Oakland

Opinion: Vote Yes on Prop. 10: Repeal California’s Anti-Rent Control Law

Published

5 years ago

October 30, 2018

California, the state with the highest rents and most evictions, is the battleground for rent control this mid-term election. The real estate industry and landlord organizations in their insatiable greed have spent $50 million so far flooding TV and media with all manner of lies and deceptions to retain a 23-year landlord-lobbied law that prohibits cities from enacting regulations on rent increases.

Under the Costa Hawkins law, owners can mandate immediate $1,000 or more rent increases—with no limits—and that cannot be protested.

The major factor in California’s runaway rent explosion causing widespread evictions and displacement of households throughout the state is Costa Hawkins.
Repeal of the 23-year-old Costa Hawkins State Housing Act is long overdue.

Costa Hawkins was enacted by the Legislature in 1995, pushed by landlord lobbyists as a response to rent control laws enacted in 1979 in Berkeley, Santa Monica, and San Francisco.

The purpose of Costa Hawkins was to “kill” rent controls by blanketly exempting rented houses and condominiums from ever having their rent regulated; by classifying as “new” and exempting “forever” any rental units built since 1995 (1983 in Oakland) from ever being rent-controlled; and by requiring that whenever any unit under rent control becomes vacant, the landlord cannot be prohibited from charging the new tenant any rent the landlord chooses to impose. (Many people currently renting houses or condominiums are receiving $1,000 per month increases overnight.)

Costa Hawkins also imposes “vacancy de-control”—which means that over time practically all rental units will have their rent amounts reset at the highest possible levels by greedy landlords, thereby nullifying the effect of any rent protections.

Proposition 10 is the result of many years of struggle by pro-tenant forces to remove the onerous Costa-Hawkins restrictions from state law and to restore to local cities and counties the ability to establish equitable laws and regulations as the locale may feel are needed to protect renters and rental units.

Proposition 10 does not make nor establish any new laws. Its repeal will only remove the existing statewide prohibitions that currently prevent cities and counties from being able to make needed laws to regulate rent increases.

This is all that Prop 10 does. The airways, radio, TV, and people’s mailboxes are filled with lies and deceptions by landlords, developers, and owners aimed at misleading people to vote against their own good and leave avaricious landlords and owners completely “free” to continue their wars of greed against renters without local governments having the ability to impose any restrictions or regulations.

If Prop 10 fails, rents that have tripled in many areas over the last decade will continue without limit and the displacement crisis that grips the city will see no end. Woe to all tenants if a majority “buy” into the lies being fed by avaricious landlords and thieving real estate interests.

Why anyone would vote “no” to Proposition 10 against repeal of this horrendous scam law is immensely troubling.

James E Vann is co-founder of the Oakland Tenants Union and a member of the Homeless Advocacy Working Group.

James Vann

Posts by James Vann

Up Next

Marlo Rodriguez Runs for City Council District 6

Don't Miss

Opinion: We Have an Exciting Opportunity to Move East Oakland Forward

James Vann

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

BART to Retire Legacy Trains in Public Ceremony April 20

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

The Richmond Standard

Bay Area Rapid Transit’s final dispatch of legacy trains will take place on Saturday, April 20, and will be accompanied by a retirement ceremony and a final legacy ride.

At 1 p.m., the public is invited to celebrate the last run of BART’s legacy trains during a ceremony that will take place in the free area of the plaza at MacArthur Station in Oakland.

Following the ceremony, the public is invited to board a legacy train and ride from MacArthur to Fremont Station, mirroring the initial service BART provided when it opened Sept. 11, 1972.

“It’s a 45-minute trip that travels along approximately 24 miles of the original section of tracks,” BART officials said.

Multiple legacy trains will run for the event, and all will make station stops and may turn around at Bay Fair depending on the number of attendees waiting to ride. Regular fares will apply.

“These train cars are part of the history of the Bay Area,” said Bob Powers, BART general manager. “While we are excited to modernize the system, we recognize the profound cultural importance of these cars, and we want to celebrate their rich history and give them a proper send off.”

BART is now running train cars from its Fleet of the Future project.

Those nostalgic for the older trains will be able to view three of them soon at Western Railway Museum in Suisun City.

A handful of other legacy cars will be transferred to be repurposed for short-term rentals, entertainment venues, and training facilities, according to BART. Most of the legacy cars have been recycled.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

Mind, Body, and Spiritual Well-Being for Women Addressed in NAACP Forum in Oakland

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church. Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

The panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental and emotional well-being and relationships. iStock photo by Jorge Elizaquibel.

Special to The Post

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church.

Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66^th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

The forum will feature renowned experts, healthcare professionals, and advocates from Genentech, John Muir Health, Sutter Health of The East Bay, Kaiser Permanente, and the Alameda County Public Health Department.

Our expert panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and healthy relationships. The forum will encompass a wide range of topics such as breast cancer, menopause, reproductive health, nutrition, mental health awareness, preventive care, and much more.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend informative sessions, interactive workshops, and panel discussions led by experts in their respective fields. Additionally, there will be wellness activities, screenings, and informational booths offering valuable resources and support.

This forum is open to women of all ages and backgrounds, encouraging inclusivity and diversity in the conversation surrounding women’s health. Whether you’re seeking information for yourself, a loved one, or simply looking to connect with other women, this event promises to be enlightening and empowering.

For more information and to register for the Total You Women’s Health Forum, please visit https://www.naacpoakland.org/ or contact Dr. Delores Thompson. WIN chairwoman at (510) 328-3638.

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is dedicated to empowering women, and young teen girls. We look forward to your participation in this important event.

To register, go to https://www.naacpoakland.org/events/the-total-you-womens-health-forum