Robinson Rancheria Disenrollees Bring Housing Contract Breach Suit

Here is the complaint in Harrison v. Robinson Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians (N.D. Cal.):

Harrison Complaint

An excerpt:

1. This action is brought by Alan and Christina Harrison, Robert Quitiquit, Karen Ramos, Inez Sands, and Reuben Want (“Plaintiffs”). Plaintiffs are disenrolled members of the Robinson Rancheria (“Defendant” or “Tribe”).

2. Plaintiffs seek relief for Defendant’s: 1) violation of their rights to due process, and 2) breach of contract.

3. Plaintiffs are parties to a housing program designed, funded and supervised by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”).

4. Plaintiffs entered in Mutual Housing Occupancy Agreements (“MHOA”) whereby an Indian Housing Authority would administer a home lease with an option to buy. Initially, HUD contracted with the Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority (NCIHA”), a non-Robinson Rancheria entity.

5. Defendant, a federally recognized Indian Tribe, assumed the rights and responsibilities of the Indian Housing Authority and the MHOAs with Plaintiffs.

6. Defendant breached the MHOAs repeatedly since assuming the contractual responsibility to administer the agreements in compliance with its terms, which include applicable HUD regulations.

7. Defendants then initiated a multi-year plan to unlawfully evict Plaintiffs in contravention of the MHOA terms, which employ landlord tenant law under federal, state or local law.

8. Defendants denied Plaintiffs’ due process as required by the Robinson Rancheria Tribal Court and initiated a federal case asking the court to rally federal marshals to enforce the unlawful eviction issued by the corrupt tribal court. When the federal court insisted upon reviewing the MHOAs and sending the parties to mediation, the Defendant immediately withdrew their complaint.

9. Plaintiffs have lost their homes, seen their possessions thrown into large garbage bins and had their pets killed and discarded.

10. Now virtually homeless and having received no assistance from HUD or the Bureau of Indian Affairs or Congress, the Plaintiffs herein file this action.