Corrupting influence of big money against rent control

Corrupting influence of big money against rent control

By Lynda Carson - October 29, 2016

Oakland — Renters need renter protections including rent control and just cause eviction protections just to have the right to pay their rent, including the right to fight back against unscrupulous landlords involved in price gouging, and eviction-for-profit schemes. Renters are not asking for too much when demanding the right to fight back against unscrupulous millionaire landlords who are terrorizing them by trying to scare them out of their apartments, just to raise the rents on their rental units.

With the announcement by Zillow that the median rent in Oakland is presently $3,000 a month, it reveals that rent control is needed more than ever to curb the voracious appetite of greedy landlords, speculators, realtors and Wall Street investment firms taking advantage of renters with their over market rate rentals in Oakland, and the Bay Area.

That's why renters and tenant advocates across the Bay Area are urging voters to vote for strong renter protections during the upcoming November election in the cities of Richmond, Oakland, Alameda, Burlingame, San Mateo, and Mountain View.

In opposition to the renters in the “David vs. Goliath” renter protection campaigns taking place in the Bay Area, are the greedy landlords, speculators, realtors & realtor associations, and apartment associations that are spending a ton of money to have the notorious California Apartment Association (CAA) run some massive campaigns against Bay Area renters seeking renter protections. The massive campaigns and big money being spent by the CAA are corrupting the political process in the Bay Area, and are obscene in breadth, and scope.

The big money of the CAA and it’s wealthy campaign contributors have spent a fortune of money in TV and radio attack ads, mailers, newspaper ads, printers, politicians, campaign consultants, and polling recently, in the effort to convince voters to vote against renter protection ballot measures that can be voted on in November, in 6 Bay Area cities.

Records reveal that between 1/1/2016 and 9/24/2016 the CAA-Issues Committee took in $829,398 in campaign contributions from big monied landlords and speculators that do not want renters to have any renter protections, including $50,000 from KW Multi-Family Management Group, LLC, $150,000 from Prometheus Real Estate Group, Inc, owned by a billionaire family, $50,000 from wealthy landlord & speculator Tod Spieker, $25,000 from Tower Alameda LP, $85,000 from Woodmont Real Estate Services, LP, $40,000 from Mountain View Housing Council, $45,000 from Vasona Management, Inc, $25,000 from ACCO Management CO, $20,000 from the Tan Group, and $100,000 from Equity Residential, a very wealthy firm out of Chicago.

According to public records, and these are not all the public records available, however it reveals that the California Apartment Association Issues Committee has recently spent $250,000 in TV attack ads with Cabletime, around $52,000 in TV & radio attack ads with Firestar Productions, $17,000 in radio attack ads on KCBS Radio, $8,500 in radio attack ads on KFOG Radio, $17,200 in radio attack ads on KGO Radio, $17,000 in radio attack ads on KNBR Radio, and $10,500 in radio attack ads with Weller Media Services against renter protection ballot measures.

Additionally, the CAA-Issues Committee spent around $412,250 for TV radio attack ads, campaign literature and mailings, and $20,000 for polling and survey research with Media & Associates, INC, against renter protection ballot measures.

The CAA-Issues Committee also spent around $16,000 with Tony Sciliani for campaign literature and mailings against renter protection ballot measures in the Bay Area.

Records also reveal that the CAA-Issues Committee also spent an additional $71,530 in opposition to Measure Q in San Mateo, a renter protection ballot measure.

Additional records also reveal that the CAA-Issues Committee also spent an additional $61,721 in opposition to Measure L in Richmond, a renter protection ballot measure.

More records reveal that the CAA0Issues Committee also spent $138,028 in opposition to Measure V in Mountain View, a renter protection ballot measure.

Records also reveal that the CAA-Issues Committee also spent $56,353 in opposition to Measure R in Burlingame, a renter protection ballot measure.

Additionally, records also reveal that the CAA-Issues Committee also spent $59,983 in opposition to Measure M1 in Alameda, a renter protection ballot measure.

In comparison, today in Alameda around 50 people or more with the Alameda Renters Coalition will be going around town handing out 10,000 door hangers, and they will be talking to people in the effort to convince voters to vote for Measure M1, on November 8, a renter protection ballot measure.

The big money being spent by the CAA to oppose the grass roots efforts of tenants and activists promoting renter protections in the Bay Area, are obscene and are corrupting the political process.

Meanwhile, in Alameda mass evictions have been occurring due to a lack of strong renter protections, and the Alameda Renters Coalition is urging voters to vote against Measure L1, and to vote for Measure M1 as the way to protect renters and stabilize communities in their city.

In Oakland Measure JJ is on the ballot in November and if voted into law it will help to protect renters by strengthening existing renter protection laws. Voters are urged to vote YES on Measure JJ to help stabilize communities in Oakland, and slow down greedy landlords involved in price gouging and eviction-for-profit schemes.

The struggle for renter protections in Richmond has been an epic battle against the lies and deceit of the California Apartment Association (CAA), and it’s corrupting influence on local politicians.

Activists are urging voters to vote on Measure L as a way to stop landlords involved in price gouging and eviction-for-profit schemes in Richmond. Measure L makes the landlords accountable for their actions when engaging in price gouging. If passed by the voters in November, Measure L would help to stop the mass evictions taking place in Richmond that are condoned by Mayor Tom Butt, and Councilmembers Nathaniel Bates and Vinay Pimplé.

In the City of San Mateo, renters and activists collected more than 11,000 signatures to place a renter protection ballot measure on the ballot for November 8 that includes rent control and just cause eviction protections. Activists are urging the voters in San Mateo to vote on Measure Q as a way to stabilize communities and protect families from displacement.

In the City of Mountain View renter protections are also on the ballot. Activists and renters are urging voters to vote on Measure V to protect over 14,000 households, including families, teachers and nurses from rent price gouging and eviction-for-profit schemes. Activists are urging renters to vote for Measure V, and to vote against weak renter protection measure placed on the ballot by the City Council.

Renters and activists have also had a fierce battle in Burlingame over renter protections and activists are urging voters to vote for Measure R in November. If passed by the voters Measure R will provide rent stabilization and just cause eviction protections to help stabilize communities and protect families from displacement of their housing due to speculators, realtors, and greedy landlords.

Renter protections will be on the ballot in 6 cities during November in the Bay Area. No matter how hard the landlords and the California Apartment Association are trying to stop the renters movement, tenant advocates across the Bay Area are urging renters to vote on strong renter protections during the upcoming November elections in the cities of Richmond, Oakland, Alameda, Burlingame, San Mateo, and Mountain View. The activists are urging people to vote “no” against any weak proposals placed on the ballot by the City Council in Alameda, and Mountain View.

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

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