Rising rents, image by ShyamalamuralinathOPINION – Big Real Estate executives can lay out mountains of cash for their multimillion dollar toys and parties because they rake in billions through excessive rent increases which are either poorly regulated or not regulated at all.
A warning sign blocks motorists from entering an area flooded by storm water. (Photo: Yorklass, via Shutterstock)OPINION: We strongly suspect that readers of this column are stunned to see the authors’ names together as coauthors. One of us is a conservative taxpayer advocate and the other is a Democratic political consultant. What unites us is our opposition to the City of Sacramento’s proposed storm water tax. Here’s some background.
Businesses in Cambria line a street usually bustling with customers, but now deserted due to the coronavirus (Photo; randy andy, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Under California’s police powers, Gov. Newsom’s gently named “Stay at Home” mandates the closure of all non-essential travel, activities and businesses. Small businesses have been inevitably forced to shutter their doors. Similarly, non-profits which account for 10% of the U.S. GDP and employ 12 million workers, are no doubt also affected.
Condos in San Francisco, which has a local rent control ordinance. (Photo: Stephen VanHorn, via Shutterstock)What neither side predicted is that some California tenants faced a nightmare scenario before a single vote was cast. Rent was being increased at one building, the manager said, because “we’re facing rent control and more importantly, the likelihood of controls on increasing rent after vacancies.”