cycle.

One of Janet Kessler’s photos of coyotes in San Francisco.

Photo by Janet Kessler

Pup season usually begins in April in San Francisco when a litter of one to seven coyote pups is born. The pups remain in their den, with both parents working together to bring them food, until they are big enough to get outside and learn how to hunt. “There’s a lot of play and family activities,” Kessler said. “Tug of war and things that human children do – just to flex their muscles.”

When the pups are about 9 months old and fully grown, they will begin to disperse and leave their families to find a mate and territory of their own. Kessler notes that propagation occurs at different times for different people. In town, she’s noticed that most puppies diverge sometime in the second year of life. In the next year’s puppy season, the cycle repeats itself.

The dispersal phase is a particularly dangerous time for urban coyotes as they leave parks and open spaces and migrate through more urban areas in search of a place to live.

“There have been major changes in some of the coyote families this winter due to deaths, relocations, or territorial takeovers. I’m excited to see how things settle down,” Kessler said. She added that she welcomes photos of local coyotes along with notes of where and when they were seen to help her track their movements and territories.

Janet Kessler poses while photographing coyotes at Golden Gate Park on April 27, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Kessler has been taking pictures of the coyotes in the park for years.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Janet Kessler poses while photographing coyotes at Golden Gate Park on April 27, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Kessler has been taking pictures of the coyotes in the park for years.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

One of Janet Kessler’s photos of coyotes in San Francisco.

Photo by Janet Kessler

(Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE/Photo by Janet Kessler)
(Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE/Photo by Janet Kessler)

The number one cause of accidental death in coyotes living in urban areas is automobile accidents. In 2021, 24 coyotes killed by cars were picked up in the city, Kessler said.

Still, Kessler believes the local population is relatively stable and that the city’s coyotes aren’t going away anytime soon. “I think it’s pretty clear that coyotes live in cities because those areas attract them,” she said. “Coyotes are not shot here in the same way as they are in rural areas or ranching areas, and their diet is supplemented by our trash.”

The most important thing people need to know about coyotes, Kessler says, is to keep pets on a leash when they’re around and walk away from them.

“Coexistence is really easy – stay away from them. Don’t let pets roam free and don’t feed them.”

Paul Krantz is an Oakland-born writer and journalist currently based in Berlin. He has an MA in digital journalism and typically focuses on the environmental impact of human activities.

The post The San Francisco resident documenting town’s coyote inhabitants appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

An 81-year-old San Francisco resident was told she had to leave her home.

As the San Francisco Chronicle first reported, a note was posted on the door of Rosemarie Benter’s Page Street condo on April 20, telling her she had three days to vacate the premises.

Benter said she bought her home decades ago, but a loan she took out to pay her property taxes created a chain of problems that led to her home being sold in a foreclosure sale. Benter told NBC Bay Area that she will not go out without a fight.

An 81-year-old San Francisco woman has been told she must vacate the home she has lived in for more than three decades. Kris Sanchez reports.

“Yes, I’m a tough old bird,” said Benter on Sunday.

Benter said she has lived in the Victorian home in San Francisco’s Upper Haight for more than three decades. She explained that she was able to initially own the house on a “joint lease” and then retain ownership when the unit was split into condominiums.

Benter said she took out a reverse mortgage on her property back in 2007.

Currently, Benter said, she’s dealing with a variety of health issues, including arthritis and the effects of a recent stroke. In July 2021, Benter said she sought help paying for her healthcare costs and property taxes. Benter said she was put in touch with a realtor who pressured her to sign papers to use her home to take out a loan.

Originally, Benter said she was told the loan would be $8,000, but the loan turned out to be more than $9,000 and then went up to over $13,000, including interest and fees.

“I was repeatedly told, ‘No, no, no, no one is going to kick you out for an eight thousand dollar bill,'” Benter said.

Then, in February 2023, Benter said, “There was a knock on my door, I think it was around 11 a.m., and the man said, ‘Hi, I’m here to repossess your house.'”

“And I said, ‘What do you mean?'” Benter recalled, “he said, ‘If you don’t have thirteen thousand dollars to pay this debt, it’s going to be sold in 29 minutes.'”

Benter said her home was sold at a foreclosure sale to the highest bidder.

An attorney for the buyer released a statement to NBC Bay Area on Monday.

“My client’s intention is to reside in this property, but if Ms. Benter wishes to buy it back, my client is willing to negotiate,” said attorney Joanna Kozubal.

Darren Orr, an attorney with the nonprofit Legal Aid for the Elderly of San Francisco, is now representing Benter. Orr explained that Benter contacted the nonprofit after the foreclosure sale and his team attempted to reverse the foreclosure, which they believe was based on a “completely unscrupulous and predatory loan.”

Benter said she was surprised to find the eviction notice on her door on Friday. She said whoever delivered the notification didn’t call her or ring her doorbell to let her know. Benter only found out about this from a reporter.

The statement states, “Eugene Gardner has acquired the property by escrow and title to the property has been duly completed.” The notice is signed by Kozubal.

Benter said when she saw the news, she panicked. “I was like, ‘This is it, Monday morning they’re going to show up with a sheriff and a truck and get me out of here.'”

But Orr explained that the scenario Benter envisioned was unlikely to materialize Monday, and that several other procedural steps would have to happen before Benter could be formally deported.

“Legally, we would expect that [Gardner] will seek eviction and unlawful detention to try to evict Ms. Benter as soon as possible. We will of course defend Ms. Benter in this lawsuit and we certainly hope to be successful in that,” Orr said.

On Monday, Orr said Benter will file a lawsuit against the broker and lender she worked with, as well as the new buyer. He said this lawsuit will prompt the court to find Benter as the rightful owner of the condo and seek damages for the damage caused to her.

Benter said she still hopes she can spend the rest of her life in her home.

If that’s not possible, she has no idea what she’s going to do.

“I can’t live on the streets and afford nothing,” she stressed.

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Helping people was important to Jason Murphy and he was doing just that — working as a handyman — when he was killed last week in St. Paul.

On Monday police identified the two men fatally stabbed in a Payne-Phalen residence on Thursday as Murphy, 40, and Jon R. Wentz, 56.

The parents of Murphy said Monday they have many questions about what happened and the biggest is why the suspect was allowed to live in a sober-living house.

“It’s very senseless, very unfortunate and very sad,” Marsha Murphy said.

The Ramsey County attorney’s office charged Joseph Francis Sandoval II, 32, on Friday with two counts of second-degree murder. He had just moved into the residence at the 1100 block of Lawson Avenue. Last year, he was civilly committed for being mentally ill and chemically dependent. He had several pending charges, including for first-degree assault.

Joseph Francis Sandoval II (Courtesy of Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

Murphy was doing work in the home and Wentz was a resident, according to the criminal complaint against Sandoval. Police said they were both St. Paul residents.

Sandoval told police that he sat down on the couch in the home and the “TV kept saying ‘take your opportunity,’ so I took my opportunity.” When an investigator asked Sandoval what he meant, he said, “The TV said they’re going to kill me.”

Sandoval made his first court appearance in the case on Monday and a judge ordered an evaluation about his competency to proceed with the court case.

Murphy was a caring, quiet man, and the father of a 15-year-old, said his parents, Bob and Marsha Murphy.

“It really meant a lot to him to help, especially the less fortunate, because he’s had some hard times in life,” Marsha Murphy said.

Jason Murphy’s mother says this photo shows him doing what he did best — wood working. (courtesy photo)

Jason Murphy especially enjoyed woodworking and made “beautiful furniture” that was inlaid with different types of wood, his mother said. He previously worked for a bathtub repair and refinishing company that his parents used to own.

“He did the actual work and he was very, very good at it — very particular about how he did things,” Marsha Murphy said. “He liked things to be done well and that followed into when he started to make things out of wood.”

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Over the recent weekend, the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management advised city residents to not call 911 unless it was for a life-threatening medical emergency due to both the rapid spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in the area, as well as medical staff and city workers being stretched thin due to the number of medical workers kept isolated at home due to exposure or testing positive for the virus.

Since late December, the number of COVID cases have skyrocketed in California, with most contracting the omicron variant. While far less lethal than other variants, it has proved to be more contractible. A such, while hospitalizations and deaths are down, the number of daily new positive tests “cases” continues to break records. The total of new number of cases Monday statewide was 56,810.

Cities have seen some of the worst of it, with Los Angeles and San Diego a big factor in the new daily case count. San Francisco also has shown high rates, but has handled this in quite a different way.

Last week, teachers and other school staff members held a “sickout,” with healthy educators staying home to try and force additional COVID-19 measures to be implemented in the city’s school district. By Friday, Mayor London Breed was reporting that hundreds of city workers had to stay home due to COVID-19 and COVID-19 precautions, including over 400 emergency workers.

“We are still seeing staff out due to COVID including: 184 SFPD members 140 SFFD members 122 Muni workers Despite this, we are continuing to provide the critical services our residents deserve,” tweeted Mayor Breed.

We are still seeing staff out due to COVID including:
184 SFPD members
140 SFFD members
122 Muni workers

Despite this, we are continuing to provide the critical services our residents deserve. Thanks to all the frontline workers stepping up to cover shifts to support our city.

— London Breed (@LondonBreed) January 7, 2022

However, less than 24 hours later, the Mayor’s assurance was quickly broken by a San Francisco Department of Emergency Management tweet asking citizens to only call 911 only for life threatening emergencies, due largely to a shortage of medical workers and the need to protect those who remained on duty.

“Please don’t call 911 to ask for a COVID-19 test, or because you have a cold, or minor flu symptoms,” said San Francisco Fire Department Chief Jeannie Nichols in a statement. “We really want to keep our ambulances available for people having a heart attack or strokes. The department has been having about over 400 EMS calls a day in the city for the past several days—about 30% more calls than average.”

In a similar vein, a nurse at a San Francisco hospital told the Globe on Monday, “We’ve lost hundreds in the last few weeks due to having COVID19 or staying home as a precaution. We don’t know when these doctors and nurses will come back. We all have to pick up so much slack now. We’re all on edge because of it.”

With resources now strained, and some, such as police being fanned out more in recent weeks to help deal with the ongoing crime wave, already assigned, many San Franciscans expressed growing concern on Monday that there may be a delay in getting needed emergency services.

“Being told not to call an ambulance except for life-threatening injuries is a dangerous thing to do,” said Frank Ma, a former law enforcement official who now works as a security advisor for businesses in San Francisco and cities in the Peninsula, to the Globe on Monday. “How do people know if something is non-threatening? Many times it is not clear. It’s crazy we’re at this point now, but the city isn’t allowing everyone fully an emergency service now It’s shameful.”

While the 911 request isn’t mandatory, it is currently unknown just how far any kind of denial or enforcement could go.

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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) — One suspect is in custody and two others remain at large after a home invasion robbery and attack in San Francisco’s Mission District that sent a 24-year-old man to the hospital Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

The robbery was reported at about 3:45 pm at a home in the 1800 block of Mission Street, where the suspects forced their way inside and one assaulted the victim.

READ MORE: With COVID Continuing to Ease, San Francisco Street Life Returns

The suspects took items and fled, but officers were able to locate and arrest one of them, a 42-year-old man whose name has not been released. The other two suspects, believed to be men in their 20s, have not been found, police said.

READ MORE: Pandemic-Inspired Plywood Murals Exhibited in San Francisco

The officers recovered the property belonging to the victim, who was treated at a hospital for injuries not considered life-threatening, according to police.

MORE NEWS: 2 People Found Shot Dead Inside Benicia Home; Murder Suicide Suspected

© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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It’s been a rough couple of months for Dora Quintero, a 97-year old resident of Redwood Gardens, a low-income senior housing complex in Berkeley.

In August, the sink and toilet of her first-floor apartment overflowed, flooding her bedroom — and not for the first time. Redwood Gardens, located on UC Berkeley’s Clark Kerr campus, has a history of intermittent, recurring plumbing problems, mainly affecting the first floor, several residents said. The flooding happens even when residents are out of town.  

Residents, whose rents are subsidized, are grateful for landing a coveted spot in a quiet campus setting, and some are hesitant to speak out. But the surprise of sink back-ups and slick puddles is part of the territory in some units, they said, describing whack-a-mole management fixes through the years.

Quintero’s daughter Patty Casetta, who helps manage her mother’s affairs, says she’s had enough. 

Her mother’s one-bedroom unit has flooded three previous times in recent years, said Casetta, who lives in El Sobrante. This time, she said, working with Redwood Gardens’ management company, FPI, which took over at the start of the year, has been a stressful obstacle course.

Quintero, who suffers from depression and early dementia, hasn’t been home since the August flooding, and is staying with her daughter.

After months of letters, faxes, calls and emails with Redwood Gardens management, Casetta said she was told last week her mother can move to a new unit at the complex — something the family has pushed for. But the apartment offered is also on the first floor, the level prone to plumbing problems, which Casetta said isn’t acceptable. It’s also next door to a problem tenant with a history of disturbing residents, according to Casetta and other residents. 

“My mother has lived in Redwood Gardens for nearly 20 years and she has never experienced the kind of mistreatment she is currently experiencing from the new management,” Casetta said.

Casetta has filed complaints against Redwood Gardens with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the city of Berkeley. She’s also consulting a lawyer. 

Protected senior housing

A Spanish-style stucco complex located at 2951 Derby St., the 169-unit Redwood Gardens offers HUD-subsidized affordable housing for seniors ages 62 and over and people with disabilities.

Built in 1922, with additions and renovations since, the tile-roofed Mediterranean complex was once part of the California School for Deaf and Blind, along with most of the Clark Kerr Campus. When the school moved to Fremont in 1980, the campus became part of the university in a 1982 court settlement with the city, which also wanted the land. Clark Kerr is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

As part of the settlement agreement, the site must offer low-income senior housing.

Redwood Gardens, which operated for years as a nonprofit co-op, has had a few ownership changes since then. Most recently, in January, it was purchased by a private developer, Pennant Housing Group, and a nonprofit partner, Foundation Housing.

By partnering with a nonprofit, Pennant qualifies for federal tax credits under HUD. In exchange, the owners operate the facility as low-income housing, with the federal government kicking in to subsidize rents.

To oversee Redwood Gardens, the new owners partnered with FPI, a Folsom-based multi-unit management company with a portfolio of over 150,000 units in 16 states. 

Navigating the way home 

Casetta said after her mother’s apartment flooded, she brought Quintero to stay with her. They met with Redwood Gardens resident manager, Dominique Robinson-Ward, to plan her mom’s return.

Thus began weeks of correspondence between Quintero’s family and Redwood Gardens management to get Casetta’s mother home. Much of the correspondence was shared with Berkeleyside. 

It’s a tale of forms and more forms. Confusing instructions. HUD regulations. Miscommunication and frustration. With time passing all the while. 

The family asked for a few things of Redwood Gardens, including moving Quintero to a unit that wasn’t prone to flooding, prorated rent based on the actual days she was able to live at Redwood Gardens, and reimbursement for items damaged by the flooding. 

Robinson-Ward was initially amenable to these requests, Casetta said. She told the family that a third-floor unit was available, which she would show them. But that offer never materialized, and Quintero learned she was denied a “management initiated transfer.” 

At one point, Quintero was asked to move the furniture in her apartment so a maintenance crew could do repairs. Casetta started the process, but stopped. Since her mother hadn’t caused the damage, she felt she shouldn’t be responsible for moving furniture for repairs.

She was also told that repairing her mom’s damaged apartment was a lengthy process, with replacement of flooring and carpets.

Casetta was advised by Robinson-Ward that the only way her mother could get moved was by filing a HUD “reasonable accommodation” request. Under the federal Fair Housing Act, landlords must offer reasonable accommodation to residents with disabilities, which is defined as a unit that allows them “equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling.”

HUD is required to adhere to federal nondiscrimination laws, which define a person with a disability as anyone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, anyone with a record of such impairment or anyone who is regarded as having such an impairment.

Subsidized senior affordable housing in Berkeley, like most places, has long waiting lists, and follows a first-come, first-served basis. Tenants eligible for reasonable accommodation can get priority.

Quintero’s first reasonable accommodation form was completed incorrectly. A third-party disability verification form was requested. The first of these was returned incorrectly. The second was emailed from Quintero’s UCSF doctor to Redwood Gardens, but reportedly never received. It was emailed again, and not received. It was faxed to a number provided by Redwood Gardens, which turned out not to work. Management provided a new fax number, and this time the form went through. 

On Oct. 16 the reasonable accommodation was approved. But Casetta is still waiting for word that her mom can move into an apartment not prone to problems, she said.

“We do not hear of anything right away. It has always been a week or more before they respond to any communication,” she said. “That has been the pattern.”

In a Sept. 15 email to Casetta, however, Robinson-Ward said, “I completely understand your frustration and concern and my intention has always been to help to the best of my ability …” She went on to say it was up to Quintero to submit required documentation.

Berkeleyside has left Robinson-Ward several voice messages, but hasn’t heard back. 

Berkeleyside reached out to FPI Management. Kyle Lehman, reputation and social media manager for the company said, “Ownership is committed to providing decent, safe, and sanitary housing to the community.”

Lehman wouldn’t provide any further comments.

According to Ed Cabrera, San Francisco-based HUD public affairs officer, Redwood Gardens has a history of complaints, but he couldn’t provide details. He also said:

“All units in the property are currently habitable, but if any of the above hypothetical situations you pose [flooding] happened the tenant would be temporarily relocated until the unit was made habitable or another habitable unit was provided.”

Berkeley’s Rent Stabilization Board, which oversees the city’s rent control laws, doesn’t have jurisdiction over HUD properties, according to Leah Simon-Weisberg, chair of the board and a housing attorney.

History of flooding

Several residents of Redwood Gardens shared their experiences with plumbing problems in their apartments, going back around 10 years. They described overflowing kitchen and bathroom sinks, as well as toilets, in first-floor apartments. Floors coated in water, including running under doors. 

Incidents happened without warning, every few years, and sometimes in a cluster. Not all units are affected.

Management would clean and dry units afterwards, sometimes needing more pushing than other times, residents said. They’ve been told some of the problems are linked to plumbing use on upper floors, including of garbage disposals. 

“I had four floods, on the first floor,” said Teresa Baca, 73, an 8-year resident of Redwood Gardens. They occurred between roughly 2015 and 2018, she said.

“The third time was really bad,” Baca said, saying it caused mold in her closet. She said she called the city, which told her to tell Redwood Gardens management they needed to use equipment to soak up moisture.

“That’s when they put the dehumidifier in – it caught like 4-5 gallons of water,” Baca said. “They did replace the carpet and painted stuff that’s supposed to kill mold in the closet. A couple of months later they sent someone to check for mold; they said it was all clear.”

Earlier this year her sinks backed up but didn’t overflow, she said, and maintenance workers snaked the pipes clear.

Audrey Hansen, 100, a first-floor resident said she had sewage backups a few times, the last one six or seven years ago. “It was kind of a mess but they cleaned it up,” she said. She believes some of the building’s plumbing issues have been fixed, but, still, Hansen said, “we sort of hold our breath when we leave and hope that nothing happens.”

While a couple of Redwood Gardens residents were willing to use their names for this story, others weren’t. Some said they did not want to come across as complainers; others feared losing their place at the complex.

All the residents contacted said they feel lucky to have a place at Redwood Gardens, which they consider one of the nicest senior affordable housing options in Berkeley. “This is probably the best,” Hansen said. “It’s in a nice neighborhood. Back from the street. Close to the bus.”

They don’t like living with the threat of flood, but they would hate to go back to the drawing board, they said.  

Tenant activism is part of Redwood Gardens history, which some residents said makes them proud. In the early 1990s, a complex renovation stirred tenant complaints.

“It’s not easy to get into Redwood Gardens,” said one resident, who asked for anonymity.  “Once they open the waiting list, they have a huge number of applicants, and they have a raffle. I was lucky. The only time I’ve been lucky in my life.”

She has endured plumbing problems, she said.

“We have an issue here. My sink gets clogged quite often, it’s happened 6-7 times, perhaps more. It gets clogged and starts flooding.” When the kitchen sink floods, so does the bathroom sink, she said, explaining they share pipes. She said a maintenance person told her there was a problem with the plumbing’s design. “This is what I was told,” she said.

The fix isn’t minor, she said, which makes her worry about future tenant displacement for major repairs. “It’s not cosmetic. It’s not about changing the paint on the walls or the carpet.”

New management brings concerns 

Redwood Gardens was purchased by a private developer, Pennant Housing Group, and a nonprofit partner, Foundation Housing, in January. The management company FPI was hired to oversee the home. Credit: Kate Darby Rauch

Most of the residents said they are concerned about the new team running their home — Pennant, Foundation and FPI. The team has reduced management staff, ending weekend front desk hours, and is telling residents not to disturb staff on weekends except for emergencies, residents said.

“They’re really cutting everybody off,” Baca said. “We’re always getting leaflets and things around what we’re not supposed to do.”

But Simon-Weisberg, the rent board chair, said that what residents are reporting isn’t surprising, given that the corporate owners and managers have a track record of running lean. “In the old days [senior affordable housing] was run by mission-driven organizations and now we are seeing all of these private actors and there is no one there who cares anymore,” she said. 

Private housing corporations are purchasing senior affordable housing with an eye on profits, Simon-Weisberg said. “There is a big move for corporate actors to look at senior housing as a place to invest because it’s stable rent, people die and the rents can go up,” she said. 

In most HUD subsidized affordable housing properties, rent is 30% of a tenant’s monthly adjusted income. HUD pays owners for the remainder of their unit’s fair market rent. 

An internet search of FPI Management finds numerous lawsuits against the company by tenants and employees. 

In May of this year, for example, HUD reached a voluntary compliance agreement with FPI management over claims of “national origin discrimination.” The management company was charged with violating fair housing and civil rights laws at a Sacramento affordable housing complex by not providing translation for Vietnamese speaking tenants, and retaliating against an employee who spoke out.

Yelp reviews of the company average two stars, with comments from tenants in FPI properties complaining about maintenance, cleanliness and paperwork.

Quintero’s situation may be a test for Redwood Garden’s new owners and managers in Berkeley. The ownership group recently took over Harriet Tubman Terrace subsidized senior housing on Adeline Street. FPI manages four other apartment complexes in Berkeley according to its website, including one other low-income property. Redwood Gardens is its only subsidized housing for seniors and people with disabilities.

In limbo for two months, her mom is emotionally fragile, Casetta said. 

Casetta just wants Redwood Gardens to move her mother into an apartment that’s not prone to problems — a place that feels like home. “We are still waiting,” she said.

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The term “human trafficking” – also known as sex trafficking, sexual exploitation or prostitution – recalls situations that are reminiscent of the Liam Neeson film “Taken”, in which young white women are caught by Russian mobs while visiting abroad and sold to the rich Men.

While parts of it may be true, much of the human trafficking is right here in the US and, surprisingly, in northern Colorado.

According to an article by Greeley Tribune reporter Anne Delaney in February 2020, Greeley traded 272 people in 2019, according to data from the Avery Center for Research and Services. The National Institute of Justice estimates that there are five victims for every human trafficker. That corresponds to about 54 human traffickers in Greeley.

The new short film “Maggie” portrays an impressive story of human trafficking in a realistic light.

Based on true stories from sex trafficking survivors, the film was written, directed, and edited by Windsor-based Ben Hess and shot in the greater Denver, Loveland and Greeley area. Loveland filmmaker RW Perkins produced the film.

“Maggie” plays Calista Masters as Maggie, Marc Brown as Daddy and Luz Lescano as Amber.

“It’s common in Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, along the I-25 corridor, it’s definitely not as obvious as driving to Colfax. The typical truckload of kidnapped girls, do we see that up here? No, at least not that we know about, ”said Hess. “But there is a lot of it in very non-stereotypical, non-traditional ways, like the runaway girl who has sex with people for a place to stay. Technically, that falls into the same area. “

Ben Hess, who lives in Windsor, recently wrote, directed and produced a short film about human trafficking. (Courtesy photo of Ben Hess)

The film follows a young woman named Maggie who is introduced into the world of sex trafficking by her boyfriend Daddy. Viewers watch as Maggie grapples with the emotional, verbal, and physical abuses often associated with human trafficking as she tries to escape her boyfriend / pimp. Amber, a fellow victim of Daddy’s sex trafficking, befriends Maggie.

“It (human trafficking) is rampant in Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, and along the I-25 corridor. The typical truckload of kidnapped girls, do we see that up here? No, at least not that we know about, ”said Hess. “But there is a lot of it in very non-stereotypical, non-traditional ways, like the runaway girl who has sex with people for a place to stay. Technically, that falls into the same area. “

Hess has partnered with the Avery Center in Greeley for input and advice on the film. The center supports those at risk who are currently or previously experiencing commercial sexual exploitation.

“I knew I wanted to make sure it was realistic,” said Hess. “I worked with these guys to make sure I was staying true to some things that could happen in real life.”

The center also allowed Hess to use his home for filming, and Angie Henderson, senior data analyst and training coordinator, and Megan Lundstrom, research director for the center, helped with the casting.

“I cry every time I see it because it’s such a good act and I know it comes from a place where it is shaped by real life experiences,” commented Lundstrom. “It’s so closely related to the Avery Center that it’s very meaningful.”

One thing Lundstrom really appreciates about the film is that it touches on human trafficking in the LatinX community, with Maggie being of Latin American descent.

“This is a community that is not talked about at all in human trafficking,” she said. “It was groundbreaking for me to see this last piece. This story is not particularly told in films or documentaries. “

While short films are usually defined as 40 minutes or less in length, including all credits, Hess packs a lot of drama and emotion into the 22:13 minute film.

“I don’t know if I could tell a story in 20 minutes and it hits every point in this girl’s life experience,” said Lundstrom. “You also understand the arc, but you want to understand the characters better.

“We told Ben he had to make a full-length movie about it,” she added.

Since he had never produced a short film, Hess was nervous that the film would be too long or not narrative sense.

“I feel like I was able to put it together so that it made sense for the most part,” he explained. “Of course, if I could go back and do certain things all over again, I would definitely do that. But I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out. “

His efforts have definitely paid off as the film has won multiple awards including the 2020 San Francisco Indie Shorts Fest for Best US Drama, Best Colorado Short Film at the 2020 Horsetooth International Film Festival, and Best US Director, Actor and Actress at the Venice Shorts Fest in October 2020. The film was also nominated for the best drama short film at the IndieX Fest and for the best production design for the Indie Short Festival 2020.

Hess is currently working on some music videos and has other short films in the works as well as plans for a full-length feature film.

“I have to do things one by one because I really have to be careful to combine my full-time job and my private life,” says Hess with a laugh. “Of course that takes a lot of time.”

To see a free demonstration of “Maggie” go to https://bit.ly/35tr0kp.

For more information about the Avery Center and its programs, visit www.theaverycenter.org.

The post Windsor resident Ben Hess’s “Maggie” portrays human trafficking in real looking gentle appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.