In a significant legal filing, an individual has accused a major residential rental company of violating multiple consumer protection laws. On January 16, 2025, Sonya Trejo filed a complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco against Bell Fund VII Cadence, LLC. The lawsuit alleges that the defendant failed to comply with California's Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA) and other state regulations regarding tenant screening processes.
Sonya Trejo, represented by attorney Michael A. Shakouri from Meta Law Group, APC, claims that Bell Fund VII Cadence LLC did not provide necessary disclosures or obtain proper authorizations when acquiring investigative consumer reports for her housing application at Bell South City in South San Francisco. The plaintiff asserts that these actions violated the ICRAA and resulted in unlawful business practices under California Business & Professions Code § 17200. According to the complaint, "Defendants concealed from Plaintiffs the nature and type of the investigative consumer reports they would procure," which is required by law to be disclosed.
The lawsuit outlines several causes of action including negligence per se via ICRAA violations and failure to provide receipts for tenant screening fees as mandated by Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.6. Trejo argues that Bell Fund VII Cadence LLC charged application fees exceeding actual out-of-pocket costs without providing itemized receipts as required by law. The plaintiff seeks damages including statutory damages of $10,000 per violation, punitive damages, attorneys' fees, and injunctive relief to prevent further violations.
Trejo's complaint also requests permanent injunctive relief requiring Bell Fund VII Cadence LLC to adhere strictly to ICRAA guidelines in future tenant screenings and ensure transparency in their processes. This includes delivering copies of all investigative consumer reports procured about tenants within three days and implementing reasonable procedures to avoid future violations.
The case is being handled by Judge Sahar Enayati under Case ID CGC-25-621535 with legal representation from Meta Law Group's Michael A. Shakouri for the plaintiff.