BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — California Attorney General Rob Bonta is calling on tenants across the state to report harmful experiences with their landlords, particularly targeting one of California's largest property owners.
During a press conference Tuesday morning in Los Angeles, Bonta emphasized tenants' basic rights to safe and sanitary living conditions.
"You have the right to eat dinner without being joined by cockroaches. You have the right to a roof over your head that doesn't leak onto your bed. You have the right to work in plumbing that keeps sewage where it belongs if you believe you're living in unsafe or unsanitary conditions created by a landlord, if you feel your family has been harmed by your landlord. California, DOJ wants to know. I want to know," Bonta said.
The attorney general's office filed a lawsuit in June against Mike Nijjar, one of California's biggest landlords, along with his family's group of property management and real estate holding companies. The lawsuit alleges violations of California laws that protect tenants.
The California Department of Justice wants to hear from Californians who were harmed by Nijjar's companies or any other landlord.
Nijjar and his companies own and manage more than 22,000 rental housing units statewide, primarily in lower-income, Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. This includes more than 1,800 properties in Bakersfield, where Nijjar's company operates under the name Equity Management.
People who wish to share their stories and submit a report can do so online in both English and Spanish:
ENGLISH:
oag.ca.gov/report
SPANISH:
oag.ca.gov/reportar
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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