SAN FRANCISCO (DIYA TV) – After imposing a rent increase of 50 percent, an Indian American landlord in San Francisco has threatened to evict a tenancy of nuns whom operate a soup kitchen in one of the city’s most poverty-stricken areas, if they are unable to afford the rent hike.
According to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle, the sisters of the Fraternite Notre Dame Mary of Nazareth Soup Kitchen-located in San Francisco’s notorious Tenderloin district-can’t afford the rent increase from $3,465 to $5,500 a month as of Jan. 15. An attorney representing the faction of nuns said their landlord has served them with notice, ordering them to pay a higher rate or vacate the property.
The sisters work in the community brings hot meals of lunch and dinner to hundreds of less fortunate San Francisco and surrounding residents per week.
Sister Mary Benedicte said it was beyond her comprehension as to why anyone would want to displace her and her group from their home. She and her fellow nuns have been serving this area of the community for eight years, and their only source of income comes from the revenue generated from selling homemade baked goods at local farmers’ markets. They will now have to find out more about cheaper, co-living options that they may have to move to. Ideally they would be allowed to stay in order to continue the work they do but that doesn’t seem likely in the current circumstances.
“All we want to do is help the homeless,” Benedicte told the Chronicle. “Homeless people often have no affection, and here we can say hello and give them some good food. I give my heart.”
Nick Patel, an attorney for the landlord, told the Associated Press his client is currently away on business in India, and has put everything on hold, committing to assessing the situation when he returns stateside.
