News and Updates
CIty Council Finally Making Seismic Retrofits the Law
http://www.dailycal.org/2013/11/20/city-property-owners-may-required-retrofit-seismically-unsafe-buildings/
Berkeley Backs Off Supporting Richmond, CA on Foreclosure Efforts
Item 32 for December 2nd was amended to remove references to joining
Richmond’s Joint Powers Authority, making the Council’s deliberations meaningless:
www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Clerk/City_Council/2013/12Dec/Documents/2013-12-03_Item_32_Supporting_City_of_Richmond_-_Rev.aspx
Berkeley’s League of Women Voters tells Rent Board to Cut Staff, Services:
http://www.lwvbae.org/league-news/league-urges-rent-board-improvements/
San Francisco Holds Hearings on Evictions:
“Overall evictions in San Francisco rose from 1,242 to 1,716 over the past three years, he said, reflecting an increase of 38.2 percent. Ellis Act evictions rose by 169.8 percent in that same time frame.”
http://www.sfbg.com/2013/11/19/eviction-epidemic-spurs-legislative-solutions
http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2013/11/14/hundreds-attend-hearing-call-action-evictions
Even San Francisco’s Mayor Wants to Stop Ellis Act Evictions:
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-politicians-Restrict-Ellis-Act-evictions-4981974.php
Tenants Together has a Statewide Petition to Change the Ellis Act:
“…then real estate speculators starting abusing the Ellis Act to turn a quick profit by evicting long-term tenants and selling the units. Ellis Act evictions are now surging. In San Francisco and Los Angeles in particular, thousands of rent-controlled tenants are being displaced by Ellis Act evictions.” – and Berkeley could be next!
http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5247/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=15820
Banks “Securitize” Rents, Cause Concern:
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/11/21/5932043/wall-street-firm-sells-bonds-backed.html