SAN FRANCISCO—City Attorney Dennis Herrera is filing a lawsuit against real estate investor, Anna Kihagi, who sometimes goes by the name Ann Swain, for “unfair and unlawful business acts” committed upon her tenants.
Kihagi-Swain has gained a reputation for purchasing apartment complexes throughout San Francisco, then manipulating or intimidating current tenants to remove the rent control and lease out the units for higher prices.
Over the last two years, she has taken over nine San Francisco properties and several additional ones in the West Hollywood district of Los Angeles. According to the City Attorney’s Office, once Kihagi-Swain has possession of a property, she offers to buy out the tenants; if they refuse, reports of harassment begin.
In some cases, she maintained that her family was set to move in the building, but these claims were proven false. A 70-year-old grandmother in the Mission District had her mail delivery stopped, cable cut-off and was accused of drug dealing by Kihagi-Swain.
Over the past 10 years, Kihagi-Swain has had several civil suits placed against her in San Francisco and Los Angeles on similar claims. Herrera’s lawsuit against Kihagi-Swain is to hopefully correct the unlawful eviction practices and restore justice for those affected by the landlord’s actions.
