In Oakland, some residents displaced by a massive fire say their landlord is now adding insult to injury. That fire gutted a downtown apartment building on Broadway this week, and now some say they’re being told their leases have been terminated. Those residents are now scrambling to find housing and legal help.
Residents were allowed back in Tuesday for just a few moments to grab essentials. Many of them say they lost nearly everything.
“I started to smell smoke. So, in my unit, there’s no and there’s no sprinkler system,” said Saron Hanson, a displaced resident.
Hanson lives directly underneath the second-floor apartment where Monday’s fire started. By the time he realized what was happening, his bedroom was already engulfed in flames. He got out safely but lost everything.
“I could cry right now because, I mean, just emotionally tied to this street, to the building. The store is not there anymore. Truthfully, it’s a lot for me being that this was my first real apartment of my own,” said Hanson.
Hanson is the cousin of rapper Mistah Fab, whose store was also damaged in the fire. This is what is left of Hanson’s apartment. Now, he’s hoping a newly posted GoFundMe page can help him find another place to call home and start rebuilding.
“Hoping that a blessing and a prayer just comes out of the sky really,” said Hanson.
Another resident says their unit’s sprinklers never activated. Oakland Fire says 20 people — including a baby — had to be rescued. The city of Oakland has opened a 24-hour temporary shelter at the Willie Keyes Recreation Center and is providing outreach and relocation support.
John Gulino is among those now staying at the shelter.
“Just taking it one day at a time,” said Gulino.
But now, residents say they’re facing another shock. They say they were notified via email that their leases have been immediately terminated.
Some believe the move is illegal and are seeking legal help. The city is also weighing in, urging tenants not to sign any documents related to the fire without first consulting a lawyer.
“I don’t agree with that. I’m not ready to sign anything until I talk with a lawyer,” said Gulino.
The same apartment building was the scene of a much smaller fire in 2024. The building is owned by Ted Dang of Commonwealth Real Estate. He did not respond to our request for comment. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
