Pubdate: Fri, 05 Apr 2002 Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) Copyright: 2002 Hearst Communications Inc. Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388 Author: Jim Herron Zamora 'ONE STRIKE' TENANTS KEEP APARTMENTS IN OAKLAND 3 OF 4 EVICTIONS DROPPED ALTHOUGH LAW UPHELD A week after its stringent "one strike" drug eviction policy was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Oakland Housing Authority dropped plans yesterday to evict three of four elderly tenants who filed the legal challenge. Jon Gresley, executive director of the housing authority, announced that Pearlie Rucker, Barbara Hill and Willie Lee can stay in public housing after losing their four-year court battle. The fourth tenant, Herman Walker, is still subject to eviction, Gresley said. Last week, the high court ruled unanimously that Oakland public housing officials were within their rights to evict an entire household if even one member is arrested for a drug violation. After reviewing all four cases, Gresley said he canceled three evictions because the problems prompting eviction were subsequently resolved while the legal challenge was winding its way through the courts. But the agency plans to press forward with the eviction of Walker, who is 75 and disabled. He was ordered to leave his apartment in 1998 after being warned three times that his caretaker had possessed a crack pipe. Gresley said yesterday that there have been other problems since initial eviction order. "There have been several incidents involving a number of different guests," Gresley said. "Mr. Walker's continued occupancy of an apartment in a building housing other seniors poses a threat to other residents of the building." Bill Simpich, one the attorneys representing tenants, praised the authority for letting Hill, Lee and Rucker stay but criticized the agency for picking on Walker. "It's just the saddest thing imaginable," Simpich said. "I'm not surprised but I am disgusted. What possible reason could they have for this besides pure meanness?" - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk