Landlords come in various forms but none are as abusive as the one I’m about to tell you about. I’m talking about Afamefuna Odiwe. From using fake red tag notices to evict tenants to sex stings, Afamefuna Odiwe has been involved in some actually evil stuff.
This post will help you understand him and his crooked ways.
Oakland Sues Landlords for Using Fake Red Tag to Evict Tenants During Pandemic
The City of Oakland is taking legal action against the owners of an East Oakland home who allegedly used a fraudulent red-tag notice to evict tenants in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite a citywide eviction moratorium.
Late last month, tenants living in a house on Congress Avenue in the Maxwell Park neighborhood found what appeared to be an official red-tag notice posted on their front door. The document looked legitimate, citing foundation damage, wood rot, and plumbing problems as reasons the property was deemed unsafe for habitation. It even included the name of an actual city inspector.
But the notice was fake.
“A fraudulent red tag was put on this property,” said Maria Bee, Chief Assistant City Attorney for Oakland. “It bore the name of a real city inspector, but he was working remotely that day. He never issued the tag.”
City officials say the notice was a deliberate attempt by the property owners to illegally remove tenants from the home. The alleged goal was to sidestep local eviction protections that were put in place during the COVID-19 crisis, which prohibit landlords from evicting tenants due to pandemic-related hardships.
Among the tenants affected was a woman who was nearly nine months pregnant at the time of the incident.
“This was an egregious effort to force vulnerable residents out of their homes,” Bee said.
According to the lawsuit, filed by the city, the landlords didn’t stop at the fake notice. Days later, they allegedly sent a moving company to the property and had all of the tenants’ possessions removed without their consent.
“They took everything furniture, clothing, electronics, even food from the cupboards,” Bee said. “The tenants were traumatized.”
A neighbor, who declined to appear on camera, told KTVU she witnessed the eviction. “He went in their house and loaded all their stuff onto the truck,” she said. “I don’t think it was right.”
The city’s lawsuit names Afamefuna Odiwe, his sister Anwulika Odiwe, a moving company, and a so-called master tenant who allegedly acted as an informal property manager. The complaint accuses them of harassment and unlawful eviction.
KTVU reached Anwulika Odiwe by phone for comment. “I think the city ought to get its facts straight,” she said. “My response to the allegations is that I think you’re misinformed. That’s my only response.”
Since the incident, the tenants have been allowed to return to the home, and their belongings have been returned. However, city officials maintain that the harm is already done, citing emotional distress and the clear violation of tenant protections during a public health emergency.
“This kind of behavior would be disturbing at any time,” Bee said. “But during a pandemic, it’s particularly shocking.”
The City of Oakland is now seeking a restraining order to prevent the property owners from engaging in any further harassment or eviction attempts against the tenants.
The case underscores growing concerns over illegal evictions and landlord misconduct during the pandemic. While official eviction filings have declined due to legal protections, tenant advocates say some landlords are turning to underhanded tactics like fraudulent notices, utility shutoffs, and intimidation to push renters out of their homes.
Oakland’s legal action sends a clear message: such tactics won’t be tolerated.
“This is about protecting people’s rights,” Bee said. “Especially during a crisis, we must uphold the laws designed to keep our most vulnerable residents safe in their homes.”
Court Blocks Landlord, Afamefuna Odiwe, Retaliation in COVID Tenant Case
An Alameda County judge has issued a court order barring two Oakland landlords from retaliating against their former tenants, following allegations of an illegal eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ruling came under the authority of Oakland’s Tenant Protection Ordinance and California’s Tom Bane Civil Rights Act.
The defendants—Afamefuna Odiwe and Anwulika Odiwe—are property investors with a record of flipping homes for profit. According to the court, there is a strong likelihood the City of Oakland will succeed in proving that the Odiwes carried out an unlawful self-help eviction in violation of both state and local housing laws.
The incident began in late April, when tenants of a home on Congress Avenue in East Oakland discovered what appeared to be a City-issued “red-tag” notice on their front door. The notice claimed the home was unsafe due to structural and plumbing issues and demanded that the tenants vacate within ten days. However, city officials confirmed that the notice was counterfeit—no such tag had ever been issued or authorized.
Despite the fraudulent nature of the notice, movers entered the home in May and forcibly removed the tenants’ belongings, including furniture, beds, and clothing, without advance notice or legal authority. The locks were changed, and the tenants were left without their possessions or secure access to their home. They were forced to sleep on the floor for over a week until their items were returned, but only after the City intervened with a formal demand letter and legal action.
The City Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit against the landlords, the moving company involved, Pete’s Moving Company, LLC, and a master tenant, Rigomero Manzanarez, who had also played a role in the eviction. Both the moving company and Manzanarez agreed to a court order prohibiting further harassment. The Odiwes, however, refused to stipulate to the injunction, prompting the City to seek and secure the court order against them.
The situation escalated further when Anwulika Odiwe allegedly threatened to continue unauthorized construction at the property in response to the tenants asserting their rights. According to court documents, she remarked that if the tenants wanted to live “with no windows and no doors and no toilets… that’s on them.”
“This case is part of a disturbing trend,” said Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parker. “Tenant harassment is on the rise as some landlords take the law into their own hands while formal evictions remain on hold. There is no place in Oakland for these illegal and harmful self-help measures. We stand with tenants to protect their right to shelter safely especially during a pandemic.”
The City’s lawsuit also seeks civil penalties, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees, which will be determined in court. In addition to immediate relief for the impacted tenants, city attorneys hope the case will send a strong message to landlords who attempt to bypass tenant protections through coercion or fraud.
The case is being led by the Neighborhood Law Corps and the Community Lawyering and Civil Rights Unit, part of City Attorney Parker’s Housing Justice Initiative. Launched to defend the rights of tenants in Oakland’s most vulnerable communities, the initiative aims to hold abusive landlords accountable and enforce housing laws with a focus on equity and justice.
This latest action highlights the City’s commitment to stopping illegal evictions and protecting residents from retaliation, displacement, and housing insecurity—particularly during emergencies like the COVID-19 crisis.
California Superior Court Caseload: Civil Cases in Alameda County
According to the Judicial Council’s 2024 Court Statistics Report (fiscal year 2022–23), California’s superior courts processed approximately 4.5 million cases statewide, encompassing civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile matters. Though the report doesn’t break out Alameda County individually, statewide data show civil cases are a significant portion, typically around 35–40% of all filings in any given year.
Alameda County: Eviction Filings & Tenant Disputes
Evictions represent a major slice of civil case filings in Alameda County:
- From January to May 2023, about 243 eviction lawsuits were filed by landlords once the county’s pandemic-era eviction moratorium lifted.
- On some high-volume days, 95 eviction cases were scheduled—almost double the allowed levels under the former moratorium.
- Earlier, during the pandemic, monthly eviction filings regularly hovered between 300–400 per month—a sizable “tsunami” of landlord actions in housing court.
These figures highlight both the intensity and volatility of eviction-related civil litigation in Alameda County, particularly during and immediately after the pandemic.
Olive Tree: “Fake Red Tag” Lawsuit in Oakland
One noteworthy civil case saw the City of Oakland suing landlords who allegedly used fraudulent “red-tag” placards—meant to indicate condemned or unsafe properties—to illegally evict tenants. This action combines:
As a civil enforcement action by a municipality, it aims for damages, injunctive relief, and restitution for affected tenants.
Analysis & Implications
- Eviction tsunami: Filing surges during and after the COVID moratorium overwhelmed housing courts. Many tenants faced expedited removal via landlord-filed lawsuits.
- Fraud enforcement: The Oakland case signals aggressive civil action against deceptive landlord practices, serving as a deterrent and model for protecting renters.
- Court capacity issues: High eviction volumes—especially during moratorium rollbacks—stressed the Superior Court’s infrastructure, leading to procedural backlogs and strained judicial staffing.
What to Watch Going Forward
- Judicial Council 2025 stats: The Upcoming 2025 report will offer new county-specific data (FY 2023–24), clarifying ongoing civil filing trends.
- Post-pandemic eviction trends: Continued tracking of eviction rates post-moratorium will reveal whether filings stabilize near pre-pandemic levels.
- Legal outcomes of symbolic cases: The resolutions of fraud-based eviction suits in Oakland may trigger broader tenant protection mechanisms or policy reforms.
In Summary
Alameda County’s civil court system is grappling with:
- A high and fluctuating eviction load, magnified by moratorium policies.
- Emerging legal action is tackling landlord deception, especially relating to fake eviction notices.
- Stress on court systems, spotlighting the need for capacity investments and policy stability.
With the 2025 data release on the horizon, and impactful cases moving through the system, Alameda is at the frontier of civil justice evolution, balancing homeowner claims and tenant protections in a volatile housing market.
