Breaking: City to Take Back its Affordable Home Previously Owned by E'Ville Eye Editor
Tattler Initiated Investigation Prompts City Action
BMR Program Beneficiary May Have Violated Conditions
Tonight, the Emeryville City Council effectuated the sale of the former home of embattled local gadfly and self styled political pundit Rob Arias who had been enrolled in the City’s Below Market Rate housing assistance program since 2003. The Council took the action unanimously in a ‘consent calendar’ vote at the regularly scheduled Council meeting. Mr Arias’ unit was taken back by the City in a responsive action to complaints after an investigation into the legitimacy of the contract Mr Arias had with the City regarding the habitation of his unit. Under contract, all recipients of BMR ownership assisted housing in Emeryville must sign a yearly contract holding the unit as a ‘primary residence’ for 10 months out of every year, a condition the City may have found to be false in the case of Rob Arias. A January 11th Tattler story revealed Mr Arias had purchased a two bedroom home in the city of Pleasant Hill in 2019. Tonight's Council action was initiated by the City of Emeryville and initially challenged by Mr Arias but ultimately agreed to.
 |
| E'Ville Eye Editor Rob Arias He has owned a home with his wife and child in the city of Pleasant Hill since 2019. |
The Tattler first broke the story of the Arias residence in Emeryville after it was found Mr Arias and his wife purchased a home in Pleasant Hill in May 2019 for $630,000 while continuing to hold his Emeryville government assisted affordable unit. The City launched an investigation as a result of the Tattler story and citizen complaints that came from it. The current value of the two bedroom two and a half bath Pleasant Hill home is $751,000.
Rob Arias, the editor of the right wing pro-business E’Ville Eye ‘community’ news site, has continued to tell his readers he lives in the Park Avenue district and that his “hyper local” E’Ville Eye is the voice of the community.
Simultaneous with the Arias unit, the City of Emeryville is reviewing the entire BMR program for compliance city-wide in a process that is ongoing and has not been completed yet.
The Tattler will continue to file public records requests investigating the sale of unit #322 at Park Avenue and other BMR units in the city and report in the days to come. Watch this space.
Wow! Just wow. Now what happens to Rob and the Eville Eye? Is he going to continue writing about our city from Pleasant Hills?
ReplyDeleteHe clearly shouldn't be in the assisted housing program. The guy has a 3/4 million dollar home in the suburbs and he's on government assisted housing for years? Good job to the tattler and the city of Emeryville for rooting this out.
ReplyDeleteThis is fraud and Emeryville should get restitution. He needs to pay us back for everything he got fraudulently. Thanks Tattler! He could have kept this up for years. I want to know how many other people are defrauding this assisted housing program. Are we paying for other people who are defrauding us? Please keep on with this story Tattler!
ReplyDeleteFantastic reporting. The Emeryville taxpayers owe the tattler a debt of gratitude. And Mr. Arias should owe the city property taxes at market rate for the period he was defrauding it.
ReplyDeleteGet your facts straight. Purchase 9/30/03; 1st loan @ Wells Fargo Home Mtg. $164,800 at 4.85%. 2nd loan, same date, by Emeryville Redev Agcy of $24,720 (rate unknown). 2nd Lender is NOT ON TITLE!
ReplyDeleteProperty Owner has a constitutional right to pay off a Loan, and in this case, maybe a Sale can be forced. Here comes a lawsuit; be especially careful about what you print. And, know that Mr. Arias would not be wise to walk away from his accumulated equity. Comps today are over $700K.
Facts are straight: source is the City of Emeryville. Mr Arias (assuming you're not him...a hypothetical assumption) is not walking away from his (your?) accumulated equity; he is contractually able to realize a predetermined increase as per the BMR program's stipulation. Rob is free to sue anyone he wants to
DeleteGood work, Tattler.
ReplyDeleteI just went to his site and he's still saying he lives in the Park Avenue neighborhood. Dude bought a new home out of town, sold his Emeryville home and he still says he lives there. SMH
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteWill Arias continue to pose as an E’Ville
influencer from his Mar-a-Pleasant Hill abode?
Maybe he'll start a new blog about his new town and call it the Pleasant Hill Pheasant Plucker.
DeleteThe Eville Eye is where to go to find out what's going on in Emeryville not your stupid site. Who cares if he doesn't live in Emeryville? At least he has real news about our town. You just want to attack people.
ReplyDeleteWho cares if Rob Arias doesn't live in Emeryville? Rob cares. He's still telling his readers he lives here. It's obviously a sensitive subject for him.
DeleteBlah Blah Blah, his blog is called the "Tattler", of course he just wants to attack people. He says he's fighting the elite, but doesn't he have family and friends in powerful places? And that's why he will continue his attacks...against the elite, or something.
DeleteGood job Tattler. Please keep us informed about how this plays out.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't this just sound like a sad rivalry between two old bloggers? Why are you guys encouraging this? Arias AND Donahue are just two little boys having a pissing contest.
ReplyDeleteAre we old or little boys? Make up your mind. Regardless; one old little boy claims to live in Emeryville, writes about Emeryville and lives... let's just say the one who lives in Emeryville can piss the farthest.
DeleteI actually like your reports on bike lanes and fire exit doors, but when you obviously go on the offensive and dig up dirt on a petty rival, well then you also come off looking petty.
DeleteFraud in the BMR program is a big deal. Tens of thousands of dollars less in taxes that the rest of us pay
Delete