"Autonomous Collective" and buy the place outright if you could find who owns it?

place is mostly empty and needs serious work. We have been good tenants and I would consider staying for a rent reduction so that we could do some of the work ourselves.

Newer places are all around us and we'd probably be better off moving but for the headache of that. *sigh*

Moving is probably inevitable. I just wish we had some options and I wish I know where our deposit was!

If you are in California, this may be helpful:
TenantsForeclosure.blogspot.com

that's got some good info. Thanks!

First, there should be laws in your state regarding notification of tenants when the building changes hands. If there is a law on this subject, the bank loses a point for not notifying you. You could, particularly since there doesn't seem to be anyone in charge, just not pay rent until you've recovered your security deposit, and then move. There are risks in this. The bank could demand the rent, and then you'd have to pay it and then turn around a sue them for your deposit. What seems to be happening here, though, is that no one has taken any responsibility for the building, which would, as a practical matter, limit your risk.

As for your lease, if the bank doesn't know you have one, you're not obligated to tell them. (Under normal circumstances, when a rental property is sold, all the leases, deposits and prorated rent are transferred at the closing.) You could just pack up your possessions and move. If you do that, I'd suggest notifying the owner that you're doing so, just so they don't try to sue you if there's any damage once you move out.

We aren't paying rent but I am prepared to pay something because we are still using the space.

We go back and forth between just staying and fixing things up as we'd like them to be and renegotiating a lower rent if/when a new owner shows up OR just moving out.

I am just anxious about the unknown.

Small claims, you can do it without a lawyer. If they don't show up, you get the judgment, for what that is worth (can't get blood out of an invisible entity).

Your other alternative is to just stay there until you've run out your first, last and security and move at that point--maybe, once you find out which bank owns the place, you can write to them and tell them "Either give me my money or I will stay here until "x" date and we'll call it even--send me a letter if you disagree?" Get the thing notarized and have the notary mail it!

Save the letter that was returned so you have good faith that you tried to contact the basstids!

You could always set up an escrow account and start throwing your rent money in that until you figure out what's what, and just sit tight, sending letters to the bank that owns the joint every few months.

Oh, and on edit, if there are leaks, damages, problems, fix 'em and take it out of the rent--keep receipts so you have proof of "necessary" repairs (i.e. leaky pipe, broken fixture--not upgraded bathroom tile or a spiffy new appliance). If there's no super to take care of stuff, you'll have to do it yourself. Take pictures, get cost estimates and either hire a pro or if you do it yourself, charge fair market value for the repair.

She said the letter was good but I need to go further and cc the last known property manager, the property manager's home address, and the last known bank...waiting for the letters to come back so that I have a good paper trail.

As far as the new bank owner, she said it could be months before they notify us and we shouldn't necessarily seek them out. We can ask the county for deed records but she said they are usually so messed up, we might be on a wild goose chase for a bit. And she said this is far more common than people realize.

She did say we would be month to month at the end of the lease regardless of what we know. She also said if the property remained bank owned, the bank would be eager to keep us in the space rather than kick us out especially with other space in the building available.

Same thing about keeping track of all the additional expenses and deducting that from any rent they may try to claim. She said we cannot force the other tenants to help pay for these costs but we should try to work out something fair.

Nothing too surprising or new but I felt better.

THANK YOU for your advice!

I'm glad you are able to have a "game plan." I think it'll work out fine for you. Now's the time, though, to gather up all your paperwork and make copies of it and keep it in a safe place. You're going to need to prove to those people when or if you do decide to move that you paid a first/last/security, and they're on the hook for it!

I think it is base on the economic policy!