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MyspaceThe recent news article “Test of Tenants’ Rights” gave another example of oppression and hardship being created by greed. Landlords in Isla Vista are known to be slumlords as they rent-gouge and treat tenants like dirt. More buildings are going up in I.V. and they’re getting taller and more urban looking to the point that they look out of place in a small seaside college town. It’s ridiculous that those who manage these properties don’t even live here. Sadly, the problems I.V. is facing are widespread in other communities as well. Rents are going up at a much faster rate than people’s wages and renters are getting less for their money. It’s getting out of control and there needs to be a fair solution. Renters should have democratic control over the destiny of their community. There should not be a small number of people in power economically oppressing the vast majority. It seems that the application of cooperative values could be the answer. Perhaps it’s time for co-op housing communities to start sprouting up.
Co-op Housing, Anyone?
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Previous Month
Comments
There's always Lompoc.
Botany (anonymous profile)
November 21, 2012 at 2:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Taller and "more urban looking" (shops and apts, oh the humanity!) in the village sqr is a plus. And rents in IV are going down. Better to build up than to build across wetlands and ag land.
I suggest you concentrate on improving downtown Lompoc.
Ken_Volok (anonymous profile)
November 21, 2012 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Rents are going up at a much faster rate than people’s wages and renters are getting less for their money. It’s getting out of control and there needs to be a fair solution."
The fair solution is to buy. You have the same right as your landlord to purchase real estate. The solution is to stop renting, and buy something for yourself. In most areas of the country it is definitely a buyers market. Your landlord would be making a poor business decision to not charge as much as he/she can get for their investment. It's nothing personal.
"Renters should have democratic control over the destiny of their community."
There is no logically explanation why this should happen. You do have some limited control in that being a citizen you are able to vote. This being said, you may live in the community, but until you own a piece of it, it is not "your community." You have no investment in it other than to pay for a service provided to you by someone that actually does. Your taxes do not support the maintenance of the buildings you and other tenants live in. That's an additional service provided by the owners to the community, on top of renting you a place to stay. It is a business, and you have no rights (or shouldn't have) beyond the lease agreement. Also don't forget that the owners of the buildings you and other renters live in (you are not the owners) are the ones paying actual property tax to their community in which you live. And... like you said, some don't even live there. Sounds pretty generous to me.
WorkingMan (anonymous profile)
December 5, 2012 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)