Los Angeles La Opinion - Presionan por reforma del control de alquiler en LA
Decenas de miembros de la Coalición Keep LA Housed, un grupo de defensores de los derechos de los inquilinos, abogados y organizaciones comunitarias se manifestaron para pedir cambios en los permisos de aumento de alquiler que se rigen bajo la Ordenanza de Estabilización de Renta de Los Ángeles (RSO).
La RSO, respaldada por casi la totalidad de los miembros del Consejo de la ciudad no ha sido sometida a votación porque autoridades del Departamento de Vivienda de Los Ángeles (LAHDA) no les ha presentado el reporte independiente que fue comisionado a Economic Roundtable, dado a conocer desde el 24 de septiembre.
La fórmula propuesta por todos los miembros de Keep LA Housed es muy simple: quieren un piso de aumento al alquiler cada año desde un 0% y un máximo del 3% anual.
“Durante 23 de los últimos 40 años, los dueños de vivienda han podido subir la renta a más de 3%, y eso no es justo”, declaroo Sergio Vargas, activista de la Alianza para las Comunidades de California (ACCE).
KGTV 10 News - San Diego leaders propose law to stop landlords from using AI technology for rent rigging
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- City of San Diego leaders and housing advocates are fighting back against AI technology that allegedly targets renters.
On Wednesday morning, City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and a coalition of housing advocates went before the council’s Rules Committee to take the first step in preventing this technology from being used by San Diego landlords.
The proposal they presented calls for a ban that prevents landlords from using AI technology to set rent prices and maximize the landlord's profits.
Elo-Rivera said the technology uses algorithms to analyze rent prices across the city and determine the highest possible price to charge tenants.
Capitol Weekly - Housing is the solution to homelessness: vote yes on Prop. 5
OPINION by Pinky Toney– Housing and homelessness are top of mind across California. Too many of us have trouble covering our housing costs and we worry about how many people are living in tents and RVs.
The fix may be complex, but it’s also quite simple: housing is the solution to homelessness. This year housing is on the ballot in California and voters have a chance to be part of this solution by voting yes on Proposition 5.
It’s not just a ballot measure for me – it’s personal. I know what it’s like to be unhoused.
Pinky Toney is a member of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), a mother of two, and a long-time resident of Sacramento.
AlJazeera - Rent control battle in California heats up, opposing investors pump money
Reyna Aguilar was working as a chef in a restaurant in San Francisco’s Mission neighbourhood when the COVID pandemic struck. The restaurant shut within months, leaving Aguilar worrying about how she would make rent on the studio apartment she had lived in for nearly a decade.
When the government announced it would give rent vouchers, Aguilar, who wears her hair in a loose knot, felt relieved. But her landlord asked for cash instead.
Worried she would lose the home it had taken her a few years to find after she moved to the United States from Mexico to earn money to be able to pay for the education of her five children whom she had left behind, Aquilar contacted Catholic charities for rent vouchers. But the landlord would not accept those either.
Instead, she told Al Jazeera that the landlords’ employees stood in the building hallway, shouting insults and making it hard for her to pass through to her apartment.
Davis Vanguard - Six Arrested at California State Capitol Protesting Inaction by Governor, State on Affordable Housing
SACRAMENTO, CA – Six people, including unhoused and “struggling renters,” were arrested here late Thursday at State Legislative offices after a Capitol rally urged public officials, lawmakers and the governor to work toward affordable housing instead of homeless encampment sweeps.
The rally began at the West Side of the Capitol and then continued to the State Legislative offices.
The California Highway Patrol said people were arrested for misdemeanors, including unlawful assembly, refusing to obey an order and being on state property after hours. Status of those arrested is not known at this time, but those arrested at the Capitol are normally booked in Sacramento County Jail and released within a few hours with a scheduled court date.
Those rallying and arrested, according to a statement issued by a large coalition of supporting groups, demanded “Governor Newsom fund affordable housing at scale, fulfill his promise of building one million affordable homes by 2030, and stop the encampment sweeps that merely move people from one corner to another while causing trauma and harm."
Press Telegram - About 2,000 tenants, workers will march in Downtown LA for more housing
During a massive rally set for Saturday in downtown Los Angeles, thousands from community groups and labor unions will march to demand actions regarding rising rents by advocating for affordable housing, rent control and wage increases for blue-collar workers.
One of the more concrete ideas emanating from the 120 different organizations participating is for the City of Los Angeles to buy up and turn into affordable housing the vacant, half-finished Oceanwide Plaza towers, given the moniker “Graffiti Towers” after the buildings were marred by taggers in February.
The luxury apartment complex was left unfinished in 2019 after a Chinese investor went bankrupt.
Sacramento Bee - Several arrested in protest over housing, homelessness at offices of California Gov. Newsom
Officers arrested six people participating in a peaceful sit-in demonstration on housing and homelessness Thursday inside the lobby of a California legislative office building in downtown Sacramento.
The demonstration was held inside the lobby of the Capitol Swing Space building on O Street. Offices for state lawmakers and the governor are located in the building.
Members of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment and Camp Resolution in Sacramento participated in Thursday’s demonstration. The protesters demanded that Newsom fund affordable housing at scale, fulfill his promise of building one million affordable homes by 2030 and stop the homeless encampment sweeps “that merely move people from corner to another while causing trauma and harm,” according to a news release from the two groups.
KPBS News - With Proposition 33 voters could give counties and cities more power to limit rent increases. Should they?
California limits rent increases to 10% a year for tenants living in apartments built before 1995.
But a law known as Costa-Hawkins prevents cities and counties from passing further rent control, like for newer buildings, single-family homes or new tenants.
The Justice for Renters Act, Proposition 33, would repeal that law, allowing cities and counties to create local rent control laws for any housing.
Jose Lopez, who leads the San Diego Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, said passing rent control “matters a whole lot.”
“Especially for the thousands of Californians who are really one rent increase away from having to move out of their homes,” he said.