Family with cancer-stricken son faces eviction

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- A San Francisco family is facing eviction from their apartment while their 18-month-old son is in the hospital awaiting a bone marrow transplant.

Unfortunately, there is little the family can do to stop the eviction.

Arlene Brock spends most of her day at UCSF Children's Hospital with her son Apollo.

Last April, he was diagnosed with cancer. In a few days he's scheduled to receive a bone marrow transplant. "You think the terrible two, you don't think being in the hospital getting chemo, getting a bone marrow transplant," Arlene said.

It gets worse because her husband Adrian Brock received a termination letter from his employer called Structure Properties, an apartment management company in San Francisco. Brock has been a resident manager for one of their buildings, which means he also lives there rent free.

Structure Properties said because he is no longer needed, he must also give up his apartment by the end of the month.

ABC7 News consulted with the Housing Rights Committee. "It doesn't look like he had tenant's rights, unfortunately. He's an employee and he's being treated as an employee only without tenant's rights," Housing Rights Committee spokesperson Tommi Avicolli said.

The Brocks now have a lawyer. "He's basically asking for a reasonable accommodation at this point because we obviously can't pack up and move out when half of our family is in the hospital," Adrian said.

The Brocks also have another son named Armand. "There is no humanity in business, that's what bothers me the most. We're already at the peak of high stress, the highest stress in your life and then to be given this on top of it," Arlene said.

The family said they know they'll eventually have to move out, but they just want some time and compassion.

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