As economic stress increases, the relationship between landlord and tenant also becomes stressed and evidenced.

Landlord dead, 94-year-old tenant in custody after Oakland standoff

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/02/BAU710FQDD.DTL

May 2, 2008

Frank Spillman, 94, complained for years about how his landlord was harassing him, neighbors say. With a few choice curse words, Spillman railed about how Kulbushan Gupta would demand that he clean the yard, rake the leaves and keep the Oakland property neat. Gupta had served as president of the Rental Housing Association of Northern Alameda County, a landlords group.

Gupta staggered from the two-story house at 4108 East 12th St. and into the street. Spillman went down the stairs after him, firing several more shots, police said. Gupta collapsed in an adjacent store parking lot and died three hours later at Highland Hospital in Oakland.

Alleged nightmare landlords are the real victims, lawyers say

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/02/BAR210FTJJ.DTL

May 2, 2008

Prosecutors say the Macys ordered workers at 744-746 Clementina St. to cut the joists under the living room of one tenant who fought eviction and also cut holes in his floor. Nicole Macy broke into the apartment of two other tenants who refused to move and poured ammonia on their belongings, authorities said. Several times after buying the building in 2005, the couple allegedly cut off power, gas and water to their tenants.