2 Year Moratorium On Rent Increases Is A Total Fraud

2 Year Moratorium On Rent Increases Is A Total Fraud
By Lynda Carson 8/15/01

Oakland, Ca-Oaklands much publicized ballyhoo over it's famed 2 Year Moratorium On Rent Increases after certain types of evictions is a total fraud.
According to recently obtained Task Force documents, a Task Force Report
dated May 24, 2001 states; that Ordinance 822, including the"24 -month moratorium" has never been enforced, and as written, is probably unenforceable.

On a more alarming note of concern to Oakland renters, the Task Force Report
further states that Ordinance 822 (enacted july 25 2000) [inadvertantly] deleted
some "rights" formerly assigned to tenants under previous Ordinance 11758.
Based upon these revealing documents, during the past 2 years, efforts of
community organizers in the tenants rights movement of Oakland, have actualy resulted in negative consequences for renters despite the PR Campaigns trying to portray just the opposite.

Indeed, according to Item C of this Task Force document, reports by all tenant assistance agencies in Oakland are consistent in that "30-day notice" evictions have increased significantly over the past 2-3 years, and have continued increasing since enactment of Ordinance 822.

A grim assessment of what this means to renters, is that the annual rent growth pace has shot up to 30-40% during the last 2 years in the Bay Area, and that the gains are still slightly ahead in Oakland compared to surrounding cities that are slightly declining in rental rates.

Last year rents rose 23.1% in Oakland, and the occupancy stands at 96.7%, making it very difficult to find affordable housing for anyone. Making matters worse for Oakland renters is the recent Task Force deal that will end Oaklands
3% cap on annual rent increases, which is to go into effect on January 1, 2002, when the City Council makes the expected final vote on the measure somtime during the fall.

Other details of this Task Force Report note that, although the enactment of Ordinance 822 of Oaklands rent laws called for the study of a system of rent registration, no study has been carried out, and no recommendation's have been offered by the staff of the rent arbitration program in responce to the council mandate.

In Oakland, unlike all other Bay Area cities with a large tenant population,
landlords are not required to give tenants a justifiable reason for their evictions, and this is the LOOPHOLE providing huge economic incentive to evcict
for the purpose of pure greed.