the builder/developer who bought the house I was renting may be coming to regret his ill-timed purchase. He bought in 9-06, and gave me notice to vacate in 7-07, specifying that he was going to demolish (to build a Persian Palace). I moved out in 10-07.

When he FINALLY refunded my deposit he thoughtfully deducted $475 for cleaning and repainting (because one always cleans carpets and repaints a house that one is going to promptly demolish, right?). My theory is that he changed his mind and now wants to rent it out while he sees what the market does. There's just one teeny weeny problem. It's illegal. He got me out only because of the pending demolition, and if he doesn't demolish it's basically fraudulent inducement or some such. He also lied to the city. They are gonna want to prosecute him is my guess.

Oy. Time to talk to the client who's a landlord-tenant law attorney AGAIN (this guy tried to evict me illegally in the spring and I won/he lost - he just doesn't learn, does he???).

Anyway, the bad housing market is having real-life repurcussions all around.

Note: the house was under rent control and he couldn't jack my rent up, but with me out he will probably try to DOUBLE the rent, and he'll get it, too. Can we say "ILLEGAL"?