OAKLAND, CA — The city of Oakland sued landlord Mosser Companies on Tuesday after alleged neglect caused elevators to be down for 52 days last summer at one of its properties.
Older tenants, people with disabilities and those with health problems at the La Peralta building in downtown Oakland had to either take the stairs or be stranded in their homes, according to the complaint filed in Alameda County Superior Court.
"It is simply unacceptable to leave tenants trapped in their apartments for weeks at a time," said City Attorney Ryan Richardson.
More than once, emergency medical responders had to carry tenants down the stairs, the City Attorney's Office said.
According to the complaint, Mosser Companies did not conduct regular maintenance of its elevators.
Between 2024 and 2025, the Oakland Fire Department had to rescue tenants trapped in elevators owned by the company 14 times.
The city also said that Mosser Companies did not address pest infestations, structural damage and security problems.
Mosser Companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The City Attorney's Office says these alleged failures violate parts of the Oakland Municipal Code, including sections relating to elevator maintenance and tenant protection.
"I had to plan every trip up and down the stairs, which, at my age, would take about 10 minutes every time," said tenant Kathy Vaquilar in a press release from the City Attorney's Office.
Even daily tasks like taking out the trash became an ordeal, she said.
Mosser Companies operates more than 3,000 rental units, making it one of Northern California's largest housing providers, according to the city.
"This lawsuit is a warning to bad actors who violate Oakland's Elevator Ordinance," District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife, whose district includes the La Peralta building, said in the city attorney's release.
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