Tag: retrofits

By Posted on Posted in Issues

File Oct 14, 8 58 41 PMGreat Summary of the Short Term Rentals Issue
“Almost everyone agrees that there’s nothing wrong with renting out a spare bedroom to travelers, and there’s not even much harm in renting your entire house for a month or two if you’re on vacation and would like to earn a little extra income. But what was once a small, on-the-margins practice of occasionally sharing one’s home with travelers for a few bucks has morphed into a behemoth and avaricious global marketplace for transforming residential housing into hotels… It’s harming renters; it’s helping drive up the cost of rental housing by taking homes and apartments off the rental market; and it’s upending the character of neighborhoods.”
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/turning-housing-into-hotels/Content?oid=4499687

Housing Advisory Commission on Vacation Rentals
“The commission passed six proposals that are in accordance with seven of nine guidelines referred to it by Berkeley City Council. It chose to take no action on whether a unit may be rented for more than 90 days without a host present or how to penalize hosts for regulation violations.”
http://www.dailycal.org/2015/10/04/housing-advisory-commission-makes-short-term-rent-recommendations/

Students Suffer In Housing Crunch
UC Berkeley’s alumni magazine covered the student housing crisis – but failed to note that it’s folks renting out housing on Airbnb that is taking away permanent homes and contributing to making housing more expensive for all!
“Radio producer Liza Veale has been using Airbnb, the short-term rental company, to rent out three rooms in her parent’s Elmwood home for the past three years. It’s one of a reported 1,162 Airbnb units in Berkeley. At first, she didn’t understand why so many students were renting out a room for roughly $1,000 a month.”
http://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/just-in/2015-10-14/crammed-berkeleys-housing-zone-students-get-creative-and

Berkeley’s Short Term Rentals law is expected to be discussed at the planning commission on November 4.

San Francisco’s Prop F – “The Airbnb Law”
BTU has endorsed San Francisco’s Prop F. We hope our City makes a law that can, and will, be enforced – so we don’t have to do a ballot measure here!
“Senator Dianne Feinstein, a fierce foe for Airbnb and its ilk, is in favor of Prop F., which “closes loopholes and provides effective enforcement tools.” She said the current law is unworkable and unenforceable, and guts zoning regulations while incentivizing “illegal conversion of residences to de facto hotel rooms.” She said, classifying Prop F. as a “common sense change.”
http://sfist.com/2015/08/31/sue_thy_neighbor_airbnb_prop_f_and.php

“Current law requires hosts to register with the city, but only 618 have done so, the planning department said. Airbnb has 4,238 local hosts with 5,459 listings, while HomeAway/VRBO has about 1,000 listings and FlipKey has 359, a Chronicle investigation found.”
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Would-SF-Prop-F-spur-Airbnb-suits-with-neighbor-6472468.php

Berkeley Seismic Retrofits: Cup Half Full?
“The retrofitted buildings, which number 145 at latest count, account for 1,591, or just under half, of the 2,841 apartments in buildings identified as particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.”
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_28930420/berkeley-more-than-half-soft-story-buildings-retrofitted

San Francisco and Los Angeles Retrofits
San Francisco plans to allow rent increases to pay for retrofits. So far, Berkeley hasn’t done that. Los Angeles plans to require retrofit of concrete buildings as well as soft story ones – Berkeley hasn’t done that either.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-quake-san-francisco-20151006-htmlstory.html

Foreclosure Crisis Not Over
“…The California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS) confirmed that the pension fund invested $660 million in two different funds managed by Lone Star, and that the company has used the money to buy up distressed home loans, foreclose on the homeowners, and resell the homes.”
http://m.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/california-teachers-have-been-financing-evictions/Content?oid=4526962

By Posted on Posted in Actions

100913Thursday, October 10 at 5 PM
Final Public Hearing on Seismic Retrofits
City of Berkeley Hearing sponsored by ASUC
UC Berkeley Alumni Hall: 2537 Haste Street

Currently, the plan is to allow landlords to pass costs onto tenants if the landlord can claim paying for the retrofit is a hardship. Since Rent Board rules already allow owners to pass costs on to tenants if they are not making a fair return on their investment, these new hardship rules imply that owners who “need” to raise rents for seismic safety are already making a fair return, so where is the hardship??!

REVISED DATE! Tuesday, November 19 at 7 PM
Seismic Retrofits to City Council
Council Chambers: 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way

The Rent Board recommendations were posted in a recent BTU update: Rent Board Seismic
The Housing Advisory Commission recommendations: HAC Memo SWOF with HAC amendments

more info:
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Planning_and_Development/Building_and_Safety/Soft_Story_Program.aspx

By Posted on Posted in Actions
garages
2091 California is already retrofitted.

This Thursday, October 3, the Housing Advisory Commission will vote on their recommendations to Council regarding the law to require landlords to fix unsound buildings. BTU attended the last HAC meeting to speak about our concern:

Tenants should not have to pay extra rent for safe housing!

The City will hold the final public hearing on the law to require seismic retrofits for Berkeley’s most unstable rental housing on October 10 at 5 PM. Since the first hearing was held over the summer, and so many students live in these “soft story” buildings, the October hearing is cosponsored by Berkeley’s ASUC and will be held on campus but open to everyone. Only five tenants spoke at the July 27 hearing, although more than 40 landlords were present.

On September 16, the Berkeley Rent Board finished their recommendations to Council, which cite many ways that owners with financial hardship could pay for retrofits without raising rents. However, even the Rent Board voted to consider amending rules so that landlords can raise rents! If tenants do not speak out at the meetings listed below, Berkeley tenants could see increases under the new mandatory retrofit rules like those in San Francisco, where rents in unsafe buildings are going up an average of $900 a year!

Seismic Retrofit Recommendations
Thursday October 3 – 7 PM
Housing Advisory Commission
South Berkeley Senior Center

Final Public Hearing on Seismic Retrofits
Thursday October 10 — 5 PM
City of Berkeley Hearing sponsored by ASUC
UC Berkeley Alumni Hall – 2537 Haste Street

Seismic Retrofits to City Council
REVISED DATE November 19 — 7 PM
Council Chambers: 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way

City website, including draft law and inventory of unsafe buildings:
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Planning_and_Development/Building_and_Safety/Soft_Story_Program.aspx

Rent Board recommendations:
Rent Board Seismic

By Posted on Posted in Actions

Berkeley Citizens Action will join BTU to discuss shared concerns at our Fall Potluck, Wednesday September 18.

Free Tenant Counseling by the Eviction Defense Center at 6 PM !!!

Food and Friends at 6:30 PM. Grassroots House, 2022 Blake @ Shattuck

SunsetUPCOMING DATES OF INTEREST TO TENANTS

Campaign Violations, Berkeley Democratic Club
Thursday September 19 – 7 PM
Fair Campaign Practices Commission
North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave @ MLK

Free Housing Counseling for Seniors
Friday, September 20 – 12 PM
Counseling by Berkeley Rent Board
South Berkeley Senior Center: 2939 Ellis Street @ Ashby

More after the jump…

Read more »

By Posted on Posted in Actions

Demolition Ordinance to Housing Commission ThursdayBerkeley’s Housing Advisory Commission (HAC) will consider several hot issues at their meeting on Thursday September 12, including mandatory retrofits of seismically unsafe apartment buildings and alarming changes to the demolition ordinance which would threaten rent control and lead to evictions.

The HAC will also hear an update about the exciting new program that offers energy efficient upgrades to tenants and landlords, a proposed ordinance declaring mold unhealthy in rental units, and changes to the affordable housing fees developers of new buildings must pay to offset the impact of unaffordable units on the community.

TENANTS, Come Out and Have Your Say!

South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis Street, at 7 PM Thursday

Demolition Ordinance
The Berkeley NAACP joined with other organizations like BTU and the Sierra Club in opposing new drafts of the Demolition Ordinance which don’t require rent controlled apartments be replaced with units affordable to low-income residents.

The Berkeley NAACP top priority recommendation in the Housing category for the report from their summer Town Hall meeting was, “Demolition Ordinance will include the replacement of all affordable housing that is demolished.” Unfortunately, there is a new draft of the demo ordinance that came out on August 30 which would allow developers to tear down rent controlled units, even those which are occupied or in good condition, and not replace them. The new draft allows developers to pay an unspecified fee which could be changed by City Council at any time.

BTU is standing by our request that Council approve the June 4th compromise draft, and we are still collecting signatures for our petition, which we will also present to the HAC.

https://www.change.org/petitions/berkeley-city-council-preserve-affordable-housing

NAACP Town Hall report: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Planning_and_Development/Level_3_-_LPC/Item%2012.A.2_NAACP%20Corrospondance.pdf

Seismic Retrofits
BTU is determined that tenants should not be forced to pay a rent increase just because their building will stand up for 3-5 more seconds in a major earthquake.

Mold
Right now, Berkeley Housing Code Enforcement can’t cite for mold in apartment buildings because even severe mold, which causes asthma and other health problems, is not defined in our city codes as a hazard. This new law is based on one that has protected San Francisco tenants for years.

If you can’t come to the Housing Commission meeting Thursday, write to them care of kslee@cityofberkeley.info

By Posted on Posted in Actions

Tenants are urged to speak out about paying for these earthquake safety improvements.

  • Wednesday, August 7th 7pm
    Disaster and Fire Safety Commission
    Fire Department Training Facility
    997 Cedar Street @ 8th Street
  • Monday, August 26th, 7pm
    Rent Stabilization Board
    Council Chambers
    2134 Martin Luther King Jr Way @ Center St
  • Wednesday, Sep 4th, 7pm
    Planning Commission
    North Berkeley Senior Center
    1901 Hearst Street @ MLK
  • Thursday, Sep 12th, 7pm
    Housing Advisory Commission
    South Berkeley Senior Center
    2939 Ellis Street @ Ashby

more info: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Planning_and_Development/Building_and_Safety/Soft_Story_Program.aspx

By Posted on Posted in Actions

softstoryBTU is very focused on Seismic Safety this summer. San Francisco passed a mandatory retrofit law that allows landlords to pass the costs of seismic upgrades to their tenants; it has been reported that the average rent increase there will be $900 a year! We won’t let this happen in Berkeley! Please join BTU by coming to our August 14 Potluck to learn how you can help.

The really good news at the first public hearing on retrofits, held July 25, was that the city has hired one staff member to deal with “Soft-Story Phase 2” – the retrofit law. Berkeley has not really enforced the 2005 rules (“Soft Story Phase 1”) in part because there has been no dedicated staff in the Housing department for this work.

Berkeley landlords had a huge turnout July 25, with their comments ranging from helpful suggestions to difficult demands. Several landlords pointed out that the city permit process makes it more expensive to retrofit by making their construction timeline uncertain and requiring additional safety work be done at the time the retrofit permit is issued. Many also claimed they can’t afford a retrofit and can’t get a loan to do one. The city has discussed creating a low-interest loan fund for owners who really can’t afford to make their buildings safer, but several landlords said they want to see a zero-interest loan from the city.

Most tenants who spoke talked about how they want their building to be safe, but believe any substantial rent increase would be a hardship. Some said they were willing to pay a little more rent if they could afford it. Tenants also spoke about fear of temporary relocation, but Rent Board speaker Matthew Siegel said few retrofits are expected to require relocation. Landlords said the law (Relocation Ordinance), which requires that owners pay a “rent differential” and other expenses for tenants who must temporarily move out, is unfair.

Currently, 109 buildings on the original unsafe list are now retrofit, while 18 have not even done the engineering report required under the 2005 law. There has been no city tracking of compliance with the required posting of warning signs, but BTU joined the Third Annual Day of Seismic Action and found many buildings lacked signage. No fines have been issued.

The Rent Board speaker said that agency would consider allowing costs to be passed through to tenants, so we intend to gather tenants to speak at upcoming hearings at the Rent Board (possibly AUGUST 26), Disaster and Fire Safety Commission (AUGUST 7), and the Planning Commission (SEPTEMBER 4).

July 25 Hearing:
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2013/07/26/berkeley-renews-focus-on-retrofitting-soft-story-buildings/#disqus_thread

Draft Legislation:
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Planning_and_Development/Building_and_Safety/Soft_Story_Program.aspx

No Signs Posted at Many Unsafe Structures:
Seismic Day of Action 2013 Report 

Related: Alameda renters got eviction notices from the new owners at Marina View Towers. Carmel Apartments will evict 84 families to perform seismic retrofits.
http://blog.sfgate.com/inalameda/2013/07/27/the-broad-brush-your-alameda-news-in-60-seconds-33/