BIG money stole Richmond’s renters protections

BIG money stole Richmond’s renters protections

By Lynda Carson - September 5, 2015

Richmond - Big money stole renter’s protections from Richmond’s renters this past week, as the California Apartment Association brags on it’s website about meddling in the affairs of local government policies in Richmond with a petition, to repeal renters protections.

According to public records, during 2013 the California Apartment Association (CAA), an organization (so-called non profit) comprised of wealthy property owners, has assets totaling $7,256,302. Their wealth has grown immensely since CAA declared that during 2011 their total assets were $5,040,048. The CAA also claims that it has 13,000 members in their organization.

Additionally, records reveal that during 2007, the California Apartment Association Political Action Committee had a total of $574,924 in assets, in their only apparent filing in recent years.

By meddling in the affairs of Richmond’s city government, the CAA has managed to block rent control and just cause eviction protections from going into effect on September 4, 2015.

What the CAA has done is more than meddle in the affairs of Richmond as an extreme annoyance to city government. The CAA hijacked renter’s protections with BIG MONEY, by financially backing a petition intended to block rent control and just cause eviction protections from going into effect. A petition, that many were tricked into signing by devious signature gatherers who were being payed anywhere from $12.50 to $20.00 per signature, according to numerous reports. Devious signature gatherers who lied to people by telling them that the petition made rent control stronger, or kept rents from increasing, according to testimony from renters, and according to media reports.

Additionally, the CAA has crushed the hopes and dreams of families with children, disabled and elderly members, including school teachers, nurses, low-wage workers, and thousands of other citizens in Richmond seeking protection from greedy landlords, realtors, speculators, and apartment owners.

Many are long-term residents who turned to their elected officials and lobbied them for assistance, to stop families from being displaced from their community. They are seeking nothing more than a fair deal through rent control, and just cause eviction protections, as a way to keep from being displaced, or made homeless.

A fair deal, that would allow landlords a fair return on their investments, while at the same time allowing renters to keep paying their rent as long as they were not in breach of their contracts, or in violation of just cause eviction protections.

A fair deal of renters protections that were made into law around August 5, 2015, by a majority of elected council members in the fair city of Richmond.

Instead of allowing government policies such as rent control, and just cause eviction protections to go into effect and work for all parties involved, the CAA decided to wage war against local city government policy and the renters of Richmond. This was done on behalf of greedy landlords, speculators, realtors, apartment owners, and possible members of their organization.

How do you explain to a five year old child that is going hungry and needs medical care that there is not enough money anymore to provide for his or her needs, because the landlord has mercilessly jacked up the rent last month by $300, and has just made the family homeless in the process?

In the latest 9900 tax filing filed with the IRS during 2013, the CAA describes it’s mission very clearly. “The organization’s mission is to represent the ethical members of the rental housing industry in all aspects of government affairs within the State of California, and to provide information, products, and services which contribute to the success of their businesses.” The CAA does not mention what happens to unethical members of the housing industry that may be part of their organization.

Presently, the CAA is meddling in the affairs of the City of San Mateo, and it appears to be “deja vu” in regards to what just happened in Richmond.

In a September 5 posting on the California Apartment Association’s (CAA) website, it says: At its 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8, the city of San Mateo will consider a request from Councilman David Lim to introduce a just cause eviction emergency ordinance. If the request is approved by the City Council, the item will advance to the Sept. 21 public hearing, where the ordinance can be officially voted on.

If agendized and approved on Sept. 21, a just cause eviction emergency ordinance could take effect immediately and will apply to ALL rental housing regardless of size, type or year built.
 
CAA Tri-County strongly opposes Just Cause Eviction. It is not a justified response to the region’s affordable housing shortage. A Just Cause Eviction ordinance does not create or promote new housing and severely limits the property owners’ ability to keep renters safe.

Click here for more details… http://caanet.org/call-to-action-oppose-just-cause-eviction-in-san-mateo/

The facts reveal that just cause eviction ordinances help to keep renters safely in their housing, when unscrupulous landlords try to evict households with no-cause evictions, no matter how the CAA may try to spin the facts.

Can the renters of San Mateo expect the same thing that just occurred in Richmond, to occur in their fair city if their council votes to pass just cause eviction protection, as a direct result of corrupt meddling practices of the CAA, and it’s BIG MONEY?

Santa Rosa is also considering rent control in their lovely city. Can the fair city of Santa Rosa expect the CAA to meddle in their local government’s affairs also with their BIG MONEY?

San Jose is also considering just cause eviction protections for it’s fair citizens presently. Can the lovely city of San Jose expect the CAA to meddle in their local government’s affairs? Will “BIG MONEY” from a so-called non profit entity be used to oppose additional renters protections in San Jose?

Residents of Mountain View are also demanding a moratorium presently on rent increases. They are in direct opposition to the BIG MONEY interests of CAA and it’s wealthy members. Additionally, there are thousands locally in San Francisco fighting back against gentrification, displacement and homelessness.

The following question arises. Is it ethical for a so-called non profit entity with “BIG MONEY” to promote policies that result in tens of thousands of families throughout California becoming homeless?

In the CAA website it mentions that they have 13,000 members in California. On behalf of it’s members, the CAA claims that as lobbyists meddling in the affairs of local governments throughout the state, that they know how to make stuff happen. Including in Sacramento, in the effort to influence corrupt politicians, with votes that are swayed one way or another, by the interests of BIG MONEY.

The CAA wants the public to believe that meddling in the affairs of local and state government to promote their corrupting influence throughout the state is ethical. Some may find that very hard to believe.

The California Apartment Association (CAA) additionally claims that it has 25 board members, including 5 officers, with Tom Bannon as it’s CEO. The CAA claims that they have been in business for more than 70 years.

It appears that the CAA, a so-called non profit entity, has been in business for 70 years to serve the interests of greedy corporate property owners desperate enough to pay a fortune, to make sure that renters are deprived of renters protections, including rent control, or just cause eviction protections.

According to public records, during 2013, Thomas K. Bannon, CEO of CAA, raked in $300,653 including $24,265 in other compensation.

Renter’s protections, including rent control and just cause eviction protection ordinances have been successful in protecting renters from greedy landlords, which is why the CAA spends BIG MONEY in the effort to oppose renters protections throughout California.

Renters throughout California are being urged to join the battle against greedy landlords and their supporters by joining the organization called Tenants Together. Tenants Together is a non profit organization dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of California tenants to safe, decent and affordable housing. http://www.tenantstogether.org/

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com

Click on link below for more on how Richmond's renters protections were stolen by BIG MONEY...

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/09/03/18777062.php

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