Housing advocates argue that when tenants are facing eviction, they have an unfair disadvantage. They claim that landlords are represented by an attorney nearly 90 percent of the time, while tenants have legal representation only 10 percent of the time. Providing an attorney to those facing an eviction will “balance” this power. But there is…
A recent article in The Los Angeles Times reports that “affordable housing” projects in California are routinely costing more than $1 million per apartment to build. This outrageous price tag is caused by both state and local policies, and it illustrates one of the costs of democracy. Democracy means unlimited majority rule, that the majority…
A report published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution claims that landlords force renters to sign away their rights. The report details provisions in a standard lease that offer unattractive options to tenants and asserts that this is an act of force. The truth is, having to choose between unattractive alternatives isn’t force. As an example, the…
Atlanta has joined a growing list of cities and states considering a “Tenant’s Bill of Rights.” Contrary to the claims of the proponents of such laws, the proposed law is more accurately a bill of wrongs. Among the provisions in Atlanta’s bill of wrongs are: A right to counsel in eviction hearings Rent “stabilization,” also…
Atlanta has joined a growing list of cities and states considering a “Tenant’s Bill of Rights.” Contrary to the claims of the proponents of such laws, the proposed law is more accurately a bill of wrongs. Among the provisions in Atlanta’s bill of wrongs are: A right to counsel in eviction hearings Rent “stabilization,” also…
Atlanta has joined a growing list of cities and states considering a “Tenant’s Bill of Rights.” Contrary to the claims of the proponents of such laws the proposed law is more accurately a bill of wrongs. The councilman who introduced the bill said, “We all know that Georgia is a property owner’s safe place, but…
Denver recently began implementing the Healthy Residential Rentals for All ordinance. Supporters of the law claim that it will even the playing field between renters and landlords. As is usually the case with such laws, this ordinance prohibits some individuals—landlords—from acting as they judge best for the purpose of achieving a level playing field. The…
Prodded by students, last September legislators in Ann Arbor, Michigan, passed a law that prohibits landlords from showing properties or entering new lease agreements more than 150 days before an existing lease expires. Now the students are complaining that landlords are finding loopholes to get around the ordinance. They should have seen this coming. One…
In April, San Francisco’s “Right to Organize” ordinance went into effect. As is common, the law’s name is misleading. Tenants have always had the right to organize, and the ordinance does nothing to change that. What the ordinance does do is force landlords to negotiate with tenant “unions.” The law requires landlords to recognize tenant…
Mark Twain popularized the phrase “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The essential meaning of the phrase is that statistics can be misrepresented to support a particular position. A recent report from Housing for All Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is an example of abusing statistics. In the Introduction, the authors claim, This report……
Legislators in New York are considering a “just cause” eviction bill that opponents have labeled Lease for Life. The bill would prohibit landlords from evicting a tenant as long as the tenant pays the rent, isn’t intentionally damaging the property, and isn’t subletting or violating the lease. The bill would also subject most rental housing in…
Ann Arbor, Michigan recently became the third jurisdiction in the nation to create a tenants’ commission to “amplify the voices of renters.” Unlike similar commissions in Seattle and King County, Washington, landlords will be a part of the commission. However, they will not be allowed to vote on any issues before the commission. Some council…