Why Merced Families Are Demanding a Rental Registry Now

At Brookdale Apartments in Merced, families are living in conditions no one should have to endure—mold growing unchecked, broken heating and air, cold water, and landlords who seem more interested in collecting rent than doing their job.

This isn’t a new problem. 

But, now, tenants are fighting back—and making it harder for the city to look away.

In March, residents of Brookdale stood before the Merced City Council to share gut-wrenching testimonies about the unsafe and undignified conditions in their homes. They were there to speak in support of a proposed rental registry program, a policy designed to finally bring some accountability to landlords who ignore basic repairs and keep renters living in unsafe conditions. 

It was a powerful moment—families refusing to stay silent any longer.

One tenant shared she was eight months pregnant, living in an apartment with no working heater and no hot water. One of her two children couldn’t even stay with her anymore because of the cold. 

That’s how serious this is.

Tenants Know What Works—It’s Time the City Listened

One of our community organizers who works closely with tenants across the city spoke that night. And she didn’t hold back.

“Community members that I work with have come before you to share their rental housing horror stories,” our Merced County organizer said. “They’ve shown you pictures of uninhabitable homes…and the health effects that come with that.”

Another voice that rang loud and clear that night was one of our Stanislaus County community organizers. She made it plain: the system isn’t working, and residents are the ones paying the price.

“They have submitted maintenance requests, they’ve called for help, even reached out to code enforcement—but still no resolution. Their health is now at risk and they are left to fend for themselves in an unresponsive system,” she said. “This is why we need the rental registry.”

The proposed registry isn’t just about tracking addresses—it’s about empowering tenants and putting a check on the landlords who’ve gotten away with neglect for too long. 

As our Merced County organizer emphasized, a simple list of rental properties won’t cut it. What’s needed is a system that includes code enforcement, inspection protocols, and a community advisory committee to ensure renters have a voice in how the program is implemented.

“At the end of the day,” she said, “community members need to have a say in how this program is run…to understand what the core issues are and really attack the issue.”

The City Council heard the residents’ demands. 

Days after the meeting, Councilmember Shane Smith and city code enforcement conducted a walkthrough of the Brookdale complex. What they saw confirmed everything residents had described: black mold, broken HVAC systems, families living in units that violate basic housing standards.

Only after this visit did the city begin charging the landlord for non-compliance. 

When Speaking Up Means Retaliation

But, for tenants, the retaliation came swiftly.

Every tenant who spoke up has faced consequences. Thirteen residents received rent increases. Around six of them were also hit with three-day “Pay or Quit” notices. One couple has already received a formal eviction notice. Several tenants have decided to move out altogether, afraid of what might come next.

At the center of the conflict is a billing scheme that tenants say was never part of their original lease. A utility billing company called Livable—which was never legally added to their contracts—has been tacking on monthly charges for water, garbage, gas, sewer and more. 

Since the units don’t have individual meters, residents are charged based on the number of people in their homes, unit size, or some other unclear combination. These “Livable” bills range from $600 to $1,000 a month—on top of rent.

Tenants who refused to pay or paid late are now being punished, even though they’ve continued paying their rent. 

The result? A growing wave of evictions.

What Comes Next for Merced Renters

Our team met with Councilmember Smith in June. They asked for updates on the anti-slumlord taskforce, an initiative that was promised months ago. But there were no major updates. No timeline. No plan. Just more delays.

The tenants aren’t giving up.

They’re organizing regular meetings. They’re continuing to push for the rental registry. They’re advocating for more code enforcement officers. And they’re laying the groundwork for something bigger: a tenants union.

Our team has also begun supporting tenants at nearby Merced Garden Apartments, a HUD-subsidized property where six units have sat uninhabitable for years due to horrific conditions. The landlord there now wants to evict all tenants, hike rent to market rate, and cancel the HUD contract.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about Brookdale or Merced Garden. It’s about every renter in the Central Valley who’s ever felt scared to speak up, or who’s been forced to choose between silence or eviction. 

Because no one should be forced to choose between unsafe housing and homelessness. No one should be punished for demanding dignity. And no one should have to bring a newborn into a home with no heat.

If you’d like to learn more, get involved, or support tenants organizing for safe, healthy and affordable housing across the Central Valley, contact us today. We’re not done—and we’re not backing down.