Landlords and tenants both know certain things about a property before they commit to a lease together. Location, for example: Both parties can get a clear sense of an apartment’s relative desirability in terms of location right off the bat. But landlords and tenants walk into a contract blind on other issues. A landlord can’t say for sure that a tenant isn’t going to flake on the rent.
It's the flipside of a booming economy where a housing crises in Oakland is hurting renters, but helping those looking to sell their homes, even in some of Oakland's toughest neighborhoods.
With a giant laminated eviction notice in hand, dozens of demonstrators marched through Oakland City Hall, delivering a message to the city council and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf that Oakland's skyrocketing housing market is costing people their homes.
For more than 25 years, Richard Johnson has called a one-bedroom apartment in Hayes Valley home — even as the neighborhood changed and rents increased, pushing out old friends. He never imagined he would be among them.
A new study released today finds that Sacramento County workers need to earn more than twice today's minimum wage of $10 in order to afford to rent an average apartment.
The study says median rent in Sacramento County has gone up 13 percent since 2000 while median renter household income has gone down 13 percent, when adjusted for inflation.
It's still the most affordable city for renters in Silicon Valley, but it will become less so this summer.
The city of East Palo Alto on Wednesday approved a 2.4 percent rent increase for residents in its 6-year-old rent control program.
The change goes into effect when the 2016-17 fiscal year begins July 1.
East Palo Alto has approved increases each of the past five years. The 2.4 percent jump is the highest yet.
When the rent on Paula Beal's one-bedroom apartment went up $230 a month, there was no way she could afford to stay. The Oakland senior's monthly income from Social Security and disability insurance is less than $900. Even with a roommate, she couldn't swing $1,080 and still have enough left for food, transportation and her medications.
So, in early March, Beal gave away most of her possessions, put what was left in storage and gave her landlord back the keys. She's been searching for a place to live ever since.
The housing crisis in the Bay Area has reached Concord. Last month tenants at 1127 Virginia Lane organized a rent strike with Tenants Together and refused to pay a 30% rent increase from their property management company, The Pinza Group (run by Steven Pinza). In response, the owner of 1127 Virginia Lane, Bodhi Family Investment, LLC, withdrew the rent increases and Steven Pinza will no longer be managing the property by the end of this month.
The Tenant Sanctuary hosts free legal clinics to tenants in the city of Santa Cruz.
Updated 11/21_WW
Although controversial renter protection measures overwhelmed the San Mateo City Council’s public consideration of recommendations made by its Housing Task Force earlier this month, the stakeholder group also released a report providing critical insight into the area’s red-hot housing market.
Key facts include that nearly half of the city’s housing stock is comprised of rentals, the vast majority of those currently residing in San Mateo cannot afford to buy a home today and prices have drastically increased as the city absorbs an influx of new jobs.
Press Conference: 10am, Thursday, April 14 2016
Location: Bay View Apartments - 470 Central Ave. Alameda, CA 94501