Tenants Sue Napa Valley Housing Authority Over Plumbing Problems and Cockroach Infestation

Three tenants have filed a lawsuit against affordable housing provider Napa Valley Community Housing over what they call the “dangerous and legally uninhabitable condition” of their apartment at the Villa de Adobe Apartments near downtown Napa.

According to the complaint filed Monday. In Napa County Superior Court, the single bathroom of a two-bedroom apartment has had water and sewer backup interruptions since 2020, leading to a cockroach and rodent infestation.

They said they were unable to use the block’s toilet for long periods of time, sometimes months, and in November 2023 they experienced severe flooding that contaminated their personal property.

The court document states that despite numerous tenant complaints and notices from the city, property owner Napa Valley Community Housing failed to effectively resolve the problem.

The tenants are now demanding more than $35,000 in compensation. They are represented by Arpa Rostami and Jeana Azziz of the Southern California firm Metis Law Group. Lawyers were not available for comment.

“I’m glad the residents are continuing this,” said Pablo Zatarain, executive director of Fair Housing Napa Valley, a nonprofit that previously worked with them. “As a result of the housing crisis, tenants are generally less likely to speak out about these issues due to fear of losing their homes.

“We are constantly working to ensure that tenants know their rights and responsibilities, and that landlords are held accountable if they neglect to make necessary repairs.”

Requests for comment from the Napa Valley Housing Authority went unanswered Friday.

What’s happened?

Maria Padilla, Jasmine Herrera and Yesenia Herrera have lived at Villa de Adobe, a 12-unit complex built in 1969 and renovated in 2001, since 2015. They pay $1,494 a month in rent.

Plumbing and sewer problems that led to high humidity levels and then a cockroach infestation began in 2020, according to their complaint.

Despite repeated notifications, Napa Valley Public Housing made only temporary repairs and the problems persisted, they said.

In November 2023, when the apartment was flooded by a sewer backup, approximately 40 gallons of sewage had to be removed from the apartment.

That’s when the Napa Housing Authority stepped in and conducted an emergency inspection. The city found property violations, including a cockroach infestation and an inadequate sewer system, and gave the owner until Dec. 31, 2023, to correct the problems, given the “health implications” of the findings.

In an email dated Dec. 28, 2023, the Napa Valley housing manager told the city that pest control at the property would begin in January and a report on plumbing work was expected. according to public data.

According to the property manager, the leak was discovered and repaired. they advised residents not to use too much water when cleaning floors. The organization asked for a two-week delay to resolve remaining issues.

According to tenants, the problems remained unresolved in 2024.

Sonoma County-based nonprofit Burbank Housing took over management of the facility in March. This organization is not mentioned in the lawsuit.

During these months, tenants continued to pay rent, according to the department. filing a lawsuit despite the unit’s violation of health and safety standards.

“All such rent collections and demands were in violation of California law because they were imposed at a time when the premises did not meet the standard specifications enumerated in the California Civil Code,” the lawsuit states.

Public Housing in Napa Valley

Founded in 1997, Napa Valley Community Housing is a nonprofit housing provider in Napa County dedicated to serving low-income residents.

The organization owns more than 500 homes across 19 properties and is home to about 1,900 people, according to its website.

This year, the organization partnered with Burbank Housing to manage its properties so it can “focus on asset management to ensure the long-term sustainability and quality of our housing portfolio.”

His properties, including Villa de Adobe, are recommended by the City of Napa in its list of available housing options in the region.

You can reach Tarini Mehta at 707-521-5337 or [email protected]. On X (Twitter) @MehtaTarini.