Posts Tagged ‘rent increase’
Despite Richmond’s rent cap, some tenants still seek lower rates, citing maintenance issues
Two Richmond residents file a petition for a rent decrease amidst dilapidated housing conditions.
Read MoreA new Great Migration: the disappearance of the black middle class
After the great recession of 2008, inequality widened along racial lines as people lost their homes, often their only major asset. Earlier this month the Institute for Policy Studies, a Washington, D.C. think tank, reported in “Billionaire Bonanza: The Forbes 400 and the Rest of US,” that the average white family today has net assets of $141,900, compared with the $11,000 for African American families. This hollowing out of the African American family asset base is a nationwide phenomenon that can be explained by the shrinking African American middle class. It’s even more a factor in “strong market” regions like the Bay Area, where housing costs are soaring.
Read MoreCommunity members voice concerns over raising rents in Richmond
More than a dozen Richmond residents complained of big rent increases during a community forum last week. Richmond’s City Council enacted rent control legislation in July, and the controls were due to take effect in late August. Instead, the ordinance was suspended. Now, some Richmond tenants say they are suffering a consequence that nobody at City Hall may have intended.
Read MoreRichmond Progressive Alliance revives campaign for stronger tenant protections
Advocates for stronger tenant protections in Richmond received support last week when the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA) decided to join their efforts. The RPA is an influential political player in the city, with members—Jovanka Beckles, Eduardo Martinez, and Gayle McLaughlin—holding three of the seven seats on the city council. The group’s steering committee voted on Wednesday…
Read MoreSome Richmond property owners agree to limits on rent increases, but face skepticism
In Richmond, politicians and community organizations are tackling the issue of rising rents. Last week, in a step that he hopes will bring immediate relief to tenants vulnerable to rent increases, Vice Mayor Jael Myrick announced agreements with a number of property management companies to temporarily limit rent increases while the city council debates solutions…
Read MoreRent increase squeezes small businesses at Richmond port
Doug Kidder, the owner of a small Richmond boat company, said he wasn’t surprised when the Port of Richmond called him last summer to let him know it was going to increase the rent on his small lot in the Richmond Shipyards. It had been a few years, and Kidder said he was probably paying…
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